“If prisons aren’t fit for purpose, they should be set free.”

“If prisons aren’t fit for purpose, they should be set free.”

I will be sharing my standpoint on prisons. This is an important topic because it regards the escape of José Adolfo Macías Villamar, a powerful drug leader. His more known nickname is Fito and escaped on the 7th January, 2024.

Some people might agree with this statement because if prisons don't teach the criminals a lesson, they have no use. In addition, if it is not secure or safe, the prisoners can easily break out leading to an easy escape. Fito was able to smuggle in a phone, murals and weapons in his prison cell. He had been comfortable and had not received a proper punishment. There are of course prisons such as the one in Ecuador so this would lead to chaos all over the world, not just where Fito has been taken to.

Alternatively, others may disagree with what the statement says. Even if the prison does not give certain prisoners a lesson, there are other prisons they can be sent to. There are also prisons that can hold some of the world’s most dangerous criminals that could easily hold Fito. However, without those harsh prisons, there might not be a point for comfortable prisons. They must still face justice however, and stay there for many years. Comfortable prisons might be better than nothing at all, after all.

In my opinion, I disagree with the statement because if prisons aren’t fit for purpose, the prisoners still cannot be ignored. Wreaking havoc onto the country would be unforgivable, and so cannot be left unguarded. In the future, I hope that inspectors can check every prison and each inspector each has a different purpose. This should be done regularly to ensure the prison isn’t comfortable but has the necessities for a prison.