A stand-up comedy course for maximum security prisoners was branded “totally unacceptable” by the justice secretary, Jack Straw. The minister forced managers at Whitemoor prison to cancel the lessons immediately because funding them with taxpayers’ money could not be justified.
According to the Sun, course candidates included the al-Qaida terrorist Zia Ul Haq, who had plotted bomb attacks on London.
Straw said: “Prisons should be places of punishment and reform, and providing educational, training and constructive pursuits is an essential part of this. But the types of courses available – and the manner in which they are delivered – must be appropriate in every prison…”
Most inmates in UK prisons have access to educational courses. Many of these are designed to help inmates return to employment when they leave prison.
Comedy classes, which organisers say foster team work and communication skills, have been available since 1998.
Since 1998? No one noticed.
Just Britains poor excuse of another headline that invlolves terroists. You know the Gaurdian are doing their job when they say “according to The Sun” absolutely pathetic but will get at least half a million saying “those damn terroists” in Britain.
Terrorist joke:
What did the children of Lockerbie get for Christmas?
New luggage!
Coming to Channel 4: “Mousef, the Funny Terrorist.” I’d watch it.
This needs to be a mandatory course for prisoners and law enforcement personnel. Neither camp is is noted for their sense of humor.
I’d _much_ rather a released prisoner toss jokes than bombs…
Bring back the comedy courses! What a tremendous idea!
How can they teach British humor? Are there guidelines and formula jokes and stuff? I don’t get it.
Why is this such a bad thing? If they find their talent lies elsewhere what’s the big deal? They get rehabilitated.
Let us see here, we have a choice. We could allow long term prisoners to continue to wallow in pity, growing angrier every day, join prison gangs, develop a real hatred for the guards.OR, prisoners could have courses and group sessions that build their sense of purpose and esteem, that encourage them to become useful in society.
Of course, the vengeance crowd already knows which choice they prefer. The returning prisoner.
Heck yeah! What’s this rehabilitation stuff? Any kid that gets caught with a bag of pot in his pocket should spend a few years in the Big House, getting fucked up the ass by lifers, being schooled in the felonious ways of career criminals, and look forward to getting out so that he can come right back right in.
Don’t those dummies know anything about “correctional” facilities?
Why not, prisoners sit around most of the time. I imagine telling jokes passes part of that time.
I guess they should feel miserable so the rest of society can feel better about it?