Categories and CostsInmate safety categories are used as a rating system to assign inmates to a category appropriate for their crime and/or the safety of the public. There are four categories, each with its own criteria. The category an inmate falls into depends on the nature of his crimes and the potential danger to the community if he were to escape from prison. An inmate's category will be assessed once they first enter prison, assessors within the prison service will consider inmates' likelihood of causing harm to themselves or others. These categories are for prisoners who have been deemed mentally or physically able-bodied. These categories fall into one of two prison types; open or closed prisons. Open prisons are institutions where inmates have more freedom and can move freely within their environment. Prisoners will only be placed in open prisons if staff deem them trustworthy. Finally, closed prisons are significantly safer and inmates must follow a rigorous schedule. Category A (adult males) Inmates placed in this category are considered to be at risk of escaping from prison and are believed to be at the highest risk to public safety of all categories. With this in mind, the highest possible security measures are in place to reduce the possibility of a prisoner attempting to escape (Offenders' Families Helpline, no date). Within Category A, there were approximately 3,300 prisoners incarcerated in 2012/2013. . The price per seat within this category is estimated to be around £60,000, with a total annual spend of £193,605,592. Category B (adult males) Although not considered as dangerous as category A prisoners, prisoners placed in this category...... middle paper……ed. This is believed to be a result of families being viewed as “unwanted” within the community, coupled with the costs of imprisonment for families. Prisoner Rights The issue of incarcerated people's rights revolves around benefits and voting. Although the purpose of prison is to remove a person's freedoms and liberties, some believe they should not be entitled to family benefits and the right to vote. However, one criticism of this is that although they are imprisoned, they still deserve access to basic human rights, which includes freedom of speech, allowing them to vote. Ex-offenders Depending on the severity of their crimes, ex-offenders may experience adverse social conditions. This includes a high volume of unemployment due to their criminal records, inadequate housing as they are unlikely to be able to afford adequate standards of living.