Pussy Riot singer joins opposition to UK prison book ban
Source: BBC
Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has given her support to a campaign against the UK government's ban on sending books to prisoners.
Ms Tolokonnikova, who spent 16 months in jail for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin, is one of 10 prominent former prisoners to write about the importance of books in jail.
"Books make up your entire world when you are a prisoner," she said.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the ban helped keep prisons drug-free.
Under the law, introduced in November, prisoners are prevented from receiving parcels, including books, unless they have "exceptional circumstances", such as a medical condition.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27125740
LeftishBrit
(41,205 posts)Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)You are taking away BOOKS from prisoners?
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Just stopping them receiving books and parcels from outside the prison.
Prisoners have access to the library 5 days a week 09:00 - 11:30, 14:00 - 16:30 and 18:00 - 19:30. That's for the Scrubs - probably the same at other prisons. http://www.insidetime.org/info-regimes2.asp?nameofprison=HMP_WORMWOOD_SCRUBS
Chances of this having any effect on UK law are nil.
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Books are a lot cheaper than shrinks. Get with the program U.K. Give books to the prisoners for free and they might get some great new ideas and get out of jail and contribute to your economy. Keep them isolated from fresh thinking and see what you get. Another corner office guy decision.
Nihil
(13,508 posts)I realise you might not have those things with you but rest assured, there are plenty of books,
ideas and fresh thinking being provided to prisoners over here.
The thing that is being stopped is the illicit supply of hard drugs.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)Maybe the books could be sent there.
rocktivity
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)As far as I'm aware they all do.
Helen Borg
(3,963 posts)What the hell?
LeftishBrit
(41,205 posts)that might be used as a means of smuggling drugs into prisons. This was always a concern; but recently it has become so draconian that even book parcels are banned.
Nihil
(13,508 posts)The fraction of the prison population that is prepared to do anything to keep their
drug trade going is pretty small compared to the fraction that is victimised every
day into "assisting" the pushers. This will help protect the majority - the non-violent
ones.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)..once they start criticizing western prisons.
Good for them.