Who's ever been to prison? I have and I'm going again.

[Dub30]

Not in UK but twice in Ireland - suppose it is pretty similar though.

When I was a kid my Dad was inside for a while and I visited him and I remember how bad it seemed and how bad it was for my Mam and thought I would never do anything to end up there.

But things change and when I was 19/20 I got 6 months in St Pats (Young Offenders prison in Dublin - now closed) few years later. That was tough enough but was a young lad and just got on with it. I knew a couple of lads in there and it probably made me worse really as I got to spend time with lads worse than me. I did some training in there but just what I had to do to get through and got out.

I kept my head down for a bit but started getting into bits of trouble again and eventually ended up getting a 3 year sentence - this time in Mountjoy (what a name for a prison) - the same place where my Dad had been when I was a kid so sort of a family tradition. It was strange being there on the other side of the bars after being there as a visitor before with my Dad and Mam visiting me this time. Looking back it must have been so hard on my Mam seeing me back there but she still came to visit me there.

Only that time being a bit older did I realise I was wasting my life ending up there. Once might be a mistake but back again. I also had my own kid then and seeing him in a prison visiting room was tough. It is so depressing in prison and spent time thining all that was happening with my son and gf while I was away due to my own mistakes. And I met up with plenty of the lads I had been in St Pats with during my first sentence. The place was from the 1850s or something and was a kip - still had slopping out on some of the wings too. Only in the past few years has that stopped over here.

I don't know why maybe because it was a longer sentence that I started to do a few basic courses like in painting and decorating and got working in the kitchens and that helped pass the time and doing something productive instead of just sitting in my cell smoking and watching TV, I also got to do a few courses dealing with my offending behaviour (drink, anger management) and started thinking about what I could do after getting out.

I was a different person when I got out. I really appreciated my freedom. That was one of the main reasons I got into cycling - just the freedom of getting on the bike, clearing my head and heading off where I wanted.

Now a few years later things are much better. Am working and doing OK, getting married next year and my son is 8 now and he is my life. The thing is I look at him and I know it would kill me if he ended up the same as me. I have also made things up with my Mam and the rest of the family. I still have the odd moment of doing something stupid and get angry with myself and dread the thoughts of ending up back in prison as I have real responsibilities now but hopefully that won't happen.

 

[tyred]

I took the tour of Inverary Jail a few years ago, mainly because I spent a night in a B&B in the area and hostess gave me a voucher but found it a very interesting place to visit and looking through the records of just why people got sent to prison back in the day is fascinating and the fact that it was one of the first modern prisons with heating, toilet and bathroom facilities etc, people intentionally committed crimes in winter to get sent there as it was more comfortable than their own homes!

I don't care if modern day prisoners have TVs or whatever comforts the "hang 'em and flog 'em brigade" moan about; I still wouldn't want the loss of freedom and liberty.

 

[Dub30]

I have visted Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin for the tour, very good it was too, highly recommend if you visit Dublin.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...ews-Kilmainham_Gaol-Dublin_County_Dublin.html

I live very close to the Jail and agree that it is a good place to visit if in Dublin especially if you like your history.

Luckily it was well closed before I was doing my time.

 

[iateyoubutler]

I live close to one (Dartmoor) and my next door neighbour is a probation officer and he`s given me some good stories, but that`s as close as I get. Never seen the inside of one, don`t really want to.....

 

[graham bowers]

I've called in at the Secret Diner at Sudbury open prison a few times. I suppose it's not a secret any more ;-)

 

[steveindenmark]

Ive been to several prisons in my capacity as a police officer to interview prisoners.

I have slept in a police cell in Hannover, Germany as an involuntary guest.

Stayed in a jail cell in Ribe, Denmark for 2 nights. It is now a hotel.

 

[tom73]

@PaulB Have I got this right do you think that the only HCP's to work in prison settings are somehow 2rd rate practitioners who only work in a prison as that is all about they can manage?

Professionally I and the rest of Youth offending team try to keep YP out of YOI. We have much better and effect ways to deal youth offending. For the ones that need locking up LA secure accommodation is way better but costly and now rare as hen's teeth. YJB no longer commission YOI placers for female YP and placers for male YP are falling but not quick enough. As for YOI they are shockingly horrible and unsafe placers which say a lot about how society view and treats some of the most vulnerable members of society. It says a lot what we are the 1st people to ever take an interest in them as people , the 1st to ask them how are you , what do you feel like, to tell them well done, what help do they need ect ,ect. It's also sad when for some being sent down means it's better than being at home.

