International Law

Don't imprison their minds

By John Hirst

Access to literature can change prisoners' lives ? the Tories are wrong to advocate a restriction on books they can read

So, the Conservative party are up in arms at the news that prisoners have access to books about crime, including some actually written by criminals. Now there's a surprise ? who would have imagined that some of those incarcerated for breaking the law might want to read about the doings of other miscreants?...

...Shadow justice minister Dominic Grieve thinks it "beggars belief" that books glorifying crime and violence are freely available to prisoners. Get a life Mr Grieve and please don't encourage Jack Straw to curtail any more of the few "freedoms" prisoners still enjoy. The pair of you should remember that the loss of liberty is the punishment. You'll be telling prisoners what they can and cannot think next.

Access to literature certainly changed my life for the better. John McVicar is another example who benefited, as did Jimmy Boyle and Erwin James.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on February 15, 2009 (boomark / email).