Nobody wants a rat infestation within their home, and nobody wants their friends or family members to fall victim to a rat infestation either. Even when hearing about rat infestations in the homes of people in whom we don’t even know, we cannot help but to at least sympathize with the stranger’s unfortunate situation. However, when it comes to rat infestations within maximum security prisons, otherwise humane and kind-hearted people may not be driven to sympathize with the affected inmates. After all, why would the worst criminals, including murderers, expect the general public to sympathize with a rat infestation in their cell? As it turns out, the chief inspector of prisons noted that the correctional facility has been infested with numerous types of vermin for years now, and the lack of motivation on the part of prison staff to have the infestation eradicated could lead to mass firings.
Upon finding several rat infestation sites, as well as numerous rats and other rodents scurrying about the prison, the chief inspector of prisons, Peter Clarke, gave the HMP Bedford prison a failing grade. Clarke also commented on the continued lack of pest control efforts being made to keep prisoners safe from rat attacks and diseases that are commonly spread by rats and many other rodents that were also found within the facility. In his report, Clarke focused on the failed attempts on the part of pest control professionals to have the vermin eradicated from the prison and the deplorable rat-infested conditions in inmate cells that were of little concern to guards. One door in the prison had a sign saying: “please keep these doors shut to prevent rats from escaping,” as you can imagine, this finding did not help the prison’s already compromised reputation. Also, violent inmates were taken to isolation cells that were known to be rife with rats, and incidents of self harm and illness have been increasing among the inmates in response to the facilities filthy and vermin-infested conditions.
Do you believe that even the most violent criminals should be afforded a right to live within pest-free conditions?