Jonathan Morris wrote:

...Or keep them inside but don't let them mix with others (making it
a VERY harsh environment)...

If you mean solitary confinement then I'd agree it would be (unduly)
harsh, but I can never understand why there's not more segregation of
prisoners by type of offence. With the exception of the 'categories'
(which seem to be more to do with the risk that inmates will abscond
and/or harm others) and - AIUI - special arrangements for sex
offenders, it seems the graffiti vandal is liable to be accommodated
alongside the car thief, bank robber or whatever, inevitably leading to
some 'skills' transfer. Would it be unduly difficult to group prisons
into, say, three or four per region, which would offer around 12 wings
each of which could be populated with inmates convicted for a specific
group of offences, such as graffiti and vandalism, vehicle theft,
burglary, assault etc.? I accept there would still be some learning
within groups (how to get into Clapham Yard without being spotted, how
to hot-wire a Vectra etc.) but better that than the convicted graffiti
vandal emerging as a bank robber.

Steve Adams