April 2, 2007
Although it's unclear exactly how a PlayStation 3 might find its way inside a British prison, officials are taking steps to ensure that Sony's next-gen system stays outside of those walls.According to ITV News, British Home Secretary John Reid (left) said recently that the PS3 is banned from prisons. Responding to a question from Parliament, Reid added:
Advice was issued to all prisons in December 2005 that the Sony PlayStation 3 was barred from the prison estate because of the equipment's ability to send and receive radio signals.
Reid is apparently referring to the system's built-in Wi-Fi capability.
Allowing prisoners access to video game systems has been a political hot button issue in several U.S. states, but such controversies have generally centered on philosophical arguments regarding the punitive aspect of incarceration rather than technology. GP is unclear on whether British prisoners are allowed access to older, non Wi-Fi systems such as the PS2.
Comments
Most people here (including myself) have probably never seen the inside of any prison beyond Shawshank and Foxriver but I presume the reality is very different to the hollywood reductions.
If you see prison as a way of reforming the prisoners then rewards and incentives for being good seem an adequate way of encouraging them to "play nice" with one another. On the other hand if you see prison as a pure way of them paying penence for their crimes then this would be an outrage... Makes for interesting debate...
Blocking WiFi-enabled devices just seems good sense to me...
Actually, that's a real possibility in some cases. Not all prisons are miles from the nearest residence, and even the ones that were built for isolation were often built that way years or decades ago, so that subsequent sprawl has encroached on their territory. Some low- and medium-security prisons both here in the US and abroad are actually situated smack-dab in the middle of residential or commercial areas, or will be in the next few years given the inevitable sprawl.
Regardless of your feelings on whether or not prisoners should be allowed access to video games -in general- (I think that there are -some- cases where -some- games could be allowed to -some- prisoners, as a reward for good behaviour, etc) I'd like to think we can ALL agree that controlling means of communication into and out of prisons is important. It's hard enough to keep gang leaders and other career criminals from keeping in touch with their "business operations" through mail and telephones (I suspect that in the UK, like here, it's illegal to refuse -ALL- communication to prisoners indefinately) without allowing them unrestricted internet access.
That said, I -do- hope they're keeping an eye on -all- the wi-fi capable systems.
or become more evil.
The theory behind it being that the people there are in for a very, very long time and without some kind of time consuming activity most will commit suicide.
(It's the lowest rated PS2 game shown on Metacritic...)
I'd be majorly pissed off if any criminal in jail was able to get a PS3 before me :P
*quick search*
Yep, it's definitely the case. From the British parliament website's archive, here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070320/text...
"Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2007, Official Report, column 108W, on Holloway prison, which games and videos are available for use. [126606]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Prisoners at Holloway have access to a range of films and DVDs. The prison has a central library of videos and DVDs which are vetted for suitability by the prison librarian. From this small library a number of films are provided to the first night centre for use by new prisoners.
Additionally, women on the enhanced level of the incentives and earned privileges scheme are entitled to receive up to 10 DVDs and six computer games through the post. These games and DVDs must be originals, must arrive at the prison sealed, and are vetted for suitability by prisoner reception staff. Unsuitable games and DVDs are placed in the prisoner’s stored property and she is advised in writing that the game or DVD will not be issued as it has been deemed unsuitable. The prisoner may appeal this decision to the Governor should she disagree."
Certainly, therefore, in Holloway prison some of the prisoners are entitled to computer games, and presumably consoles: logically the same may be the same for other prisons, and even if not they're certainly available in /some/ prisons.
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