No Grand Theft Auto In Prison?

Thanks to Frictionless Insight for pointing to an Australian article discussing a judge's suggestion that Grand Theft Auto-style games not be available in prison. According to the report, "Bradley Scott McConkey... led police on a 200km car chase at speeds of up to 180 kilometres per hour, as well as stealing cars at knifepoint and committing armed robbery on two businesses", and additionally, "...a psychologist's report said McConkey had played Playstation's Grand Theft Auto during a previous jail term." Due to the similarity of the games and the crime, the judge suggested "...the appropriateness of Grand Theft Auto-style games in a prison environment was questionable", since it "provides opportunities for rehearsing their destructive activities."

Comments

Uh, video games in prison?

[adamjaskie]

Why is my money paying for this? They shouldnt have tetris, let alone GTA. Hell, I dont have a playstation 2, why should a bank robber in jail?

Re:Uh, video games in prison?

[spencerogden]

I'm not one of theose people who think that video games make "do things". But I do think that providing entertainment to inmates is dumb. If you want entertainment, at least make it valuable, read a book or something. Like the origional poster said, I don't even own a playstation. I fail to see what benefit the availability of video games has towards rehabilitation.

Re:Ok.... what?!?!

[isorox]

For us slashdotters with computers, homes, internet, and probably a lot more, prison still is a deterrent, but when I look at a guy I saw at the Oxford Circus Underground station a couple of weeks ago, white as a sheet, thin as a rake, looked really bad (I gave him all the change in my pocket, if I went that way frequently I'd be taking him sandwiches), and I wonder why the system fails. If you're out on the streets, genuinely starving, just throw a brick through a window and confess police station, at the very least you get a bed for the night.

Changes needed

[Anonymous Coward]

They let inmates play video games, lift weights etc etc to keep them from rioting and raping each other. The same people whining about all these perks are the same people who would raise hell if any more money went into fixing the prison system; making them secure institutions that are harsh yet humane instead of a candyland for gangs.