Today’s speaker was Mark Braithwaite on Crime and Punishment. Mark is an ex-Chief Superintendent of Teesside Police and this is Mark’s 4th visit.
Mark began by recalling a previous talk on double jeopardy referring to the case of Billy Dunlop and Anne Ming’s battle to get justice for her daughter. Mark told us that a dramatisation of events is being filmed and he is acting as consultant.
Crime has been with society from the very beginning. Up until the time of Henry VIII, trial was by ordeal with punishment handed out by landowners – often so severe, it was known as the “Bloody Code”. Death for what, by today would be a minor offence was common .Convicts were held in the local lockup or deported, first to America, then Australia. Prisons were built to replace lockups but conditions were appalling. Elizabeth Fry and John Howard campaigned to improve conditions to be more humane.
There are 141 prisons in the UK housing 89,000 prisoners often 2 or more to a cell designed for just one person. There is a lack of prison officers to supervise prisoners and enable them to gain education or training instead of being confined to their cell 23 hours out of 24.
On release, there are insufficient parole officers to monitor those released.
Punishment can range from fines, community service, prison sentence of months to life. Mark explained the difference between a life sentence and a whole life tariff – life means that the prisoner can be released after 10-16 years if reformed, whole life means the prisoner stays in prison until they die.
Capital punishment, abolished in 1964, divided the members. Mark was against but on a show of hands there were several who were in favour.
Mark made a strong case for investing in more prison and parole officers to deter prisoners from re-offending. This will reduce the prison population and make more resources available to educate and train those remaining with a view to reduce their motive or need to commit further crimes. Rehabilitation can turn their lives around. He cited the case of Jimmy Boyle, sentenced following an assault to reclaim a £7 debt. He spent 14 years in prison and on release found a vocation as a sculptor and author.
A thought provoking talk generating a lot of interaction with and questions from the members.