Seven former young offenders who claimed they were assaulted by prison officers have won a £120,000 pay-out.

They said they had been punched, slapped and kicked, and had had their heads slammed repeatedly against the floor by segregation block wardens at Portland young offenders' institution in Dorset.

The Prison Service agreed an out-of-court settlement just days before a legal case was due to begin at Weymouth County Court. source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3418021.stm)

Do you think this is right that these criminals get over £20k each?

I think that at best they should not be treated any better (i.e. receive more compensation) than any ordinary member of the public could expect. Under the criminal injuries scheme (which incidentally those with a criminal record do not qualify for) the payout would be £1k if you received 3 or more injuries as a result of an assault (for the comparison I have assumed the 'boys' didn't receive any broken bones, facial scarring or lose any limbs).

Perhaps in our growing "sue culture" the victims of these boys crimes should make a counter claim now they are men of means?

It's not like a normal assault in the street though is it? They are in the custody of the prison wardens who basically beat the **** out of them - as tempting as it might have been for them it's not exactly the way a warden should act is it. I'm sure being locked up is bad enough without the people who are supposed to be looking after you laying the boot in.

If I'd been locked up and then beaten I'd want a decent some of money too.

No I think this payout is wrong. Yes these people are in a position of power and trust, but we dont know the circumstances. The prisoners could have been taunting the wardens, boasting about there crimes or owt.

They did the crime, and they should serve the time (however hard it is). If they were locked up in a Yank prision, I can almost guarantee that they would have come back to the UK not as anal retentive as they were when they left (if they came back at all).

It's ridiculous that they have been given this payout!

No we don't know the circumstances but you still can't go round kicking the **** out of people in prison if you are a warden. IMO someone who is in that position of power beating someone up makes it much worse. Yes they did the crime and they served their time - I'm sure when the judge sentenced them he did not sentence them to a good kick in as well...

Maybe the judge didn't sentence them to a good kicking, but why is the payout so high in comparrison to what a civilian on the street would get.

I'm sorry... they messed up their life and probably someone elses too.... the payout is wrong!

No Fnky, it's not the way prison officers should act and they were rightly sacked.

That said, I still don't see why someone locked up (for crimes against society) should receive more for being beaten up than someone walking along the street minding their own business?

Originally posted by fnkysknky
IMO someone who is in that position of power beating someone up makes it much worse.
No. trust me, it hurts just as much, and you feel just as helpless, whether it's a mugger kicking you in the head or a policeman.

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Maybe the judge didn't sentence them to a good kicking, but why is the payout so high in comparrison to what a civilian on the street would get.

I'm sorry... they messed up their life and probably someone elses too.... the payout is wrong!

Maybe because it happened on more than one occasion? Basically I think the problem here is the average civilian who gets his teeth kicked in doesn't get enough compensation - not that these lads have got too much.

Originally posted by Zamo
No. trust me, it hurts just as much, and you feel just as helpless, whether it's a mugger kicking you in the head or a policeman.

Just a quick question but how much would you want if you had been in a care home as a child and had been assaulted by the people who were supposed to be in charge of you? Be honest :)

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Just a quick question but how much would you want if you had been in a care home as a child and had been assaulted by the people who were supposed to be in charge of you? Be honest :)
I would want the people responsible to suffer e.g. lose their jobs or go to prison, but would not necessarily want money. Every time someone sues social services (or police, or NHS etc) and win a large payout it means there is less money to spend on services - not so good for those still in the system.

That said, some "assaults" (which could cover more than just a slap) do justify compensation payments being made. However, IMO, the "slaps" the kids (16-21 y.o.) from the article in question got don't deserve a payout - certainly not £20k+.

You see, wouldn't the fact that they were young offenders give them a stronger case. I may be wrong but I interpret young offenders as different to normal offenders (if offenders can be classed as normal).

Surely, thay have been put in prison to be 're-trained' to lead lives as responsible citizens once they are older and mature enough to do so. They are, or should be, being shown how to be law-abiding adults.

Beating them up breaks all the rules of society and sets exactly the wrong example to them.

They should lock up the warders.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
You see, wouldn't the fact that they were young offenders give them a stronger case. I may be wrong but I interpret young offenders as different to normal offenders (if offenders can be classed as normal).

Surely, thay have been put in prison to be 're-trained' to lead lives as responsible citizens once they are older and mature enough to do so. They are, or should be, being shown how to be law-abiding adults.

Beating them up breaks all the rules of society and sets exactly the wrong example to them.

They should lock up the warders.
They were all 16-21 years old so not exactly boys.

I agree that beating them up doesn't exactly set a great example of how to treat your fellow man and maybe, in some circumstances, the wardens should get prison sentences.

