Cram criminals together and what do you get - concentrated criminality, crime in the midst of punishment.
G Governor
I agree, sir, what we need are larger prisons - more money.
Not a chance, my dear fellow. The Government can't be concerned any longer with outmoded penological theories. Soon we may be needing all our prison space for political offenders. Common criminals like these are best dealt with on a purely curative basis. Kill the criminal reflex, that's all. Full implementation in a year's time. Punishment means nothing to them, you can see that. They enjoy their so-called punishment.
You're absolutely right, sir.
Chief Guard Shut your bleedin' hole!
The accidental killing of a person, sir.
Chief Guard He brutally murdered a woman, in furtherance of theft! Fourteen years, sir!
[The prison governor leads the Minister of the Interior on a tour of the facility]
Cram criminals together, and what do you get? Concentrated criminality. Crime in the midst of punishment.
G Governor
I agree, sir. What we need are larger prisons, more money.
[chuckles]
Not a chance, my dear fellow. The Government can't be concerned any longer with outmoded penological theories. Soon we may be needing all our prison space for political offenders. Common criminals like these are best dealt with on a purely curative basis. Kill the criminal reflex, that's all. Full implementation in a year's time. Punishment means nothing to them, you can see that. They enjoy their so-called punishment.
You're absolutely right, sir!
CG Chief Guard Barnes
Shut your bleedin' hole!
What crime did you commit?
The accidental killing of a person, sir.
CG Chief Guard Barnes
He brutally murdered a woman, in furtherance of theft! Fourteen years, sir!
Excellent. He's enterprising, aggressive, outgoing, young, bold...vicious. He'll do.
G Governor
Well, fine. Uh, we could still look at C Block.
No, no, no, that's enough. He's perfect. I want his record sent to me. This vicious hoodlum will be transformed out of all recognition.
Thank you very much for this chance, sir.
Let's hope you make the most of it, my boy.
G Governor
Shall we go to my office?
Thank you.
[they and Barnes leave; Alex smirks to himself]
G Governor
I don't suppose you know who that was this morning, do you? That was no less a personage than the Minister of the Interior. The new Minister of the Interior, and what they call a very new broom. Well, these new ridiculous ideas have come at last, and orders are orders. Though I may say to you in confidence that I do not approve. An eye for an eye, I say. If someone hits you, you hit back, do you not? Why then, should the State--very severely hit by you brutal hooligans--not hit back also? The new view is to say "no". The new view is that we turn the bad into good. All of which seems to me to be grossly unjust, eh?
CG Chief Guard Barnes
[interrupting]
SHUT YOUR FILTHY HOLE, YOU SCUM!
G Governor
You are to be reformed. Tomorrow, you will go to this man Brodsky. You will be leaving here. You will be transferred to the Ludovico Medical Facility. It is believed that you will be able to leave state custody in a little over a fortnight. I suppose that prospect pleases you?
CG Chief Guard Barnes
[Alex remains silent for a moment]
ANSWER WHEN THE GOVERNOR ASKS YOU A QUESTION!
Yes, sir. Thank you very much, sir. I've done my best here, I really have, sir. I'm very grateful to all concerned, sir.
G Governor
[the Governor places a document on the desk in front of Alex] [producing an ink pen]
Sign this, where it's marked. [indicates where Alex should sign]
CG Chief Guard Barnes
[Alex leans down and turns the document over, reading it]
DON'T READ IT, SIGN IT!
G Governor
[Alex places the document back down and signs it]
It says that you are willing to have the residue of your sentence commuted, to submission to the Ludovico Treatment. [produces another copy of the document for Alex to sign] And this. [Alex signs the second copy; the Governor produces yet another copy] And another copy.
[Alex signs the third copy, placing the pen down afterwards, and smiles]
