Is there any point in rehabilitating prisoners sentenced to ‘whole life’ tariffs, who will die in custody? Today’s announcement banning such prisoners from a fundamental human right – to get married – would suggest the state thinks there isn’t.

This act, contained in an innocuous statutory instrument is a rare example of retribution in action. We don’t hear much about revenge in our criminal justice discourse these days – that, after all, is the less pretty descriptor for one of the three main aims of imprisonment. Society takes revenge for harm done on the part of the individual because crime is a societal hurt. This is the reason why such trials are styled as Rex or Regina vs the alleged perpetrator. By convention, these are crimes against the King.

The people we are talking of here have, by their despicable actions, sealed their own fate

There are estimated to be around 70 prisoners serving a ‘whole life’ tariff in England and Wales. These sentences are given to offenders who have committed grave and heinous crimes and they include serial killers, rapists and terrorists. Not exactly a roll call of eligible suitors but you would be surprised – or maybe not – at the cachet of people whose wickedness and........

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