Movies that may simply be described as unsuitable for family viewing, for being amorous or too violent in nature, are being shown to inmates in a British jail.
According to The Sun, films showing rape have been made available to inmates at a British jail housing sex offenders. DVDs including Deliverance, featuring a male rape scene, are on offer in the prison library.
Other movies at HMP Usk prison — where most of the individuals are sex offenders or violent criminals — contain scenes of extreme violence. These include Gangland, a TV documentary exploring the history of some of America’s most notorious gangs.
Among 550 films available inside the jail in Monmouthshire county, South Wales, are Menace II Society, which includes strong violence, and gang war movie Last Man Standing.
The collection also includes The Silence Of The Lambs, starring Anthony Hopkins as twisted killer Hannibal Lecter and The Bank Job, about a major bank heist.
The movies’ list was made public following a Freedom of Information request.
Glyn Travis of the Prison Officers’ Association said: “These films clearly shouldn’t be freely available to prisoners. The majority of films that will keep them entertained are completely and utterly inappropriate.
“It’s difficult to get prisoners to lead law-abiding lives when you’re showing them films which gratify their needs.”
Monmouth MP David Davies said he was “extremely concerned”.
“The whole purpose of Usk is to try and rehabilitate sex offenders,” he said, adding “it’s very hard to do that anyway, without violent films.”