Prisons around Victorian are currently under ‘lock down’ after prisoners began rioting at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Remand Centre in Ravenhall.
It has yet to be confirmed what sparked the riot, but there is the glaring coincidence that Corrections Victoria plans to introduce a smoking ban throughout Victorian prisons tomorrow.
There are reports that 84 per cent of prisoners smoke, however I suspect that this number underestimates the true figure which is probably only slightly less than 100%.
When smoking bans were proposed in Queensland in late 2013, the authorities claimed that the ban was being introduced in the interest of the health of the prison population. Puh-lease!
Whilst I do not, of course, support rioting and violence in prisons, is anyone surprised that prisoners would object and might riot if the Nanny State comes in and takes their ciggies away?
It is also another clear example of Progressives being wilfully unaware of the unintended consequences of their policies and actions.
Prisons should not be a ‘holiday camp’ with free food, board and entertainment. But nor should the small pleasure of smoking be taken away from them because the Nanny State supposedly cares about the health of prisoners.
Come on Corrections Victoria, you’re going to have to do better than that.