The Facebook pages of 30 incarcerated British inmates were yanked by Facebook after learning the inmates were utilizing Facebook as a middleman for crime conspiracy as well as committing threats against others, mainly victims’ families. Inmates updated their Facebook pages by instigating family members or by illegally smuggling cell phones into the prison system.

Last month, The Sunday Times newspaper disclosed a report on Colin Gunn, an underworld boss, convicted in 2004 of the payback murders of John and Joan Stirland, who warned on Facebook that, “I will be home one day and I can’t wait to look into certain people’s eyes and see the fear of me being there.” Jade Braithwaite, currently serving a life sentence for the murder of 16-year-old London teenager Ben Kinsella, verbalized disparaging remarks regarding wanting the ability to bleep people at his discretion.

Justice Minister Jack Straw said the recent abuse on Facebook by the unscrupulous British inmates was nothing short of utter disregard to the public and especially to the victims’ families. The British ministry is operating feverishly in an attempt to withdraw all offensive Facebook pages registered to inmates.

Facebook is a social networking resource which is also available to inmates in the U.S. Despite its purpose to help rehabilitate inmates into society by keeping in touch with friends and family members, there is now growing concern regarding its efficacy.