Sean Tudor
07-29-2002, 04:33 PM
Prisoners play violent games
By MARK BUTTLER
05jun02
VICTORIA'S worst inmates are playing violent computer games where they kill, run down bystanders, escape jail and flee police in high-speed chases.
Other violent games available to maximum security inmates at Port Phillip Prison allow them to engage in gang wars and blow up buildings.
The Herald Sun has also learned inmates are being shown violent movies for their pleasure.
Murderers, rapists and thieves last week were shown Training Day, which features Denzel Washington as a corrupt police officer.
Angry police last night branded the violent recreation as unsuitable to rehabilitate criminals.
Police Association secretary Sen-Sgt Paul Mullett said some prisoners would be using their computers to act out the very crimes for which they had been jailed.
"It's totally inappropriate -- quite clearly the wrong message," Sen-Sgt Mullett said.
"We're extremely surprised. It's not positive rehabilitation at all. They'd be better being tutored on the pain victims go through as part of the commission of their crimes."
Sen-Sgt Mullett called on corrections authorities to examine the issue.
Psychologist Ronald Conway said while he did not usually back censorship, some was needed in this case.
"It does seem to endorse, subliminally, the life they have led. There's a case for weeding out some of this stuff," he said.
"It's particularly true of the younger prisoners who are still impressionable to some degree."
Pumped up by their violent video exploits, inmates can also buy specialist bodybuilding supplements to bulk up.
Privately operated Port Phillip houses some of the state's most feared prisoners, including Russell St bomber Craig Minogue, armed robbers Hugo Rich and Victor Brincat and murderer Raymond "Mr Stinky" Edmunds.
Inmates are allowed to buy one new video game a month at Port Phillip Prison.
Among games on a list circulated to prisoners is Grand Theft Auto in which the player assumes the identity of a criminal to blow up buildings before racing through streets with police in pursuit.
Carmageddon challenges players to crash into pedestrians with killing as many people as possible the key to success.
The Playstation game Road Rash Jailbreak allows inmates to act out the role of a gang member who races to a finish line with 15 other thugs. While police chase, the player drives maniacally while attacking rivals with pipes, clubs and bottles.
A range of war games, including SpecOps Covert Assault and Rogue Spear -- Rainbow Six, allow prisoners to play soldier.
Games with strong horror themes and graphic violence such as Resident Evil 3 and Evil Dead also feature on the list.
The kick-boxing game Street Fighter lets players have bare-knuckle bouts in bars.
Those keen to employ those skills first-hand can prepare themselves with a range of bodybuilding supplements also available for sale at Port Phillip.
A 2kg pack of Rock Hard protein powder is available for $64.90, Extreme Growth can be purchased for $66 and Growth Chews cost $55.
The games, priced between $4.80 for Actua Pool and $93 for Vandal Hearts 2, come from a selection of several hundred available to inmates.
Those with more tame tastes have a range of sedate titles from which to choose, including Crash Bandicoot, Championship Surfer, Simpsons Wrestling and Dukes of Hazzard Racing.
A spokesman for acting corrections commissioner Dennis Roach said it was policy in Victorian prisons that no video games or movies rated higher than M were allowed into jails.
But a prison source said it was ridiculous criminals had access to violent games and videos.
"Some of these people can't differentiate between fantasy and reality," the source said.
"It's wrong. The public need to know that their taxes are paying $60,000 a year to keep each of these blokes and they're playing these sort of games."
Port Phillip Prison ignited controversy earlier this year with a move to install ice cream machines for inmates. The plan was abandoned soon after being revealed in the Herald Sun.
By MARK BUTTLER
05jun02
VICTORIA'S worst inmates are playing violent computer games where they kill, run down bystanders, escape jail and flee police in high-speed chases.
Other violent games available to maximum security inmates at Port Phillip Prison allow them to engage in gang wars and blow up buildings.
The Herald Sun has also learned inmates are being shown violent movies for their pleasure.
Murderers, rapists and thieves last week were shown Training Day, which features Denzel Washington as a corrupt police officer.
Angry police last night branded the violent recreation as unsuitable to rehabilitate criminals.
Police Association secretary Sen-Sgt Paul Mullett said some prisoners would be using their computers to act out the very crimes for which they had been jailed.
"It's totally inappropriate -- quite clearly the wrong message," Sen-Sgt Mullett said.
"We're extremely surprised. It's not positive rehabilitation at all. They'd be better being tutored on the pain victims go through as part of the commission of their crimes."
Sen-Sgt Mullett called on corrections authorities to examine the issue.
Psychologist Ronald Conway said while he did not usually back censorship, some was needed in this case.
"It does seem to endorse, subliminally, the life they have led. There's a case for weeding out some of this stuff," he said.
"It's particularly true of the younger prisoners who are still impressionable to some degree."
Pumped up by their violent video exploits, inmates can also buy specialist bodybuilding supplements to bulk up.
Privately operated Port Phillip houses some of the state's most feared prisoners, including Russell St bomber Craig Minogue, armed robbers Hugo Rich and Victor Brincat and murderer Raymond "Mr Stinky" Edmunds.
Inmates are allowed to buy one new video game a month at Port Phillip Prison.
Among games on a list circulated to prisoners is Grand Theft Auto in which the player assumes the identity of a criminal to blow up buildings before racing through streets with police in pursuit.
Carmageddon challenges players to crash into pedestrians with killing as many people as possible the key to success.
The Playstation game Road Rash Jailbreak allows inmates to act out the role of a gang member who races to a finish line with 15 other thugs. While police chase, the player drives maniacally while attacking rivals with pipes, clubs and bottles.
A range of war games, including SpecOps Covert Assault and Rogue Spear -- Rainbow Six, allow prisoners to play soldier.
Games with strong horror themes and graphic violence such as Resident Evil 3 and Evil Dead also feature on the list.
The kick-boxing game Street Fighter lets players have bare-knuckle bouts in bars.
Those keen to employ those skills first-hand can prepare themselves with a range of bodybuilding supplements also available for sale at Port Phillip.
A 2kg pack of Rock Hard protein powder is available for $64.90, Extreme Growth can be purchased for $66 and Growth Chews cost $55.
The games, priced between $4.80 for Actua Pool and $93 for Vandal Hearts 2, come from a selection of several hundred available to inmates.
Those with more tame tastes have a range of sedate titles from which to choose, including Crash Bandicoot, Championship Surfer, Simpsons Wrestling and Dukes of Hazzard Racing.
A spokesman for acting corrections commissioner Dennis Roach said it was policy in Victorian prisons that no video games or movies rated higher than M were allowed into jails.
But a prison source said it was ridiculous criminals had access to violent games and videos.
"Some of these people can't differentiate between fantasy and reality," the source said.
"It's wrong. The public need to know that their taxes are paying $60,000 a year to keep each of these blokes and they're playing these sort of games."
Port Phillip Prison ignited controversy earlier this year with a move to install ice cream machines for inmates. The plan was abandoned soon after being revealed in the Herald Sun.