I work in a mens prison AMA

[CrispAura]

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

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the system or where you work, what would it be? (Actually, no need to limit it to one thing if you have a few!)

Why do you think such candidates get through? Isn't there some kind of psychological screening for prison officers?

I'm definitely not the OP, but to answer your question, yes prison rules say that every prisoner in England & Wales is entitled to either a kettle or hot water flask in their cell, to make hot drinks.

Most prisons have kettles, but some prisons have a single water heater on a wing and each prisoner has a hot water flask that they fill up with hot water. At least one prison charges a deposit on kettles so that they are not damaged.

Are prisoners not to be allowed to drink tea or coffee or hot chocolate?

Aren't prison officers and other inmates entitled to not fa e the risk of having boiling hot water thrown at them? Remove the risk I would say.

Great thread that shows the realities of prison.
I've read books about prison life from both sides and recognise a lot of your experiences are replicated throughout the system.
Thanks for doing a tough job.

My friend (early 30s) has been a PO for two years and says (1) she finds her prison (a high security one) to be threatening/dangerous and (2) despite only been there two years she is now seen as experienced due to low staff morale and high staff turnover.

Anyway my question is: Should mens prisons only have male PO and female prisons only female PO?

Not the OP but also work in prisons.

The prison service is absolutely desperate for staff, and the UK service provides far less training than some European services.

If you turn up and look willing that's honestly more than some candidates. Which is why you get incidents like a woman getting a job as a prison officer who's main goal was to get footage for her Only Fans.

That scenario is just nuts. Shows how stupid some are and don't appreciate the environment they're going into.

But there are loads of staff in prisons: officers, probation, education, healthcare, cleaners, works, IT...

Are they all supposed to be male for male prisons and female for female? It's just not feasible.

I know male officers who like having a quiet time on the older people's wing in a Cat C, and female officers who like spraying a bit of PAVA on a Cat A. It's not as simple as male vs female.

Bit of an odd question - does size actually matter? I've been wanting to apply for work at a prison but I've been told I'm too thin and weak to even consider it.

Do prison staff always confiscate drugs if they suspect drug use, or do they sometimes turn a blind eye to it because it makes the inmates easier to manage if they're getting their fix?

@CrispAura another question, what is inside the cell? Is it as lavish as some of the stories make out and is the toilet in the cell too or do they have a separate area? X

Have you ever had a transman in your prison? I wouldn’t expect them to be there, but you never know! They have been known to put transwomen in women’s prisons.

Do you think there is any value in prisoner befriending schemes? Do prisoners seem to benefit?

What is the pay like? Is it higher due to being a dangerous job?

And me!

Lavish prison cells?!

😂 so many people clearly have no idea about the inside of a prison. Lavish!!

OP are you a prison officer or a POM? If the former would you be interested in the latter, or vice versa. I used to work in probation and now work in a related public protection field and have been around a fairly long time so have had a few different roles. I used to say the only thing I couldn't do is work behind the gate.

Do you think prison is too easy now a days? With all the privileges they get and stuff?

What's your opinion on the prison system as a whole, do you think its effective?

They call us all ‘miss’ or ‘yo,guv’!

I had a prisoner who told me he couldn’t remember ever being shown any form of love or affection as a child. Not a single instance.

Yet to see one of these and I've seen prisons all round the country.

If you think having a Playstation One and a toilet within 1 metre of where you eat is lavish, then OK, some of them are lavish. Oh and a TV whose remote is broken.

Drones!

Is Wormwood Scrubs a cat N male prison ?(NOT asking if you work there btw, just recently found out someone I used to work for is currently there). If so, how many hours would a prisoner typically be in a cell each day & what would their day 'look like' please?

Scrubs is a Cat B local prison. The areas I've seen of it are pretty awful. It's predominantly a remand prison, or men with short sentences. Those with longer sentences will get moved on according to their risk/need.

Many years ago I worked with a young woman who was a habitual liar and a thief and she left rather than be pushed out and she went to join the prison service and after making a very long career in the prison service she became the Governor of a famous (infamous) prison.

She resigned after two years because of many complaints on how the prison was being run.

I have never met such a woman/person who lacked so completely in morals and was shocked when I found out last year that she had been a Governor. She had absolutely no moral compass and I knew her for approximately 3 years.

It may well be that you work at a different prison but if you recognise the person I am talking about, what was yours and other staff’s opinion of her?