The Abolitionist No. 6 (1980)

Cover of The Abolitionist Issue 6 (1980)

Summary by John Moore

Number six celebrated ten years of RAP (1970-80) and included a table detailing key events and publications in the group’s history. It included a report on the Brighton Alternatives to Prison Project, set up Sussex University students and based on a similar approach to the Newham Alternatives Project. Other articles included a feature on a previous “The Abolitionist” published in the 1830s; a critique of the justice model, a short report of prison board of visitors, a critical review of “Too Many Prisoners” the first report of the newly formed Parliamentary All-Party Penal Affairs Group (chaired by RAP sponsor Robert Kilroy-Silk MP); some extracts from a school textbook/propaganda on ‘Law and Order’; a report on a NACRO conference; an article about sentencing; and a number of  book reviews, poems, cartoons and letters.

 In an article entitled to ‘but what do you do with …?’ Ros Kane attempts to deal with the “difficult” question repeatedly posed to abolitionists. Attempting answers to these questions is a repeated feature in subsequent editions of The Abolitionist. If someone has the time (maybe a good dissertation project?) it would worth evaluating these in detail, and in particular identifying their relevance today. The edition also includes a call from ex-prisoner ‘Alan’ for abolitionists’ work with prisoners to move from support to active resistance. This should be read alongside Ian Cameron’s response in the next edition.  Finally, this edition includes RAP’s announcement of the launching of a major campaign against the abuse of prisoners by drugging (more on this in the next edition).