Oh boo bloody hoo

Inmates in Barlinnie prison are sometimes issued ill-fitting (and stained) underpants.

The overcrowded Glasgow jail is the only one in Scotland to ban prisoners from wearing their own clothing.

Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with inmates taking responsibility for their own underpants, unless there’s some sort of suicide or security risk attached to elastic and cotton / nylon. I was listening to BBC Radio Scotland this morning, and I agree that those who aren’t serious offenders (the ones who are jailed for failing to pay fines amounting to under £300) shouldn’t really be incarcerated. I say put them to work, at an hourly rate to pay off said fine. Nothing a little Corrective Work Order can’t fix.

You’ve gotta read the last line of the article:

Barlinnie governor Bill McKinlay said a working group had been set up to consider complaints over prison underwear.

AKA, how to waste yet more time in justifying one’s jobs. Or, is there a risk of riot over unsuitable pants? Are the prisoners in Barlinnie such big girls’ blouses that underpants are such a major concern? HA!

Surely going commando is the sign of epic hardness.

• 28 Feb 2007

• Thinking