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Ben
Lecturing
About Me
- prisonerben
- United Kingdom
- Previously known as "one of Britain's best known prisoners...he constantly questions authority and exposes the futility of the system" The Times, Ben was finally released from prison after 32 years in August 2012. Pleading guilty to the murder of a friend when he was 14 years old, he renounced violence and fought for the recognition of the inherent dignity of all human beings. As a result of speaking truth to power, he served far longer than the recommended 10 years, leading Education Secretary Michael Gove to argue that he had "been punished excessively for a crime committed as a child". One of the more intellectual of prisoner-campaigners, Ben chose to educate himself from schoolboy level to having both undergraduate and post graduate degrees. He is currently one of very few prisoners in Britain ever to attempt a Doctorate. Ben's speciality is non-violent action and the Human Needs Theory. Now on Life Licence, He is forging a career as a CJ policy consultant, writer and - as ever - campaigner.
Is that the rate after release? Harder to kill someone inside, one presumes.
ReplyDeletePrisoners are not well supervised, half a dozen staff for a wing of a hundred men. It is easy to kill, should one be inclined. Ask Robert Maudsley! I suspect the point here is that murder is overwhelmingly a 'one off' crime. Perhaps jailhouselawyer could pitch in here?
ReplyDeletePerhaps they have got it out of their system?
ReplyDeleteUsually the killing is a one off, and there is less than 3% of serious re-offending upon release compared with over 60% for adults and 80% of young offenders.
ReplyDeleteAnd, at least 3 times more people are killed by drivers than those who commit murder or manslaughter.
I don't know... but i'd like to think that commiting a murder - and having to live with the consequences - would be one of the best deterrents!?
ReplyDeleteHello Ben
ReplyDeletejust to say I enjoyed your article in the above newspaper and thought you made some very important points. in particular your comments on the lack of any real informed debate on penal issues. even in academia there is a dearth of actual prisoners voices and experiences. you are also spot on re the prison system and crime as a reflection of larger society. As an acaemic from a 'non-traditional' background I have many friends who have been and still are in the prison system so if i can be of any help in getting your views heard just let me know
take care and keep writing
Craig
Unlawful killing within a relationship is an unfortunate fact of life. It is unaffected by penalties such as the death sentence. While the national rate is low, particular offences can often be related to stress factors that may be beyond individual control. In some aspects the disastrous outcome might appear as bad luck or be due to a loss of judgment that was unusual even for the offender. Lifers in this category, who would not have killed once had they retained their perspective, will be most unlikely to repeat the offence after they have reflected on the matter for a few years in prison. Where a loss of judgment can be linked to taking drink or drugs, there is an obvious need for treatment and re-education after which, one hopes, normality will prevail. Most lifers do not wish to kill.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do know Ben is that when a child goes missing sooner or later we find the parents are involved. Some ,with friends in high places are still walking the streets.
ReplyDeleteMurder rate amongst murderers is almost 100%.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly like close to 100% of apples are apples.
Difficult, huh?
Anon, you are confusing the murder rate OF murderers with the murder rate BETWEEN murderers.
ReplyDelete