Prison

[Andy008]

What's prison life like these days?

I mean proper prison, not YOI, as the general impression I've got, perhaps wrongly, is that it's all a bit of a holiday.

[mystress]

PS We have to give these criminal something to make them WANT to stay out of prison(and crime) What point is there in ejecting them into the outside world without any prsospect of work, home etc.They will soon reoffend and be back inside;unless of course you(like a lot of people) see them as some sort of animal underclass who DESERVE to be inside?

I do not.

[IWANOWENS743]

prison rock is harder than seaside rock.

[ursula62]

I have three long serving prison officers in my family and they all feel differently about the conditions in prison. Two of them work in the same prison and still have differing views. I suppose it depends which way you look at life generally.

I don't think anyone can generalise about the conditions as different people have different limits of tolerance. What seems harsh to one may seem cushy to another and vice versa.

[acw]

MYstress do you agree with Ursula or not?

The only true impression you'll get of life in prison is if you do time yourself.  I haven't done it, and I have no intention of doing anything that might bring that about.  Yes the prisons now may be "nicer" than in Victorian times.  However, at the end of the day, when you're on holiday, you can do what you want when you want and you can go home when you want. 

If people think it's that good, they should commit a crime and do the time.  I suspect not many ABers will volunteer. 

[MargeB]

I have been imprisoned twice. Once was at the local police station, when I was 12, because my parents lost me when out shopping and I guess the coppers didn't know where to put me. The other time was on a social course, and I was left alone in a cell with a mass murderer.

I can highly recommend against going near the establishment.

[Peter Pedant]

Good letter in the Times today from a psych called Rollin on the complete lack of psych treatment in prisons.

In 1850 - and that's some time ago ! - someone called esquirel pointed out that if you empty the psychiatric hospital - he probably called them lunatic asylums - you tended to fill the prisons

[nfn]

My late friend was a PO at Whitehurst in Wisbech. High Security. She always maintained that whatever the punishment served to prisoners - some punishments were VERY severe (she never went into details) it was how the PO treated them that determined the response. She was personal officer to IRA terrorists, paedophiles, rapists etc but maintained that whatever her personal revulsion towards these individuals, by remaining (in their opinion, not her own) accessible and co-operative she got the best results. That said, she often said she would like 5 minutes, no witnesses or cameras and just her bare hands. RIP Marcia xxx

[steveb121]

Hi

As a worker in a prison, for several years, in both Cat A and B prisons, I can say that there is no way I could handle being banged as they are, and yeah, despite whats said by the prisons, there are MORE drugs in jail, including crack, than outside, and I have watched many guys come in without a habit, and leave with one

Also, theres the constant feeling of fear that spreads through the prison, and the constant bullying that takes place, day in, day out. And the sexual abuse/rape too, which is very under-reported.

To cap it all, a large part of the population should be in care, not prison, as they have mental health problems, but we brits tend to throw them into prison.

Steve