Interesting way to handle a prisoner transfer...

Vohu Manah · Post by **Vohu Manah** » 2004-06-03 07:52am

Vohu Manah · Post by **Vohu Manah** » 2004-06-03 07:56am

Hit submit by accident, and not the intended preview.

BBC News wrote:Jailbreak duo escape punishment

Two men who fled an open prison and knocked on the door of another jail asking for a stricter regime will not serve extra time.

Audie Carr, of Hereford, and Benjamin Clarke, from Gloucester, claimed Leyhill Open Prison in Gloucestershire was "rife with drugs".

They asked Gloucester Prison staff if they could serve their sentences there.

Charges of escape from lawful custody against the pair were dropped at Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC agreed it was not in the public interest to prosecute the duo.

Drugs habits

Carr, 29, and Clarke, 23, fled Leyhill after requests to be transferred were declined.

Giles Nelson, defending, said both had beaten drug habits after rehabilitation programmes at Gloucester Prison.

"They were off drugs and concerned about what was happening to them at Leyhill," he said.

The pair were at large for 17 hours, having missed a roll call at 2030 BST on 9 March.

They walked through the night and turned up at Gloucester Prison around 1250 BST the next day.

Adrian Foster, prosecuting, said he wished to discontinue the matter as there had been no violence or threats made in the escape.

When he fled Leyhill, Clarke was serving an 18-month jail term imposed at Gloucester Crown Court on 1 March for two offences of burglary and theft.

Carr began a five-month sentence on 8 April for assault, resisting arrest and possession of an offensive weapon. He was sentenced at Hereford Magistrates' Court.

They are to stay at the Gloucester jail until their release later this year. Carr is due for release on 5 August and Clarke on 1 October.

In a statement issued after the hearing, a Prison Service spokesperson said there were drug rehabilitation programmes at Leyhill.

"Any prisoners found in possession of or using illegal drugs are immediately stopped from going out on licence and, in some cases, returned to open conditions," the spokesperson added.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 769957.stm

Published: 2004/06/02 12:43:07 GMT

© BBC MMIV

Evil Sadistic Bastard · Post by **Evil Sadistic Bastard** » 2004-06-03 09:02am

Well, at least they understand WHY they're in jail... and have the good sense be cocnerned for themselves...

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-06-03 10:00am

What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?

TheDarkling · Post by **TheDarkling** » 2004-06-03 10:11am

Durandal wrote:What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?

Essentially a holiday camp of sorts, you have your own room with a TV in and are allowed to walk about the Prison for most of the day. They have more choices for meals and are less strict about what materials you have access to. They also have day release programs so the Prisoners can pop home from time to time and get a job in the outside world. In essence as long as you show up for roll call you are free to do whatever you want with your day.

Evil Sadistic Bastard · Post by **Evil Sadistic Bastard** » 2004-06-03 11:09am

Damn, most of the soldiers in my army don't even get that much freedom!

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-06-03 12:34pm

Durandal wrote:What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?

It's one without any walls--there's an honor system that you actually stay where you are.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-03 12:59pm

The Kernel wrote:
Durandal wrote:What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?
It's one without any walls--there's an honor system that you actually stay where you are.

because, of course, felons are honorable and can be trusted to use the honor system.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-06-03 01:23pm

So putting drug users in federal prisons, where they learn how to be better criminals in an environment which does nothing but breed hostile and violent urges, is a better solution?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-06-03 01:57pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
The Kernel wrote:
Durandal wrote:What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?
It's one without any walls--there's an honor system that you actually stay where you are.
because, of course, felons are honorable and can be trusted to use the honor system.

And it obviously doesn't work else they wouldn't have so many of these honour systems around and working still, oh wait...

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-06-03 08:09pm

Durandal wrote:So putting drug users in federal prisons, where they learn how to be better criminals in an environment which does nothing but breed hostile and violent urges, is a better solution?

No, but notice, that's in the US. This was in the United Kingdom, where attitudes on drugs and sex actually make sense...

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-06-04 10:47am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
The Kernel wrote:
Durandal wrote:What's an "open prison"? Is that like a minimum security prison?
It's one without any walls--there's an honor system that you actually stay where you are.
because, of course, felons are honorable and can be trusted to use the honor system.

minor counts of theft hardly makes them felons. If they'd committed felony level acts, i find it doubtful they'd be in such a minimum security prison.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-06-04 11:00am

Col. Crackpot wrote: because, of course, felons are honorable and can be trusted to use the honor system.

The logic is that for minor felons, the penalties for escaping (not being able to get a job, living life on the run, if caught being sent to a real prison) outweigh the problems with spending a few years in a minimum security facility. It saves the taxpayers serious money on incarceration AND the escape rate is low. It goes without saying that none of these felons are violent offenders.