Killer, nudist bond over video games in prison
It's really hard to make up a better lead sentence than the one that appeared in Monday's Daily Scotsman: "Shotgun killer Jamie Bain and Naked Rambler Stephen Gough have struck up an unlikely friendship in Saughton Prison over games on a PlayStation."
The basis for this introduction, apparently, is a vague quote from Bain's mother that the unlikely pair "talk and play on the PlayStation" while locked together in the prison's lightly populated segregation wing, and the even vaguer Scotsman assertion that "Bain is said to be a keen player." Aside from that, the article barely mentions the pair's video game connection, focusing instead on their wildly divergent reasons for incarceration and the development of a friendship that involves illicitly sharing phone minutes and smuggling food.
We can't wait for the inevitable follow-up article that delves into the deeper levels of these two prisoners' video game affinity. Does the pair argue over whether to play Grand Theft Auto or Katamari Damacy? Are their scuffles over who gets to use "the good controller"? Do the guards join in for a pick-up game of Madden on occasion? Inquiring minds want to know!











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ncxcstud @ Jan 17th 2007 10:49AM
My question is...why are two prisoners allowed to play videogames at all? That seems to be the bigger issue in my mind...I was under the impression that prisoners are not given the same rights as law-abiding (or at least, not apprehended yet) citizens...in my book, they shouldn't be playing videogames at all...
But, then again...I just work in the judicial system that tries to keep people out of jail, what do I know...
dvdguy @ Jan 17th 2007 11:05AM
Another PR blow for Sony.
Callandor @ Jan 17th 2007 11:50AM
I don't see anything wrong with letting prisoners play video games. They need something to pass the time every now and then. They did commit crimes, but it's okay for them to have some fun every now and then.
SquirrelMaster (From Left Field ) @ Jan 17th 2007 12:09PM
In prison, If you behave, you are allowed to work for literally pennies...
If you save money on your books, you can purchase items from the commisary... Items like clock radios...clear-case T.V.'s, Playstations...etc...
A 13" TV costs hundreds of dollars...
If you behave in prison, which is what you are supposed to do, you are rewarded with freedoms (while incarcerated).
I'm sure that games like GTA are not supplied in the prison system...but Id' put a sure bet on Madden, NBA, etc...
Also, when you buy an item like that in prison, they engrave it with your serial # and name, surprisingly, nobody steals each other's stuff, if you scrape the serial # and name you're busted at lockdown when the screws search your cell....
Chocolate Starfish @ Jan 17th 2007 12:22PM
Prisoners should pass the time by hanging themselves with their underwear.
sploy @ Jan 17th 2007 12:48PM
Lol, prisoners shouldn't be playing video games... They don't deserve to have fun, so let's give them PS3s.
PerfectBowler @ Jan 17th 2007 1:05PM
@7
LOL
Linkreincarnate @ Jan 17th 2007 1:53PM
The way I see it I'd rather prisoners play video games than be allowed to weight train. At least with video games prisoners don't come out of prison more dangerous than they went in there. Besides prisoners are people too. Yes they may have made a mistake but that doesn't mean they should suffer for the entirety of their sentence. How would you like to go to jail for something stupid and not be allowed to do ANYTHING but work?
reapo @ Jan 17th 2007 5:12PM
ncxcstud it seems you don't know much. Hollywood movies with about jails are not real. Prisoners get a lot of freedom if they behave, I have even heard cases of guys on death row being allowed to have sex with their wifes in a private place, books to read, listening to music, watching tv, playing games, the more you behave the more they will let you do.
Also working a job in jail doesn't hurt. It's what we the outsiders call free labor, prisoners work for next to nothing, and the jail doesn't need to go out and hire people. Why pay some joe $4 a hour, when you can pay a prisoner 1 cent a day and get the same ammount of work. but then the prisoner can buy stuff with his money.
billychaos @ Jan 17th 2007 1:58PM
I dont think prisoners should be able to do anything but sit in a cell and read non-fictional books.
They are in there for doing something very bad, we shouldnt be rewarding them.
Gwyn @ Jan 17th 2007 3:43PM
Is the purpose of prison punishment or rehabilitation? I guess it depends on how right-wing you are. Ideally it should be a balance of both: punish you for your crimes and rehabilitate you into society.
Video games certainly have the potential to be used for rehabilitation purposes.
And remember, one of the people in this article is in jail for walking around naked. Hardly a danger to society. So what if some wierdo hippy gets to play a little ProEv while he's in the slammer?
Zegim @ Jan 17th 2007 6:12PM
Once again, videogames bring friendship!
Killer Instinct @ Jan 17th 2007 11:58PM
They will probably make a shank out of the broken cd
hef @ Jan 17th 2007 8:24PM
Billy-chaos: You think only fiction books are enjoyable? I hate fiction. Boring twaddle like Da Vinci Code, Stephen King, Ghost Recon Guy.... Utter shit IMHO. Give me history books about war or how to build a bomb anyday. Prisoners should be turned into dehumanized slaves so when they get out they are angry. Personally I think we should kill them but i feel bad for the ones that are innocent that we will need to kill as well.
Roland @ Jan 18th 2007 12:25AM
@ 14
You have forgotten the face of your father.