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!

Distribution of single and double cells varies by establishment. In some areas the preference is to allow long term prisoners single cells, but that's not the case everywhere. You wouldn't usually have a long termer and a short termer sharing.

I've learned that you can't tell someone is a criminal by looking! Sex offenders seem to be divided into two types; obviously odd, and totally nice and normal. The latter creep me out more because I realise you can't ever know if that nice neighbour isn't really so nice.

Sex offenders are never mixed with mainstream prisoners for anything (well female ones are but they are very unusual).

Bottom of the hierarchy would be people who've assaulted/raped and killed young children. Just above would be those who'd done the same to elderly people.

@mnahmnah @Bobbiepin

Prison is hard - as it is meant to be.

It's the loss of liberty. We have a thousand freedoms a day that we take for granted. Choosing what to eat, going for a walk, making a phonecall, sitting on a sofa, having a lie down on a comfortable bed, browsing the Internet, walking into a shop and choosing a sandwich, not getting punched in the face or beaten with a pool cue, having a Nandos, ordering a pizza, having a "duvet day", having sex, masturbating alone without worrying that someone is checking you through a hatch in the wall, being alone, bring with other people, eating fruit that's not an unripe banana or cheap bashed apple, cuddling someone you love, cooking, being messy, stretching out in a double bed, planning something different for tomorrow, petting your dog, running/climbing/shouting/swinging in a chair, choosing a flavour of yogurt, eating 2 yogurts, getting your mum's shopping in, rushing to a sick relative, mourning with family, texting that person you fancy, going to sleep without a weird stranger masturbating/snoring/farting/crying/rustling crisps 18 inches away, sitting in the park, going to a party.....

Prisoners can do a few of these things. But they don't have the freedom to decide what, and when. Some, not all, prisoners are allowed to buy a console and have limited access to it. I can't get my knickers in a twist about that.

I'd suggest you get your pupils to write down 20 choices they've made that day that they couldn't make in prison.

I should also add that most prisoners where I am spend the day working or in rehab or education. They get paid about £7-£12 a week for this. There are some good training jobs, such as bricklaying. There are also dull jobs, and hard physical jobs, like cleaning and laundry. So they can't just have a lie in and watch Loose Women if they fancy it.

Most prefer to be busy.

Louis Theroux’s prog on American prison showed prisoners “gunning” at female officers. Is that a thing in the UK?
Also showed the Top boys getting bottom bunks and the little weak ones getting the top bunks. Again, does that have any truth based on uk system?
Also it was really noisy! Is it as noIsywhere you have worked?
B) Is there a “Daddy “ in a prison a la the film Scum?
C) do men have male male relationships while in jail like in midnight express and also do they get conjugal visits and if so do women’s prisons get them too?

@rentonsstillgettingit

What's "gunning"?

A system of pairing weak and strong characters together sounds crazy and would be avoided where possible for cell sharing. Whoevers in first would usually pick which bunk to get, unless the second in is elderly/disabled.

Yes. It is very noisy, especially in the evening. I'd never buy a house near a prison for this reason.

Prison Daddy? Not that I know of! Certainly amongst long termers there will be factions and stronger characters. But officers run prisons, not prisoners.

Same sex encounters/ relationships are not uncommon. Women are often open about it, with men it is top secret unless they were already openly gay.

No conjugal visits/sexual contact with visitors allowed. People wil
sometimes attempt a depressing visit room groping, but it isn't tolerated.

Prisoners at the end of their sentence and also in open conditions will have unsupervised home visits/home stays. I'm sure they take the opportunity to do whatever they'd normally do at home, including sex. But most prisoners don't spend time in open conditions.

You sound very compassionate and professional op

Nice. Discussing your vulnerable inmates for likes on mumsnet.

You sound very compassionate and professional op

Really???

Thanks @trickyboots
One thing I've learned is that prisoners are just other people, and everyone has good and bad in them.

@catinboots sorry you feel like that. I feel that prisoners are demonised and prison life and staff are misunderstood. I'm just trying to bring a little awareness without saying anything about any individuals.

