I work in a mens prison AMA

[CrispAura]

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

When well known men, who have been VIPs in the outside world come in, are they treated better than the other prisoners by POs or the Governor? Better jobs, more friendly attitude towards them?

Why do you say this? My understanding was that a large number of women are in there because they haven't paid their TV licence. And another large number as accessories to their men folks crimes. Overall a very actually vulnerable population.
Is that not the case?

I once visited a high security prison (I was terrified! 🤣). I was struck by the low level of education in a lot of the prisoners I interacted with eg a lack of basic literacy. Do you find this is common and do you think it is one of the reasons people offend? Are there schemes in place to help address this? Do the prisoners engage with them?

Do you think something like the Norwegan system would work in the UK or is the current system / attitude too ingrained?

It’s such a no brainier, isn’t it?
Are there opportunities for inmates to do any of these things if they want to?

it’s interesting that you make a distinction, ASPD forms because they have been traumatised.

It can happen; but it’s very rare to be born with a personality that will become diagnosed ASPD. For the vast majority their behaviours are defence mechanisms from childhood trauma.

I’m never sure where this idea that there are vast numbers of impoverished women in prison for not paying their TV license or council tax comes from: it’s a tiny number, an handful of convictions per year for non-payment of TV license, and it’s almost invariably for active refusal to pay (i.e. the whole Freeman of the Land argument etc) rather than being too poor to pay.

Many of the women I met when working in prison literacy had been acting in tandem with a man / male partner, but I don’t think it’s accurate to portray them as vulnerable accessories who wouldn’t have become involved in crime otherwise. In many cases, it was longstanding drug addiction of both parties driving the connoting if offences, not the man’s coercion.

They also have to work in pairs as part of the Samaritans policy and procedures and to safeguard themselves too. To ensure they’re not giving advice and to make sure no inappropriate conversations, etc. I’m part of one of the support teams that comes in for the Listener Support meetings, also male cat B. Prison life is so different than the majority of the public realise. No fancy cells, no luxury living. Very restrictive on liberty. Prisoners have very small worlds. Most of our lads are big sentences and have often already done a ‘few years’ in an A cat.
thanks for this thread @CrispAura , it’s great to share what prison life is really like. I have massive admiration for our SCT ❤️

They could have hot drinks but always at an upper warm temperature which would not cause significant harm to others if weaponised.

Going to miss piping hot drinks? …….Behave oneself on civvy street - quite simple really.

Can you give any more specific information about why you wouldn’t start a career in prisons now and what is causing your own burn-out?

I used to work in SEMH and got fed up, in a time when work and women’s work particularly does not pay, of seeing so much given again and again and again to people who just laugh at you and piss it all up a wall. Especially when it’s males laughing at women.

Do you have any thoughts on how to reduce offending? Or at least, re-offending? What might be effective?

Fascinating, thanks!

How many prisoners are effectively illiterate where you are? At the other end of the scale, are there any studying for degrees with the OU or does that not happen now?

Do children often come in to visit dads? How is that managed if they are very small - do dads get to cuddle their toddlers / babies or is it a security risk?

Great thread, really insightful.

My question is in prisoner hierarchies and groups. I expect cliques form and am curious as to what they might be in a prison population. Which prisoners are most respected by the others and which are the most detested?
The media gives the impression that religious groupings can dominate or gang members. Is this accurate?

With some very long sentences more prevalent now, how are elderly prisoners managed if they develop cognitive decline or dementia? Do they understand where they are or why?

Also, how is pain relief in illness managed in the prison system when it seems so hard to manage in a hospital or care home in the community?

edited for clarity

At our cat b we have family all day visits for dads! Xmas Easter etc where we have maybe a magician come in and there’s arts and crafts to do with dad

yes of course they can cuddle their kids! It’s lovely for the children but many prisoners say ‘Miss can you just go along with it being a work
visit’ lots don’t know it’s a prison that dad is in

a lot of parents who visit their young offender sons always makes me think that could be any one of us. Normal families where the son has fallen astray

watch lost boys on channel 4 24 hours on police custody

I agree entirely. I was just saying that, by my own metric, it doesn't look good, so I find it hard to understand. I'm sure that, by their standards, I look terrible! It's fascinating - and a good thing - that we humans have such differing ideas.

Have you worked in a young offenders?

Oh wow ,thankyou ,that's so kind .

a lot of parents who visit their young offender sons always makes me think that could be any one of us. Normal families where the son has fallen astray

Why not just call them sons then?

Do you think the prison system works?

Because 'parents who visit their sons' doesn't make the specific situation clear that @Allisnotlost1 meant? Not every word in a post is meant as a slight.

Why do visiting rules and rules for sending in things like books get changed regularly? Also can prison food not improve or is there so little money for it?

@CrispAura how many visits a week from family etc are they allowed? How long are the visits? And what is the food like?

thank you for answering my previous questions xx

This is a fascinating thread
Hope the op comes back to answer more questions
I have lots

My mistake: I meant that @YouWillFindMeInTheGarden had posted. Got confused with the quoting there

What was the training like op
Is there a weight limit or BMI ,you have to be under
are you on your feet all day ,what breaks do you get