Gaming for Prisoners?

[jy76 1]

We all make mistakes in life, so why not some mercy - I mean, given with at least good behavior?  Anyway, though, I am against keeping the gaming selection to only kid games, as is the case I have seen.  I mean, I am cynical about the idea that games cause violence.

Edited September 11, 2018 by jy76

[Ash 26]

Personally, I think prisoners should be in a 4x4 box with just food and drink and no entertainment. If you commit a crime then you don't deserve things like gaming or even a TV to watch things on.

[Kita 2]

I have read somewhere in the Internet that in some prisons there is gaming for good behavior. Sure, it's not online or something special but basic games  which entertain the prisoners. I think that it's a good way for the prisoners to relax and have some fun, isn't it?

Edited July 3, 2018 by Kita

[jy76 1]

On 7/3/2018 at 9:55 AM, Kita said:

I have read somewhere in the Internet that in some prisons there is gaming for good behavior. Sure, it's not online or something special but basic games  which entertain the prisoners. I think that it's a good way for the prisoners to relax and have some fun, isn't it?

 

Well, I think they're only human.  Hasn't everyone made mistakes?  Anyway, it would only be as a reward for behavior, so it's not like they're being pampered as @KingCool52 suggests.

[Alexander 12]

There are mixed opinions in this post. Prisoners should be in a cell with just the essentials such as food and water. You shouldn't of ended up in prison in the first place. On the otherhand, if they have proven that they can behave, perhaps some forms of entertainment like a television could be acceptable? This is a difficult debate and I'm personally unsure if any form of internet connection would work as they have the ability to connect with the outside world and this could pose a security breach.

Edited January 14, 2019 by xXInfectedXx

[izimmbiplays 0]

Personally, I think it's good to reward prisoners for keeping their crap together and behaving. They were put in jail for misbehaving so reward them when they do well. The problem is that our systems are very broken. A person commits a crime, the idea behind the prison system is to incarcerate them and take them out of the community. While they're in prison, they lose a lot of time, they miss a lot of what's going on in the world. When their time is up, they're released back into a COMPLETELY changed world and have problems adjusting. So, yes, I saw reward them. Let them play video games. Keep violent games out of prisons, but let them play. It is statistically proven that video games can improve the quality of life and boost morale especially in people who are so low.

[Razor1911 2]

On 5/30/2018 at 2:27 PM, jy76 said:

We all make mistakes in life, so why not some mercy - I mean, given with at least good behavior?  Anyway, though, I am against keeping the gaming selection to only kid games, as is the case I have seen.  I mean, I am cynical about the idea that games cause violence.

Lol. It's funny. I mean, after committing a murder, the murderer is playing and enjoying while in prison. Doens't that sound rewarding? Getting jailed is a punishment, not any kind of vacation. 😆

[PGen98 2]

I think the viewpoints here are slightly misunderstanding.  I don't believe the idea is to suggest that murderers, gang members and rapists get access to these games, more the lesser offenders, and no, they would never have internet connectivity.  I see nothing wrong with allowing low-risk prisoners the chance to play games.  They could hold tournaments within each cell block, or work their way through games that require decisions and cooperation.  it could work towards the original intent of prison, to rehabilitate.

 

Prison isn't about just punishment, it is supposed to be about rehabilitation, so the thought that they should sit in a box, have nothing to do and only the basic essentials is naive.  That creates boredom, boredom creates opportunities to do things they shouldn't be doing, and that creates opportunities for violence, drugs, anger, etc.  I think, if anything, more prisons should operate like basic training facilities in the services, keep them busy most of the day, educate them when they're not exercising, provide structure they have to follow, and by the time they're released they should be rehabilitated enough to function within society.  Leaving them to their own devices in their cells certainly doesn't seem to be doing much, at the moment.  Recrimination rates extremely high because they're not taught to do anything new or taught to be anything more than what they were before, and if they're treated like they're less than human because they committed an offense, then they're going to act less than human, aren't they?

 

(and yes, there are instances where prison should be used as punishment, for those beyond hope -- mass murderers, repeat abusers, true dangers to society)

Edited September 27, 2021 by PGen98

[Sincerem 0]

Lol, I see some prison yards in American movies having gaming department where prisons go battle themselves out in a gaming console just to create fun around them. But I'll simply say, those that did so wrong should be jailed and not given that privilege to enjoy any sort of game. 

[Razor1911 2]

On 10/3/2021 at 7:53 AM, Sincerem said:

Lol, I see some prison yards in American movies having gaming department where prisons go battle themselves out in a gaming console just to create fun around them. But I'll simply say, those that did so wrong should be jailed and not given that privilege to enjoy any sort of game. 

Exactly correct. I too think that the prisoners are kept in prison as punishment. They are not spending any vacation out there, that they should be provided such stuffs. It will encourage outsiders to commite more crimes. 

 

Prisons should be a tough place to live, then only normal people will have fear not to get caught in wrongdoings. 

[EmpireKicking 155]

Armed robber, murder, rapist, molesters, violent criminals overall do not deserve more, in my opinion they deserve less. If you decide to do something that could and/or did harm another human you deserve life in a box and only kept alive to suffer until their victims pass away or for life if they took a life from someone else.

 

I believe in the death penalty for certain types of murderers. You can guess how I feel about TV and vjdeo games in that regard. But I will say that everyone deserves a chance to get some sort of emotional and spiritual healing so Id swap TV & tv games with some spiritual related activities. No one should die in a state of spiritual angst and discomfort. Thats inhumane.

[nomad 6]

In my home country, prisoners are offered vocational training and allowed to make products and sell outside prison. By the time they are released, they not only have some money, they also have skills to generate income. I think allowing video gaming can be good for the prisoners' mental health.

[Jason76 0]

Prisons should be tough.  Nonetheless, everybody makes mistakes, and this could be a good motivator for good behavior.  Anyway, though, games that have any real violence, aside from Mario jumping on someone, should be disallowed.

 

O.K., my assessment is that any loss of freedom equivalent to incarceration is so bad, that a few little video games won't make up for it.  In other words, prison will still suck pretty bad.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Jason76

[Heatman 4]

So a rapist should be given the privilege of enjoying playing video games in prison or even a killer who's convicted for first degree murder as well? This is completely out of the question for me. They don't deserve it at all.