Yeah I think the ops post seems respectful of inmates, generalised and aware of the types of vulnerabilities that put people in prison. I guess you could look at it as self serving, but I'm not reading it that way.

@Alpacamysuitcase sorry OP

Was probably being a bit snippy. Am
an ex prisoner and now work in the CJS.

Your comments are insightful and measured.

I was being a twat

I visited a prison as part of a course I did a few years back. Possibly the most depressing day of my life. It was a "medium" prison (can't recall correct category) but it was for men in the middle of longer sentences. So they had been sent somewhere else first, and would go on somewhere else before they were freed. The prison officer we had said the high rates of reoffending weren't because it was "luxury" which it certainly wasn't, but because for a lot of inmates it was the first time they had stability and structure in their lives. Desperately sad.

The daily food budget was £1.89 per prisoner. I'll always remember that.

I think if more people had insight into prison life then a/there would be less crime and b/ there would be loads more compassion for offenders

Thanks for doing the thread, OP>

I think it’s been really educational and informative. And you’ve only spoken in general terms so nobody’s privacy has been compromised.

No worries @catinboots9

I don't think you were being a twat.

Cross-posted with catinboots - I can see why this might be a sensitive topic for you

Thanks @OllyBJolly and @FlatPackFurnitureCompAnyone

Yes, it's really sad when shitty prison life is the best anyone can hope for, but that isn't at all unusual. Some people do reoffend just to get back in.

I’m a social worker with adults, I’m interested in what happens to older/disabled prisoners who might have care needs? The prison here doesn’t have a social work team apart from drug/alcohol workers and Mh nurses, it’s always something that I’ve wondered about.

After our degree my friend took a job in a prison as a substance misuse worker, she would often have to stay late on her shift because the prison went on lock down due to prisoner climbing on roof/not coming from the yard etc, does this happen to you a lot and how do you manage that if you have family commitments? (If I remember rightly she had to hand over her phone etc at start of her shift so tricky)

My friend once saw an inmate that was a boyfriend of our housemate at uni who seemed totally normal but was in for a horrific crime including kidnap and torture

Aging prisoners is a big issue,,especially with a spike in late convictions for historic offences.

Care needs are usually met by health staff, including care assistants. Some informal topping up by other prisoners if they are friends or family. If someone is very unwell or become profoundly disabled they can, do ding on the details, go to hospital or a care facility.

How does it get dealt with when someone gets sentenced but it is clear it is due to serious mental health and should be sectioned. How long do they stay in prison before they get moved, do they simply have to stay in prison until a bed becomes available in psychiatric ward and can be dealt with

I think riots are a symptom of highly pressurised environment at breaking point. I'm lucky enough that things are more controlled where I am so this isn't a big issue. I've never been held back more than about 10 or 15 minutes. Hope I'm not jinxing tomorrow..

Not being able to have your mobile is a pain because schools etc just don't get it when you say "I won't be able to take any mobile calls. Please email or phone this landline." Luckily they can usually get my husband then he contacts me if necessary.

If given the choice would you abolish the use of custody?

The courts should usually pick up on someone being acutely mentally unwell.

If someone does slip through or becomes mentally unwell in custody then yes, it's a question of doing everything possible to get the next available bed in a suitable facility. There are plenty of people with severe mental illness who are considered able to be managed in prison, however.

My view is that custody is necessary and appropriate for serious, harmful crime and for persistent offenders. But it is massively overused and we should be more thoughtful and creative about how people committing less serious offences can be punished but also supported and rehabilitated, preferably remaining part of and contributing to their community.

DP is a prison officer, I've just read your post about choices we take for granted to him.

He said "blimey, their guys get bananas?!"

What are your feelings on staff morale where you are?
DP and his colleagues have all considered leaving at some point, especially at the moment, after the pitiful pay rise has been handed out.

Also, did you watch Prison (channel 4 documentary) recently, DP was quite critical of the way some of the officers interacted with the prisoners.