Stun guns won't bring an end to violence in prisons
This doesn't deal with the root causes of a service in perpetual crisis after a decade or more of austerity and a failed 30-year political race of longer sentences and locking more people up as the answer to reducing crime. If we hold people in squalid conditions, it's hardly surprising more violence erupts. Prisoner assaults are at an all-time high, but so are deaths in prison custody, self-harm and overcrowding.
Use of force by prison officers, as with police officers, is always applied in greater numbers to black, Muslim and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller inmates. Racism is an indelible part of prison life. If we want to reduce violence in jails, the recent report on HMP Guys Marsh gives us a big clue. It identifies the deterioration in relationships between officers and prisoners. Politicians, senior Prison Service leaders and the prison officers' union should reflect and take heed.
Mark Blake
London
Alex South believes, albeit reluctantly, that the time may be right for prison staff to be armed. After over 40 years in the Prison Service, and 12 years' involvement in prisons in the UK's overseas territories, I couldn't disagree more. Unlike in the US and other jurisdictions, the operation of UK prisons has been predicated on building sound working relationships between staff and prisoners. That would not be possible if the dynamics changed with staff carrying stun guns.
Read More Judge demands proof before cutting 'duplication' costs
The problem is that reductions in staffing levels and the loss of experienced staff have made the maintenance of control and the establishment of reasonable officer-prisoner relationships impossible.
Rather than creating additional barriers between staff and prisoners, the solution is to provide sufficient trained officers to establish control, build relationships and provide opportunities to change the lives of those in our prisons.
Keith Munns
Bramhall, Greater Manchester
Claiming stun guns will make prisons safer is perverse. A debate about violence and safety must include state violence against inmates and the shocking death rate in prisons, up to 399 deaths in the year to March 2025, an increase of 37%. In 2019, a European Committee for the Prevention of Torture delegation said it 'encountered examples of the unprovoked and unjustified infliction of violence on prisoners by staff'.
A report by the charity Maslaha noted that Muslim prisoners are more likely 'to be confronted with batons, made to wear rigid bar handcuffs, or deliberately held in a painful position'.
An effective response would be to commit to a dramatic reduction in the prison population. Also, the culture of immunity and impunity needs to be replaced with a system that is democratically accountable, and human rights prioritised over technology. This would improve safety for all – a better use of money than further weaponisation or building more prisons.
Deborah Coles Executive director, Inquest, Joe Sim Emeritus professor of criminology, Liverpool John Moores University, Steve Tombs Emeritus professor of criminology, the Open University
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
18 minutes ago
- The Hill
Here are the trade deals Trump has made ahead of Aug. 1 tariffs
After months of delays, President Trump's long-awaited global tariffs are slated to take effect at the end of this week. Trump on April 2 announced 'reciprocal' tariffs on dozens of other countries, using trade deficits to help calculate the tariff rate. But a week later, he lowered those rates to 10 percent for three months as markets reacted negatively, allowing time for countries to negotiate. As the 90-day window was nearing its end earlier this month, Trump sent letters to countries informing them of the new 'reciprocal' rate that, he said, would take effect Aug. 1. The White House has managed to secure some significant trade deals since the president's unprecedented sweeping tariffs were first announced in the spring. Trump on Sunday announced a trade deal with the European Union, setting tariffs at 15 percent for European goods, including automobiles — lower than the 30 percent rate Trump had threatened to impose on the EU next month. The EU will purchase $750 billion worth of energy from the U.S. as part of the deal, Trump announced, and agreed to invest in the U.S. $600 billion more than the current investments for other goods. Trump similarly reached a deal last week with Japan, setting a 15 percent tariff on Japanese goods — lower than lower the 25 percent tariff Trump had threatened to impose. Also in that deal, Trump said Japan would invest $550 billion in projects in the U.S. and would open its markets to U.S. automobiles, rice and other agricultural products. The Philippines agreed to a trade deal with the United States that would lower U.S. tariffs on its exports to from 20 percent to 19 percent, Trump announced last week. Trump had originally set a 17 percent duty on imports from the Philippines in April before warning that figure would rise to 20 percent last month. An agreement with Indonesia would also set a tariff rate of 19 percent on its imports. Trump announced an agreement with the United Kingdom in early May, in what is considered the first major deal struck since the president announced his sweeping tariffs in April. That agreement set the tariff rate at 10 percent, down from 25 percent. The U.K. is allowed to export 100,000 cars to the U.S. at a 10-percent tariff rate, as opposed to the 25-percent rate announced March 26, marking a win for the British car industry. Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to talk about the implementation of that deal when they meet Monday in Scotland. The US and China announced in late May the contours of a deal to stave off a trade war between the two countries temporarily. The U.S. reduced its tariff rate from 145 percent to 30 percent, and China reduced its rate from 125 percent to 10 percent. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are set to hold talks Monday for the third time this year, with The Associated Press reporting that China is expected to press for the U.S. to remove its 20 percent tariff related to fentanyl. Both countries have an additional 10 percent baseline tariff in place. The White House sent dozens of letters this month informing countries of what they should expect their tariff rate to be, come Aug. 1. Trump has insisted he would not further extend the tariff deadline, but Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that the president would be open to continuing discussions even after the tariffs are in place. For countries that have yet to secure a deal with the U.S., here are the tariff rates set to take effect on Aug. 1: Canada: 35 percent Mexico: 30 percent South Korea: 25 percent South Africa: 30 percent Kazakhstan: 25 percent Laos: 40 percent Malaysia: 25 percent Myanmar: 40 percent Tunisia: 25 percent Bosnia and Herzegovina: 30 percent Bangladesh: 35 percent Serbia: 35 percent Cambodia: 36 percent Thailand: 36 percent Libya: 30 percent Iraq: 30 percent Algeria: 30 percent Moldova: 25 percent Brunei: 25 percent Sri Lanka: 30 percent Brazil: 50 percent
