Stuart Hall released from prison halfway through sentence - BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-35111521

Sure, why not?

This is what annoys me about our legal system. A sentence is never the actual sentence.
If you're going to do that, just be honest about the sentence length in the first place.

I have no problem with time reduced for good behaviour but perhaps the sentencing should state that


Personally I believe that your sentence should be

33% of it hard labour (the punishment)
33% good quality rehabilitation (Training, school etc)
33% possible reduction for good behaviour


Anyone who does not take an active part in the rehabilitation loses their 33% sentence reduction and has to do more hard labour

I'm not sure there'd be enough hard labour for the entire prison population to take part in, tbh. At least not economically productive hard labour. if you're not bothered about it being productive yeah, just have them breaking rocks. Plus you'd have issues with people who are aged or in ill health. If someone like Hall gets sent to jail when they're already infirm, you can't have them breaking rocks. If they had a heart attack and carked it, the state would be open to charges of manslaughter by neglect.

Having prisoners doing something productive has to be better than them sitting in a cell for 23 hours a day though, agreed. How boring/exhausting/unpleasant that thing is is a matter of choice.

I read a very interesting article where the Californian prison board was using inmates to fight forest fires. It's a fairly crappy job - hot, nasty & dirty although not as dangerous as you might think - but it proved very successful. Both a good way to use the prisoner's labour and it was shown to have some rehabilitative effect. Obviously that's not a job that needs doing much in the UK but I'm sure we could find some equivalent.

Jon

While it being productive would be nice I have no issues with them breaking rocks



Have them have a medical - those to ill to break rocks can paint them white and then paint them black


I saw that - it was on the BBC web site I think - and they got time off - 1 extra day for every day working I think