by Emily Acker

Created on: September 23, 2009

Prison is not a pretty place. Neither is it a fun place for children to hang out. But the truth is, many children have parents/aunts/uncles or other family members who live in prison.

Children should always (as long as it is safe) be allowed to see their families - even if that means that they must visit a prison to do it. Family is still family, whether they are living in a prison or at home. Prisons are reasonably safe places to visit, so, while prisons may not be the best place for a child to visit family, they are still an okay place for them to visit if need be.

Prison is not a pretty place. Neither is it a fun place for children to hang out. The truth is, children don't need to tour it (and shouldn't be allowed to, either) - unless they are high-schoolers who are planning a career as a guard, etc..Schools should definitely not take their young children on tours of prisons - what is the point?

Children should not have to worry about what goes on at prisons, how a prison runs, how prisoners are treated, etc, - again, unless they have family living in them or are planning on working at one in the future. Children should not have to carry the burden that prisoners carry. Prison tours should definitely not be a part of a child's young innocent life.

Also, visiting a prison should never be forced, even if the child has family in prison. A child should be able to make their own decision of whether or not they want to visit a prison, and how long they want to stay. The first visit would be especially scary and would probably have to very short. Only prisoners should be forced to stay in a prison when they don't want to be there.

All of this said, while prison is a (reasonably) safe place and an okay place for family visits, it is not a good place for schools, or other children groups, to take tours. No child should ever plan on living in a prison. No child should have to see what it is like to live in a prison.

Therefore, my answer to this question is actually a half yes and a half no. Should children be able to visit prisons, yes. Should children be able to tour prisons, no.

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