I work in a prison - AMA

[Alpacamysuitcase]

As per the title.

I won't say anything to identify me, the place I work, or any individuals. I won't disclose sensitive information. But happy to help other than that!

No to miss and sir! On the sites I work on, we go for first names in both directions. But some prisoners find it really hard to interact on an equal footing. So I accept "miss" if people prefer it.

Ahh interesting! And I can’t say why!

Have you ever come across a prisoner you know in real life? Are you allowed to work with them?

I am a nurse and have considered going in to prisons.can you tell me what a general nurses main roles are in a prison. Not a mental health or addiction nurse.

What really happens on Christmas Day, or other big days of the year?

Is there any form of celebration at any time, for birthdays, Christmas?

And also , is there or has there ever been any prisoners you've formed some form of friendship or relationship with; or felt sorry for?

Great question @DontDribbleOnTheCarpet

Many prisons have befriending schemes, so that isolated people can get an occasional letter or visit. These would usually, in my experience, be run by churches/chaplaincy.

There are also local mentoring schemes for people coming out of prison. Small businesses can offer placements to long term prisoners who are preparing for release, and are allowed out for managed day placements.

The most important thing, to me, is to support early help/intervention for young people on the fringes of offending, for high risk families etc.

Volunteering agencies near prisons often have opportunities, but will sometimes favour experienced volunteers so they can filter out the voyeurs.

I've never encountered anyone I know personally in prison. Whether people can work with prisoners they know would depend on their role, but generally it would be avoided. I have occasionally bumped into former prisoners when outside, but they've just said hello and had a quick chat, so no problem.

@mothertobe there is plenty of general nursing, plus the opportunity to specialise e.g. Well Woman/Well Man, pain clinics, BBV, mother & baby. High levels of health need. Fairly high turnover of nursing staff, it seems a busy role.

Most prisoners don't want to mark special days in any big way. They are a reminder of where they are, and what they don't have, that their kids are elsewhere etc.

At Christmas there are some Christmas decorations and extra activities (eg quizzes, hymn services) in the lead up. Christmas day itself there is a crappy roast dinner and prisoners are locked up most of the time because there are less staff on. Birthdays aren't usually big/marked, though I did know of someone being made a birthday cake out of biscuits and melted mars bars once.

Have you came across someone being locked up for something 'less worthy' such as not paying fines for tv licence or car insurance? And do they keep them in the same 'area' as people with worse crimes such as robbers, attackers and murderers?

What do you think of children visiting people in prisons?

How much time per day do the prisoners actually have to be licked in their cell for? Is it just doors open at 9am and locked at 6pm unless your naughty?

I've never formed a non-professional relationship/friendship with a prisoner, or felt tempted to. I think staff who get too friendly with prisoners are being unfair, as we are often talking about very isolated people who could easily get over invested (better supported prisoners wouldn't want to have a genuine friendship,with staff and would find staff weird for pursuing that).

Yes, I often feel compassion and empathy for the prisoners I work with, so I would say that counts as feeling sorry for them. I know people will find that weird. Some people have had lives that have not equipped them to function in society, to be an adequate parent, to learn, to work, or to have meaning in their lives. Many, many prisoners have suffered horrendous abuse as children and don't even expect sympathy or realise how abnormal it is.

Are there any officers that are power freaks? And are there any officers you've ever come across in your career that were mean for the sake of it?

@Bimgy85 I have encountered everything from non payment of fines and shoplifting to rape and murder.

All prisons are organised differently, but sex offenders are always separate. In general, short termers are kept separate residentially from long termers, but not in all prisons. Education, training, chaplaincy etc tend to be mixed sentence type (but not sex offenders with non sex offenders).

@Bluelonerose children visiting is a hard one. I think in general it is important to maintain relationships with parents, and much is done to create a child friendly environment to support this, at least where I work. Having a parent or other close relative in prison is traumatic for children, so anything that can be done to help them cope is a good thing. Usually that's not having a loved one disappear from their life.

I don't really agree with kids being dragged in to visit people they aren't close to.

how many prisoners have poor literacy levels, and of those, how many get help with reading and writing skills whilst inside?

Thanks for the thread.

Amount of lock up time varies between and within prisons. Most prisoners are occupied through the day with work, rehab or education. It is normal for prisoners to be locked up for long periods during the day j less they are engaged in these sort of activities, but this varies. Prisoners are locked up a lot in the evening/weekends. In the week they will get a short session every couple of evenings where they can come out and play pool, board games, card games etc, or just chat.

Yes, there are officers that are in the job for the wrong reasons, and that are deliberately unpleasant/cruel. But I think that's lessening, and these people are getting pushed out, moved to non prisoner contact roles. But it is a job that attracts a number of "that type". There are also many fantastic prison officers.

Literacy, communication and learning difficulties are incredibly common. Some help is available but it isn't always specialised enough, too much reliance on assuming people just haven't had the chance to learn, rather than considering individual needs.

Seeing people become literate is amazing.

Yes, I'm no teacher, but, I've always thought that literacy skills must be essential to keeping out of trouble.

Delighted that there are resources for at least some of the people. At least that's a start.

Wow very interesting perspective of children visiting. When my dc was a toddler his dad was in prison for 18 months and we both said no way were either of us prepared to let him visit.

Similarly when I've visited and there's been other children (aged 4-8 ish) there I've thought it looked wrong (just my opinion no judgement to others) this was just a normal sit round table visit not a family day etc.

On the back of that do prisoners have rights to see their dc while they are inside? Or can the dc caregiver say no and their word is final?

I don't know the legalities (not my area) but I can't see how someone could be compelled to take a child to a prison, or to hand them over for someone else to do it. The focus is more on the child's right to a relationship, rather than the adult's. I get not taking a baby/toddler in your circumstances. But I know that if my husband went into prison not seeing him would be the most traumatic option for my children (older).

I've never thought of it from that pov before it's food for thought.

Are most cell's singles?
Are there rules about who can share if there are double cells?
Do you ever look at a prisoner and are shocked by what they're in for coz they don't look the type to do that crime?
On the other hand have you ever guessed what someone's inside for coz they do look the type?

If sex offenders are kept separate is there a heiracy of whose the worst in that section?
Are the sex offenders mixed with other prisoners for visiting/classes etc?

I teach teenagers. We do a crime and punishment unit and I always get responses along the lines of ‘prison is easy now, they get to watch tv, play Xbox’ etc. They certainly don’t have the impression that prison life is any real punishment. What would you say to them? Thanks!

@mnahmnah great question, I get the same with our forensics unit. Very interested to know the answer.