As for adult prisons again they are shockingly horrible and unsafe placers. It's not helped with the fact they have become dumping grounds for severe mental health issues. Getting help on the outside is hard once inside it's almost impossible. locking people up with with little help to call on , not enough staff , none or very little rehabilitation leading to boredom it's no wonder they turn violence. Recent effect's to fix staff numbers via graduate recruitment program has lead to poorly trained staff many who are green as grass and just don't have enough to support people with complex needs. Prison service training is 12 weeks private sector is a bit less is it any wonder we have reoffending rate we have?

Some counties understand it's no good locking them up and doing nothing as one day they come out again. Norway woke up years ago to this they are closing prisons as they can't fill them. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-48885846

As Ruskin pointed out if we reform education we'd have little need to reform prisons. But that's not coming anytime soon either sadly.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I cycled past Leyhill in Gloucestershire yesterday. On a sign outside it was advertising its coffee shop. Is this a new approach?

I have taken my 9 year old daughter round HMP Shepton Mallet. She loved it but my portals were very open that day and I found it quite affecting.

 

[PaulB]

@PaulB Have I got this right do you think that the only HCP's to work in prison settings are somehow 2rd rate practitioners who only work in a prison as that is all about they can manage?

No, please read it again. I have a limited working knowledge of prisons which starts and ends with surgeons and their practices. I don't know what an HCP is so can't have any opinion on this.

 

[swee'pea99]

Some counties understand it's no good locking them up and doing nothing as one day they come out again. Norway woke up years ago to this they are closing prisons as they can't fill them. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-48885846

Sadly any such enlightened approach hasn't a hope in hell in this country. The Mailerati would never stand for it.

 

[tom73]

Sadly you're so right current thinking look's to moving towards building us out of trouble.

 

[Andy in Germany]

It says a lot what we are the 1st people to ever take an interest in them as people , the 1st to ask them how are you , what do you feel like, to tell them well done, what help do they need ect ,ect. It's also sad when for some being sent down means it's better than being at home.

We have a system locally called "Arbeit Statt Strafe" ("Work instead of punishment") which is being extended as it is cheaper and more effective than dumping young people with psychological issues in prison. A few of our long term clients came to us through that and stayed on another programme afterwards to try and get qualifications and training.

One issue some had was that in German there's a formal and informal form of "You": "Du" is for friends and "Sie" is for formal situations and people you don't know. Some of our clients asked one of our staff why we insisted on using the "Sie" form between staff and clients, and the staffer surprised him by saying "Because you are worth the respect."

 

[Smokin Joe]

Sadly any such enlightened approach hasn't a hope in hell in this country. The Mailerati would never stand for it.

Not just the Mail. An article in the Guardian last year suggesting prison reform attracted it's fair share of "Throw away the key" comments.

 

[Mo1959]

It says a lot what we are the 1st people to ever take an interest in them as people , the 1st to ask them how are you , what do you feel like, to tell them well done, what help do they need ect ,ect. It's also sad when for some being sent down means it's better than being at home.

Sadly, I was starting to feel that due to the absolute mountain of paperwork involved even admitting a prisoner the last few years, that there was virtually no quality time left to really talk to them properly on their first, and most vulnerable, night in custody. It was getting ridiculous in the end. When I first joined the service, it was minimal and you had time to get them into the block and talk to them and observe how they were settling, etc. I know it’s all arse covering and got to be done but it didn’t feel like progress.

 

[tom73]

No, please read it again. I have a limited working knowledge of prisons which starts and ends with surgeons and their practices. I don't know what an HCP is so can't have any opinion on this.

HCP is a health care professional who is fully registered to practice. Such as the surgeons you know about. Many HCP's chose to work in custardy settings. Better ways are round to sit out your days till your pension. Until the last few years Mrs 73 was a senior nurse is a prison with the needs of over 1000 men most with complex need's and staff under her care. She was it what ever went off that shift it was down to her to treat or manage from a cut finger , a hanging , full on mental health breakdown and not forgetting the more than often call to someone who's taken spice or as is often the case been given it for a laugh.

Any HCP who lacked anything other than advanced skills and knowledge. Would quickly sink in prison not to mention the coroner would eat them alive. (all death's in prison are reported). That's after the HMIP has had a go 1st. Healthcare within prisons is no more than you get on the outside and in many ways worse. Though no fault of health care staff often it's the prison management. Or the state deciding for example that palliative care is not mandatory prison healthcare need. So even a phone call to the Macmillan helpline will be met with sorry can't help. Lucky Mrs 73 has palliative care knowledge so could at least try to help.

I will say that for the most part even the little things she did for them. They always thanked her , treated her with respect ,where very grateful for the care they received never took it for granted or demanded more. That's a lot more than can be said for the way many on the outside carry on.