Marek -
Keef - you were, then as Marek says, one of the lucky ones. It is really difficult if we are from decent homes to understand what it is like to not know any different to crap. If you grow up from day one witnessing parental abuses, drug abuse, drunks, thfet, daily brutality, how on earth are you top know any better? Picture it: you are born, you learn that Mum and Dad hit each other and shoot up, you don't se anything else because the Smiths next door do the same. Your brother is in prison so it isn't unusual. Yous sister is a slapper who smokes dope to forget she is hit by her father. It is nothing to do with lack of money or hardship and all to do with environment and parental guidance. It's nothing to do with being intrinsically bad (although there are some of those and they should stay inside!!) but about not having the opportunity to learn and really absorb anything different.
I knwo guys who go inside, do their best within their limitations, they are nice guys with the potential to contribute. They leave, get outside the gates, and there is nothing and no-one. Can't claim benefits yet, can't get a job as they have a record, go back to the ame environment that encouraged and rewarded the behaviours that got them banged up, can't get accomodation as they have no jobm can't get a job..................it goes on. These are not excuses, they are hard facts and whatever your bias they are facts that need to be looked at and addressed if we want change. And what we realy want is for crims to stop doing it!!