Los Angeles Times
9 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. and European Union announce a trade framework
EDINBURGH, Scotland — The United States and the European Union reached a tariff deal Sunday after a brief meeting between President Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. A White House deadline was days away from imposing punishing import taxes on the 27-member EU, which is America's leading global trading partner. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said. The make-or-break talks were meant to head off trade penalties — and promised retaliation from Europe — that could have sent shock waves through economies around the globe. Trump and Von der Leyen held private talks at one of Trump's golf courses in Scotland, then emerged a short time later saying they had reached an 'across the board' agreement. In remarks before the session, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.' 'I think the main sticking point is fairness,' he said while also noting, 'We've had a hard time with trade with Europe, a very hard time.' Von der Leyen had said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars. Trump said the stakes involved meant a deal should be pursued. 'We should give it a shot.' Von der Leyen said Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and deal maker,' which prompted the president to interject, 'But fair.' She said that, if the agreement is successful, 'I think it would be the biggest deal each of us has ever struck.' For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled export tax rate of 30%. The Republican president pointed to a recent U.S. agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15% and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Asked whether he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Trump said, 'No.' As for the threat of retaliation from the Europeans, he said: 'They'll do what they have to do.' Their meeting came after Trump played golfed for the second straight day at his Turnberry course. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting, 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family business has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. Joining Von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Bjorn Seibert, the head of Von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade; and Tomas Baert, head of trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the U.S. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but was now firm, the administration said. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday.' He added, however, that even after that, 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, including such diverse items as beef, auto parts, beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually made good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could mean that items including French cheese, Italian leather goods, German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals would be more expensive in the United States. The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of 7 meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing. Weissert writes for the Associated Press.
USA Today
11 hours ago
- USA Today
Man who murdered Palestinian American 6-year-old boy dies in custody, officials say
Joseph Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office said. The Illinois landlord convicted for the murder of a Palestinian American 6-year-old boy died in custody, officials said. Joseph Czuba, 73, fatally stabbed the child, Wadee Alfayoumi, over two dozen times times days after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Prosecutors called the killing a hate-filled attack because he and his mother, Hanaan Shaheen, were Muslim. The murder came after Czuba and Shaheen spoke about the onset of the Middle East conflict. Shaheen and Alfayoumi, a kindergartner, rented two rooms from Czuba in Plainfield, a suburb about 40 miles outside Chicago. In February, a jury found Czuba guilty of murder, hate crime and attempted murder charges for the attack. A state circuit court judge in May sentenced him to 53 years in prison. Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, Kevin Hedemark, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff's Office, said in an email. Hedemark referred questions − including about the cause of Czuba's death − to state officials, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In the days before the attack, Czuba told Shaheen to move out because of her family's faith. On Oct. 14, 2023, Czuba entered the bedroom of Alfayoumi's mother, Hanaan Shaheen, and attacked her with a military-style knife, prosecutors said. While she locked herself in the bathroom waiting for help, Czuba then attacked Alfayoumi, stabbing him 26 times. Shaheen called 911, saying Czuba was killing her baby. Will County Sheriff's deputies found Alfayoumi on a bed with multiple stab wounds to his chest and the knife protruding from his torso. Czuba also stabbed Shaheen multiple times. Alfayoumi's grandfather previously told reporters no sentence would reconcile the loss his family will forever suffer. 'It doesn't matter what the numbers are," Mahmoud Yousef said at the time. "He took a life from us. He took a future." Alfayoumi's murder took place a week after Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 250 others were taken hostage. Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians since the start of the war, according to Hamas-run health resources. In Gaza, about a quarter of the 2.1 million people in the Palestinian territory face famine-like conditions, with thousands suffering from acute malnutrition, according to the United Nations World Food Program. Deaths from starvation among children have been chronicled by the World Health Organization and doctors. Contributing: Chris Cannon, USA TODAY; Reuters
