I work in a restricted status women's prison AMA

[QuaintBeaker]

You can ask me anything but I'm not going to name the prison and I'm not able to comment on individual prisoners (including/especially high profile ones).

Thank you for your response. Couple of other follow-up questions if I may…?
What have you seen that has been the most distressing/violent/upsetting thing you have ever personally witnessed?
And out of all the TV shows/films/documentaries out there, which would you say depicts the most realistic portrayal of life inside prison?

Pretty sure it's all dark! But I'm going to check and come back to you on that one.

There's a mix of single and double cells, i think there are more doubles and yes it's bunks.

So each cell has either a bed or bunk on one wall. A metal desk on the opposite wall. A toilet and basin in the corner with a curved divider around it. They're pretty small.

I think the veg goes soft because it's cooked and then packed into warmer trolley things to come onto the house blocks so it carries on cooking. But they could easily undercook it to counteract that.

Salads are ok, usually a mixture of leaves and various chopped veg (cucumber, pepper etc) that they can choose from.

I think the diet meets all the criteria it legally has to. Again, much like school meals

Great thread op. Do you think the day goes unbearably slowly for them due to boredom or is there enough to do with classes and books to be ok?

And do they get enough exercise?

Probably some really extreme self harm from a very distressed woman.

I don't watch TV so can't answer the other question

Yeah i think there is a lot of boredom if I'm honest. Most will want to sign up for lots of things just so they have stuff to do.

They have the opportunity to exercise but it isn't mandatory. I think also things like use of the gym are reliant on good behaviour, meaning that some women don't have that option.

I think more facilitated exercise would probably be good

Thank you.
Yeah I think the idea of sharing a cell is the worst bit for me in my mind.

Like it could be someone really volatile, noisy, unclean or just won't shut up. Or worse, they physically or sexually abuse you.

Do they try and match people so the 'worst' are together, (obviously apart from seg or the really scary person section) or do they try and have a 'good' one in with the bad to try and be a positive influence? I guess how do they know how someone will be in a cell, if they've never been to prison before?

I think they just get allocated where there is space. But there can be a fair bit of movement, so if 2 people are really not getting on then they'll try and move people around a bit.

Thank you! It's really interesting.
So I guess there's a high chance of being with someone withdrawing heavily from opiates etc. at least on the first week or so?

Ah, so there is one houseblock dedicated to drug dependent new arrivals. So they are all together while they detox.
It's unbelievably loud in there

How effective do you think 'do-gooding' community organisations, such as churches, are?

We are involved in a group called Angel Tree Prison Fellowship, where we buy Christmas gifts for prisoners' children (specified by the prisoner), via our nearby women's prison.

Are these things helping the prisoners and their families, or do they just make us feel better?

I do think they help!

I think enabling them to give their kids a gift is honestly something that's going to be meaningful to them.
Is it going to change their life outcome? Probably not. It's it giving them a little bit of joy and some connection with their child they wouldn't have had otherwise? Absolutely!

Another example is we had a lady released this morning and there was some confusion over how she was getting where she needed to be. She was really upset about it.
A member of staff walked her to the station and on the way they went past the local church which gives out food and it meant she got some lunch and some drinks and snacks for later.
And while she was there she evidently calmed down a lot and was much happier by the time they reached the station.

I don't think we should underestimate the good that can come from just knowing someone gives a shit about you

That’s good. Another question

Do you think claustrophobia would be an issue for anyone? Do people suffer from it, or do they get enough time outside and generally to be ok?

So withdrawal of exercise opportunities is in effect used as a punishment……. That’s simply perverse. Could they not withdraw a less vital ‘privilege’? They couldn’t restrict food as a punishment, so why exercise. Seems totally unreasonable and counterproductive to me.

This is such an interesting thread, OP. Thanks for starting it.

I've worked in PRUs with violent teens in the past and a lot of what you are saying rings a very familiar bell. The sadness behind some people's circumstances and yet how absolutely hilarious they can still be at times.

You sound fabulous, btw, and your job sounds interesting. I can't think of anything I want answered at the moment, except for 'can you insist you get a single cell for your own mental health?'

I genuinely don't think I could cope if I had to be with people 24 hours a day. I desperately need alone time at night, even if that's the only time I can have.

You'd think they'd need a toilet each!

In your opinion why do think women tend to get more severe sentences for things like shoplifting,drug possession,abh etc is it down to population pressure in the male estate or are women just being treated more unfairly by the criminal justice system?

This is so interesting!

Have you ever had a prisoner go on hunger strike or refuse to wear prison clothes? (I am thinking like IRA inmates in the 70s/80s)

I have to say, having worked in courts before this, it isn't something I've noticed. I found women were more likely to be given community sentences, particularly if they had children.

But i have read that on the whole that is the case, and I'm not sure why. You could be right about the overcrowding in male prisons, or maybe judges/magistrates look less favourably on women doing crime because they're supposed to be all good and motherly and all that??

Our women are allowed their own clothes, although a lot do wear the prison issue tracksuits.

Never had a hunger strike touch wood

I just thought of yet another question - this is all so interesting!

Can prisoners purchase food, or have relatives bring food - to liven up what seems like a very limited diet?

For me, being unable to eat decent food would be a major deprivation - along with having to share a cell and 9 hours of darkness at night.

Yeah they can. There is a shop they can buy stuff from and they can earn money from working in the prison, or people can send them money

Do the detoxing prisoners recieve any medication to help them? I understand withdrawing from alcohol and opioids can be quite dangerous. Or are they expected to go cold turkey?

How to medical/dental appointments work in the prison?
do they have to wait to see a GP like we would? Do they get medication free?
im having to wait up to 13 months for dental surgery on the NHS. Do prisoners get seen quicker if it’s a specific prison dentist?

Thanks for this interesting thread OP. I've recently spent a lot of time in hospital for cancer treatment and I've been wondering how prisoners with serious health problems are managed. Are there hospital facilities in the prison that can manage those kind of conditions?

Yeah they do. They can get methadone or subutex or another thing I can't remember the name of