Still... should we pay out over £20k to criminals (whatever age) for the occasional slap whilst in the care of her majesty's service? No way.

These lads are in prison because they have committed crimes. Possibly crimes aginst someone else, will they be giving some of this money to their victims?

Yes, I know, the money situation does seem wrong.

You just get so used to reading about this sort of injustice all the time, you almost get immune to it. They shouldn't have been paid that kind of compensation.

Why can't things just be FAIR? it can't be THAT difficult.

Originally posted by steelblade
These lads are in prison because they have committed crimes. Possibly crimes aginst someone else, will they be giving some of this money to their victims?

But that's irrelevant - just because you've been locked up for one thing doesn't mean you have all your human rights taken away from you. Unless it's for child abuse then you deserve to die.

No you don't have your human rights taken away, I never said anything of the sort.

What I am saying is that these lads most likely committed crimes against other people, there human rights were taken away, why aren't these lads paying out their victims?

It's another case of the criminal winning.

Prison is tough that's how it is, if people don't like it there is an obvious answer.

Originally posted by fnkysknky
But that's irrelevant - just because you've been locked up for one thing doesn't mean you have all your human rights taken away from you. Unless it's for child abuse then you deserve to die.
They haven't had ALL their human rights taken away. Just the one about not getting a good slap when you get mouthy whilst doing time for not respecting other peoples human rights.:thumbsup:

Originally posted by steelblade
No you don't have your human rights taken away, I never said anything of the sort.

What I am saying is that these lads most likely committed crimes against other people, there human rights were taken away, why aren't these lads paying out their victims?

It's another case of the criminal winning.

Prison is tough that's how it is, if people don't like it there is an obvious answer.

You're also the person who wants vigilantes to go around beating 14 year olds round the head with a baseball bat if I remember correctly, 'nuff said.......

I thought we were discussing the fact that these lads are being paid out but they are not paying out their victims?

Don't you have anything more to say on this matter?

You don't seem to grasp the point that it's irrelevant what these people have done to be in prison - the fact is they were still assaulted by the wardens and have been compensated as such. Whether or not the victims of the crimes they were responsible for are compensated is another matter - for all you know they might have already had a handsome payout?! Personally I don't think they have been given too much, the wardens are there to protect them as well as help 're-educate' them, kicking their face in is not helping anybody - if anything it's encouraging them to do the same when they get out of prison. Prison is hard enough without the guards giving you **** as well.

I see your point.

My point is this, prison is hard, it should be harder, if you don't fancy getting a kicking don't do the crime.

When you go into prison you are there for a reason, you should not be given any money whatsoever. By all means let them have an investigation an apology at the most but definatly no money.

Originally posted by fnkysknky
You're also the person who wants vigilantes to go around beating 14 year olds round the head with a baseball bat if I remember correctly, 'nuff said.......
Don't think I advocated the use of baseball bats did I? You're right though, I do believe that if the police/courts are unable to protect communities from those that steal, rob, beat-up, intimidate and destroy property then communities have the right to protect/defend themselves.

I honestly don't understand why people so passionately defend the human rights of people who have no regard for anyone elses. Grandma walks down the road, gets beaten up and robbed and receives £1k criminal injuries compensation. Same mugger ends up in prison, gets beaten up for mouthing off to a guard and receives over £20k compensation. :loopy: :loopy:

Zamo I think the baseball comment was aimed at me.

Originally posted by Zamo
Don't think I advocated the use of baseball bats did I?

No that's why I was quoting steelblade and not you.

Originally posted by Zamo
I honestly don't understand why people so passionately defend the human rights of people who have no regard for anyone elses. Grandma walks down the road, gets beaten up and robbed and receives £1k criminal injuries compensation. Same mugger ends up in prison, gets beaten up for mouthing off to a guard and receives over £20k compensation. :loopy: :loopy:

I don't even know what the 7 were locked up for, for all I know one of them might have been innocent?! Basically every single person I know has committed a crime of some sort in their life, does that mean none of us are entitled to compensation for the rest of our lives?

Simple answer is dont get sent to prison in the first place.

A criminal is a criminal,when they rob,steal,nick cars,mug people,kill people,rape and god knows what else,they take away our rights to live free off things like the crimes they do.

So why should we furnish them with any rights,when in prison you should be allowed to exsist and nothing more.

Originally posted by fnkysknky
I don't even know what the 7 were locked up for, for all I know one of them might have been innocent?! Basically every single person I know has committed a crime of some sort in their life, does that mean none of us are entitled to compensation for the rest of our lives?
At best they should expect the same sort of compensation as the old granny beaten up and robbed i.e. £1k not £20k.

I say send em all to Absolom... what movie is that from?