BT and Siemens slammed over prisoner call rates

@Steve Roper

"- the responses from the readership, that is. All of you who have posted self-righteous remarks along the lines of "boo hoo" etc, know this: I have taken the names of everyone other than the gutless ACs who have made such pronouncements here. From here on, if I EVER see you post in here again about how your freedom is being taken away by stupid laws, I will serve it to you in spades of abuse. Fucking hypocrites."

Mistake or not, people get put in prison for a reason. I object to the notion that they can call something 'unfair', when it is their own actions that landed them there.

There is a big difference between freedoms taken away from law abiding citizens, and freedoms being taken away from criminals as a punishment or deterrent. So no, it wouldn't be hypocritical.

Not that you will see me complaining about smoking bans, tougher alcohol restrictions or anything. Unless the law is clearly ridiculous and has no benefit, I am perfectly happy to live by the social contract, giving away some of my freedom in return for public services to protect and help me. You won't catch me whining on about my 'human right' to drink alcohol or smoke, because there is no such right.

It's really simple. If you want to live with luxuries, and not get sent to prison and get them taken away, don't commit the crime. I don't have any sympathy for anyone in prison whining that they can't do what they want.

haha nice try ex-con

You won't make yourself look any better by claiming anyone criticising you must be a tabloid reader. How does that one work?? Who cares if you or any other criminal made a mistake that landed you in? Mistakes have consequences. Let me guess, you are talking about 'simple mistakes' like drunk driving?

People in jail should only be allowed to phone their lawyers. No one else. Absolutely no one, ever. Children? Too bad. Dying mother? Too bad. It is supposed to be punishment. You can phone people when you get out. If you are in for something silly, you can phone your pals in a few days, or a month. So what exactly is the problem?

" if you abuse them just because you feel morally superior, then you become them. "

WRONG. First of all, (generally) no one is talking about ABUSING prisoners, they are talking about not making their life cushy. SECOND OF ALL, it is not comparable. A prisoner commited a crime. Asking for them to be punished for their wrong doings does not make that person cruel, it means they are believe in justice and vengeance. Once again, nice try.

"because you're also being a hypocrite, it actually brings you morally below their level. " Haha. No. It doesn't. You wish. lol@BELOW their level. Eg: You are saying that someone being a hypocrite is LOWER than a cold-blooded murderer that raped and tortured an elderly woman, because they asked that the murderer be punished, or even harmed themselves? No no no.

There are many people who believe in an eye for an eye, and asking that an offender gets something similar done to them does not make that person WORSE, it means they are sickened by bad behaviour and want rights taken away from the criminal since the criminal cruely disregarded their victims rights.

It is really rich to hear someone who has took away anothers right to LIFE complaining about their right to be able to use a mobile phone!! Whilst being punished for taking away another persons right to use a mobile, to see their kids, to walk down the street, to love, to breathe, TO LIVE.

"What is prison supposed to be about? No, it's not primarily punishment (although that is a factor) " And in what way are current prisoners being punished? Many of them have cosier lives than hard-working law-abiding citizens, and what for?

" At the moment, the only tactic that is employed is that of deterrence - commit a crime, we'll catch you and lock you up. Clearly, this has already failed since they're in nick in the first place." They do offer counselling, education etc to prisoners and the locking up threat is not actually a deterrant at all! The reason they re-offend or OFFEND is because they're not punished properly for crimes, not in jail for long enough. Get TVs, computers, education, DRUGS etc in jail. A lot of the time, they don't even get put in jail at all, so you are wrong wrong wrong.

Everyone has problems, but we don't all turn to crime. Why then, should the bottom of the barrel, those weak, cruel or 'oops! made a mistake' people get all manner of help, counselling, education, comforts, advice, expressive outlets, freedoms etc, and treated nicely and equal to (scratch that- BETTER than) law-abiding citizens? Those are things that most of the population can do with!! and the prisoner gets it all for free!!

Apparently Liam doesn't realise that you can have a sound opinion even if you don't have the gift of perfect grammar or make a typo. I guess my comment will be ignored too then..? Oh and to bleeding heart AC, it is not any of us affecting the prisoner's family life, it is THEM, their direct actions caused the problem, and they ought to deal with it instead of being bailed out. If they do not get to speak to anyone maybe they will not be so blase about going back in, if they know they will be cut off from the world. Once again, they are making the choice, and treating their family like crap, without a thought for the problems they might cause should they get locked up.

The prison system need not compensate for their bad decisions.

@Hmmm

Sorry pal but you are having a laugh, you mean you got PAID too!!!

I have to agree with a couple of the posters, scumbag inmates should not have access to anything.

You get no sympathy, us law abiding have to pay ever increasing mortgages, gas, electricity, council tax.

From what has been reveraled in the media and what you've said, it sounds like a bloody holiday camp!

@ Dave Harris

Sorry, but you don't get put on remand for no reason so the same rules should apply.

As regards out current home secretary, yes indeed, lock her up if she has broken the law.

As regards ripping them off, no sympathy, however, I find it disgraceful that Patientline can legally rip off the sick/dying along with their relatives, you dont have a choice about being in hospital, you have a choice about breaking the law, if you don't like a law e.g. the poll tax, you can complain to your MP or make the government pay at the ballot box

And the useless argument about lack of education that gets trotted out again and again is rubbish, you can tell right from wrong.

Increase the phone charges for prisoners, reduce them for patients and the rest of us, if prison returns to being a proper deterrent then crime will fall and we'll all be safer.

Captive audience?

Yes, this is what they call "taking advantage".