Crime & No Punishment.

I can see the purpose of open prisons, if certain inmates who aren't dangerous and are content to serve their time can be held with a minimum of security then it is a good way to save money. Obviously they should not be used for prisoners with a known history of violence and absconding. Well it's obvious to me and any sentient being I've ever met, but not to the custodians of our criminal justice system:

Robert Foye, 29, beat and restrained his 16-year-old victim before raping her after being allowed out of Castle Huntly open prison last year to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, in spite of a history of flouting prison discipline and escaping.

.......

Foye was convicted in 2002 of the attempted murder of a police officer and sentenced to nine and a half years. Three years later he in was in the open prison. Lady Smith was told two police forces were trying to track him down last August after he failed to return from his day out.

The court was told yesterday that Foye had spent only two months outside prison since 1996, having notched up 25 convictions as an adult.

They decided that being in an open prison didn't give him enough opportunity to escape so they sent him out on day trips! There is no mention in the article of who was responsible for letting a dangerous criminal out and I doubt those responsible for enabling him to rape the girl will suffer any consequences whatsoever.

Two minor points that occur to me are, if someone is in prison shouldn't he be unable to get any alcohol, thus rendering the AA meetings unnecessary? Secondly shouldn't attempted police killers be serving more than nine and a half years, which for a prisoner more disciplined than Foye means about 4 or 5 years?