Why does it cost so much to keep someone in prison?

According to the BBC it costs on average £47,000 per year to keep someone in prison. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12879042
 
I cant understand why it costs so much? Basic food, a few luxuries, electricity/heating, some chances of education etc... it just seems a ludicrous amount of money - about twice the national average wage. Our prisons are a failed institution and with the state of our economy at the mo shouldn't something be done? 
 

Prison figures

• There are 85,419 prisoners in England and Wales (81,202 men, 4,252 women)
• About 60,000 people each year are jailed for less than 12 months
• In 2009, 59% of prisoners serving sentences of less than 12 months were reconvicted within a year
• The figure for young offenders was 72%
• The average cost of keeping someone in prison is £47,000 a year

 

Staffing is alot, they are always on overtime aswell and on weekends.
 
Like you said eduction, sports etc. Even with the education you do exams which all need to be paid for and the certificates.
Thats not including any court visits and transports.
It also includes all the visits to and from prison for probation and rehabilitation corses ( even though they are very pointless they should spend the money on helping getting people off heroin rather than forcing other lads to do corse that are no benifit but tick there boxes)
 
I was forced to do 3 corses that were no benifit or relivance to my crime.
Other expences is health care and detists etc. All in house.

But still how does that add up to nearly 50k a year?! I wonder how much other countries spend on their prisoners, is the UK much higher then the average? 

If I had my way most would be locked up 24/7 with bread and butter and the occasional bowl of porridge and a slop bucket . That wouldn't cost as much, sod human rights.

its about 30k in California http://economic101.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/california-spends-five-times-more-on-prisoners-than-students/ which is the most expensive in the USA

Whoah - I thought it was £27k about 3 years ago - how has it hit £47k?!? That's just daft - that's such an absurd amount of taxpayer money to look after someone who has chosen to step away from society (lol, no offense Play!)
 
I'm with Kitty!
 
(oh, and shotgun cartriges cost pennies FWIW...)

Tony Barnes


(oh, and shotgun cartriges cost pennies FWIW...)

Then there's the added expense of a funeral but I suppose a mass pyre might do the trick

I dont believe that figure,sure it costs a bit but they also get the most out of prisoners in making them do jobs that would get a wage of £200 or so a week on the outside for £8 per week inside.
 
I was told this is what pays for most parts of the prisoners stay.

Tony Barnes


Whoah - I thought it was £27k about 3 years ago - how has it hit £47k?!? That's just daft - that's such an absurd amount of taxpayer money to look after someone who has chosen to step away from society (lol, no offense Play!)

I'm with Kitty!

(oh, and shotgun cartriges cost pennies FWIW...)

I thought the figure was around 30k too, so I was shocked to see it at 47k. The government wants to incarcerate less and less people to save money, but why cant we just reduce the amount we spend on prisons? As Play said the educational/rehab courses are pretty much irrelevant/useless. I'd love to see a breakdown of where the money is actually being spent/wasted.

kitty


Then there's the added expense of a funeral but I suppose a mass pyre might do the trick

Ouch, and I thought I was being insensitive..!
 
Pete - would have thought there would be a breakdown somewhere? Or a FOIR would get it. My issue is the re-offend rate is very high in the UK - 70%+ IIRC ?? All that says to me is that spending time in prison isn't a deterrant. It should be...

Why does it cost so much? F**k knows but I would lay a bet that the cost rocketed from 1997. Anyone know if I'm right?

Why is it so expensive?
 
 Xbox and PS3 games aren't cheap!!
 
Osagi

Packup Pete

Tony Barnes


Whoah - I thought it was £27k about 3 years ago - how has it hit £47k?!? That's just daft - that's such an absurd amount of taxpayer money to look after someone who has chosen to step away from society (lol, no offense Play!)

I'm with Kitty!

(oh, and shotgun cartriges cost pennies FWIW...)

I thought the figure was around 30k too, so I was shocked to see it at 47k. The government wants to incarcerate less and less people to save money, but why cant we just reduce the amount we spend on prisons? As Play said the educational/rehab courses are pretty much irrelevant/useless. I'd love to see a breakdown of where the money is actually being spent/wasted.

My main gripe is the amout of people that end up in jail addicted to heroin , wnat to get offit but as they are doing a short sentance for either breaking asbo or shoplifting or burg by the time there logged in to the system they are either doing a to short sentance to qulify or get the treatment so as soon as they are kicked out the door they reoffend and end up back in. Money should be spent to help the ones that want to be helped.
 
Also there was say three or four homeless old men that were straight out and back in. They would get out and be given there 48 quid discharge grant, go buy a bottle of whiskey, drink that then a brick straight through the bobby shop window and be back in as they got telly, bed, 3 square meals etc. Again these people should be helped its 200k a year on them four and thats not including maybe 20 court cases and transport each everyyear

kitty

Tony Barnes


(oh, and shotgun cartriges cost pennies FWIW...)

Then there's the added expense of a funeral but I suppose a mass pyre might do the trick

or perhaps replace some of the coal burnt in power stations?

Osagi


Why is it so expensive?

Xbox and PS3 games aren't cheap!!

Osagi

Not aloud them as can make phones out of them so only PS2's ;-)
 
Also cant have them or anything else like a blaster with usb slots as easy to charge a  phone with it and shaving blades

Some good points there Play - those who want help, should IMO get it. Those who don't want help, or consistently breach the trusts formed when receiving help, should not.

 
Why don't they turn Prisons into factories?   So they fund themselves????????????

A relative of mine works on the rehab stuff and half the guys on it are reoffenders and certainly not interested in being there. As expected, not great job satisfaction.

No wonder they spend so much if they're buying PS3 games for an xbox. What a waste.

Skrewdriver


 
Why don't they turn Prisons into factories?   So they fund themselves????????????

I agree that would be good they make some thinks like sheets, or furniture. Quite a few large companys had stuff made in the one i was in but they never admit it.
 
Also inb teh computer classes books are typed in to help kids with poor sight etc.
 
The people in there would prob prefer somthing like that least that way they can maybe get a trade and put it to practice. Agin its being trusted with tools and that means more staff to watch over people doing these jobs.