I work in a mens prison AMA

[CrispAura]

Send me a question, and I will try to answer as honestly as possible

Hi op! Im in hmpps too, nice to meet you

Officers don't tend to see it really. Perhaps its done within cells.
The prison program with Sean Bean was the most realistic I have seen it portrayed. But generally there isn't a lot of fighting, men just want to get out have a shower, use the phone and socialise. This is where having women in the prison makes it a calmer place. We can stop a lot of the aggro, by just removing one man to somewhere else and telling the other to go and find something else to do. Its as easy as that! No one wants to be fighting and losing priviledges.

Hiya! How are you liking it at the moment? I'm pretty burnt out TBH

Have you met any high profile prisoners or ones who we would recognise by name? Appreciate you won’t be able to give specific information but generally speaking.

Funnily enough am coming to the end of my sick leave for work stress!!

Do you hear some disturbing or particularly sad stories?

Have you only ever worked in a men’s prison? Would you work in a woman’s prison?

Would you recommend it as a job OP? What training did you have to have? Do you ever take your work home with you, emotionally?
I’m not up for it, there isn’t a prison near me, just curious about it as as career.

Do you ever just wish you could go to eg. a lovely paradise island without any men at all? Apart from your husband who I assume you love!

Do you think
they let inmates out too early?

Do prisoners discuss what they’ll do when they leave?

To make prisons drug free you would have to have:
No visits
No teachers
No medical staff
No solicitors
Thorough search of ALL Officers, every day, without fail
No post coming in
Complete lockdown

As you can see, drugs will always get through

Locking them up to go cold turkey would be cruel, and it wouldn't work. With alcholics, you have to medicate, or they could die.

No solicitors!

Have you ever worked on a VP wing? If so, did your knowledge of the types of offences ever affect how you treated the prisoners?

Sorry, a second question. I understand that 10 or 15 years ago there were a lot more, more experienced prison officers compared to today. Many older, more experienced, prison officers have left during this time.

If you were in the prison service back then, have you personally experienced this change? And, if so, how has this changed things?

And there I was yearning for a romantic story like the one in Prison Break between Michael Schofield and the Doctor…. 😀

I know Prison Break is American but if you’ve watched it, can you relate to it at all?

Are there hierarchies between the inmates?

Do you find that some prisoners just keep their heads down and try and stay out of peoples way, whereas others are just out to cause trouble?

Its really hot in the cells at night in the summer, which is kind of a punishment in itself. They can sell a fan for £100 in this weather. Its warm in the winter though too unless they have a broken window.

And I mean by selling a fan (or anything else), means whoever buys it, gets their family to send in the money to the sellers account. So who is worse off? Yep, the poor bloody family - probably managing one or more children at home on their own

Yes. High profile sex offenders.

Why do you think there are so many phones in prisons now, and is anything really done about it?

I imagine drugs and weapons can be dropped in via drone these days. How do prisons manage this method of smuggling?

Do you feel scared?

Hi, OP. I know a barrister who was defending someone who was then accused of throwing boiling water mixed with sugar at another inmate’s face while on remand, causing significant injury. Surely they shouldn’t have access to kettles and boiling water? Seems like a bit of a no-brainer to me!

Do you have any trans women in your prison?

Whats the saddest story you've heard, if you can share? One that stays with you

And do you find that the men are mostly really vulnerable? I did volunteer for a bit and the boys were calling me 'miss' which i thought was endearing

Do you have a very good poker face? I’m one of those who can keep their mouth quiet but not their face! I fear it would get me in trouble, were I to do your job 😅
Also! Do you think your job has made you more or less sympathetic overall towards the type of man you come across as prisoners?

That did stick out!

@CrispAura , are you pretty sure that drugs get brought in by solicitors, or just a guess? Can't help thinking that getting struck off and getting a guaranteed custodial sentence for a serious conviction for possession with intent to supply is a crazy risk to take!