Just a minute

I have, for some time, thought it a good idea to make life a little more challenging for those who are incarcerated at 'Her Majesty's pleasure'. You might think that, as someone who is concerned about the distinct possibility of global warming and all its dire consequences for mankind, I would be in favour of treadmills linked to a generator. The inmates could even be rewarded for their efforts with a share of  FITs though I am not sure if there is a an agreed tariff for electricity generated by manpower.

As tempting as this idea is, I fear the return, in terms of power on all the investment, would be so very poor that the proposition is not viable. My preferred option combines both punishment with a long term reward and the added benefit of education. The proposal is to restrict in cell entertainment to Radio 4.

Why should the incarcerated be offered multi channel TVs or indeed TVs at all. I accept that for most the thought of listening to Radio 4 would be regarded as a punishment but then surely that is what imprisonment  is all about. The thing is that boredom would I suspect drive them to listening to Radio 4 a little more each week or month and with that their minds would be expanded, they would become aware of more about what is going on in the UK, Europe and the world. And this can only be a good thing.

This proposal also allows for the possibility of cunning punishments. Antisocial behaviour can be discouraged by withdrawing Radio 4 privileges while more serious offences would attract the ultimate sanction of making their only entertainment re runs of that well known panel game 'Just a minute' I suspect the very mention of 'And here is your host Nicolas Parsons' would be enough to crack the toughest old lag.

A little harsh, do I hear you say. I admit its hard and some would probably need to be put on suicide watch but isn't prison meant to be tough?

It would be great to imagine that such a policy would put an end to the typical cycle  of prisoners leaving jail with their law breaking skills much improved though not enough to avoid a speedy return to HMPS.  My slight worry is that, when discharged with a broad knowledge of all that is going on, appreciating that Banks and bankers are totally unscrupulous, Politicians only concerned with the section of society got them into power, the mass media quite happy to ruin peoples lives if it increases their profits and that the whole western economy is teetering on the brink - I stop there with the list before we all need to go on a suicide watch, ex prisoners will not feel like trying to join society but do what the hedge fund managers/bankers do (screw the rest of us) and hope that like them they don't get sent to prison.