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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

STRANGEWAYS on ITV was a bit heavy going. Prefer Blackpool for hols

28 replies

ScousyFogarty · 10/05/2011 12:15

I had a lot of sympathy for the bride; and some for the permanently self-harming crim.....

The prison staff had a difficult job. I could not imagine myself working in a high security prison. You?

I seem to remember it was Strangeway that had a high-visibility roof protest some years ago . Any of you remember it?
OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 14:38

Sorry what is your point?

The prtest was to highlight the overcrowding situation which the prison warders were also unhappy about.

What would bother me about working within the prison system is that so much of it does make sense and certainly does work. Also the amount of mentaly ill people who shouldn't be in there.

noddyholder · 10/05/2011 14:41

Is it a one off or a series? I won't be watching it again I found it shocking and a bit depressing although I think they should show it in schools because if that wouldn't put people off a life of crime I don't know what would It was harrowing my dp thought so too

harassedinherpants · 10/05/2011 14:44

It's prison, isn't it meant to be shocking???

I find the state of our prisons really sad-: mentally ill prisoners in particular.

southeastastra · 10/05/2011 14:46

i had to turn it over when they started searching the little boy in his wedding suit - so sad :(

Original poster
ScousyFogarty · 10/05/2011 14:50

Bird... I take the points you make and agree with much of it

Noddy....It was harrowing; but it is a reality. And unless we are criminals or staff , it is a secret society.

It is a 3 part series; but you will only get one wedding. The most common thing said about prisons on the radio is that they are "CUSHY" I rather think
not.

I assume ITV has editorial control over the series.

OP posts:
sb6699 · 10/05/2011 14:58

What I found really sad was the man who had tried to take an overdose.

He said he was living on the streets, addicted to drugs, no job, no family, no friends and had come to terms with the fact that was all his life was going to amount to.

ExitPursuedByALamb · 10/05/2011 15:01

I managed to watch all the way through but found it harrowing and drepressing - the little boy in his wedding suit - and searching the baby. Sad

Also surprised that the 'driver' got 15 years when you hear of very light sentences for such things as rape. But we obviously do not know the whole story.

TheVisitor · 10/05/2011 15:04

The bride needed to be a little more realistic in her dress sizing! Claws back in, I agree that there are so many people with mental health problems. The poor bloke who kept reopening his artery wound. Hopefully he was sectioned in the end.

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:05

That should have read 'does not work', also the release procedure (and the claiming of benefits) makes it more likely to return to reoffending.

For some being in prison isn't a punishment but then that is sad in itself.

coccyx · 10/05/2011 15:09

Why shouldn't they search a boy and baby?????
Prison is not meant to be fun , . I do agree that it is not the right place for those who are mentally ill

noddyholder · 10/05/2011 15:09

I couldn't believe he got 15 years either esp when the one who got married was involved in armed robbery and got 7? I agree it is supposed to be harrowing but there are so many reality type docu shows on tv now that they are often either watered down or staged I think I was expecting that level of reporting when in fact it was very real indeed

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:10

It is very difficult to gt a prisoner moved into a mental health facility. They have to seriously self harm or nearly kill themselves whilst attempting suicide. But then so many prisoners are on 'suicide watch' there isn't the space for them all.

What we don't spend on health and in schools costs us twice as much in the prison system.

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:14

Sometimes sentances are given to break up organised crime or main members of opposing groups, to stop revenge attacks etc. They know that in some cases there will be along list of crimes that they could never prove.

harassedinherpants · 10/05/2011 15:16

I know someone who was in prison several years ago and he said that not one person he met admitted to their crime. They were all innocent or framed Hmm. Possibly the van driver could have been under-egging his involvement?? Not being funny, but how much would you want to admit to on a tv show??

Original poster
ScousyFogarty · 10/05/2011 15:21

A lot of quality posts on this. I thought the first episode was impressive.

On sentencing? Now judges are restricted by parliament up to a point. But
variations will still occur. And some people will be made examples of.
I would not want to be a judge

OP posts:
Hulababy · 10/05/2011 15:26

I could not imagine myself working in a high security prison. You?

Yes, I have done. I was on the education side, doing advice work with prisoners. I did a lot of one to one work throughout their sentences. I worked with male offenders from 17y upwards. Some were cat C on shorter sentences, some were lifers and restricted prisoners (cat A).

It's a very odd environment to work in and you do tend to see and deal with the men in a different way to how you think you might.

But I still can't feel sympathy for someone who ends up inside for committing a crime.

Hopefully the series will show people that prisons in the Uk are not a lovely cosy number. The harsh reality is different. Sadly though for some people prison life is better than what they have on the outside.

Hulababy · 10/05/2011 15:28

Sadly children and babies, including new borns, have to be searched. It is shocking to see but a necessity. It is not unusal to have drugs or mobile phones or other items smuggled in inside nappies for example.

Hulababy · 10/05/2011 15:28

Sadly children and babies, including new borns, have to be searched. It is shocking to see but a necessity. It is not unusal to have drugs or mobile phones or other items smuggled in inside nappies for example.

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:39

I prison visit (wont say why) i also have to mix with 'criminals', many do admit to their crimes but obviously don't view it the same way as the legal system does. In the real world it cannot be the same as a written law, people are involved.

Some of the sentances i have seen given are too long and don't serve any purpose. Also there should be more educational facilities inside prisons. Not all areas have charities that help ex offenders so they only see their probation officer whos only concern (in an overstretched service) is to make sure that they don't break licence conditions get rearrested.

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:41

Hulabalu-you must have seen lads who never stood a chance because in my limited dealings i see them weekly.

Birdsgottafly · 10/05/2011 15:46

Having said that, sympathy isn't helpful, anyway, recognising what went wrong and how to counteract it, is more productive.

Hulababy · 10/05/2011 16:23

I guess, but part of my job was to show them all that they had got a chance in life, that they would one day be released and that they needed to use their sentence as an opportunit to do good, to turn things around and make a better life for themselves int he future. Now, there were sme who were potentially not coming out for a long time if at all, recommended 25-30 years type sentences at ages 18y. But we tired to ensure that they didn't think that way and that they did look towards the future and what they could do whilst inside to ensure they ever came back again.

lubberlich · 10/05/2011 17:27

I thought it was an excellent documentary - well above average for the usual toss they put on ITV. The sense of menace and violence was really disturbing.
The number of chronically mentally ill people behind bars is sickening.
It is about time people saw the reality of life behind bars instead of this pervasive nonsense peddled by the Daily Mail about it being such a cushy number.

Original poster
ScousyFogarty · 11/05/2011 10:29

I agree with a lot of what has been said in the last few posts/ But I would point out that if you choose to work in prisons it means you back the political establishment pretty well without question

I have a questioninging nature about people in authority. (they stick together through thick and thin...right and wrong.)

There would seem to be sympathy, empathy and not especially bothered.
concerning people at the bottom of the pile.....I did go to court a lot to write about it; and I do chatwith police officers. A prison warder once said:
"its one of the few jobs in which you get paid for doing nothing" (he may have been joking)

I tend to agree there are a class of people in prison who may be "worse off outside" (Thats sad innit?) One notices prisoner accents are either working class or underclass)

Secret Millionaire did wolverhampton young offenders last night...worth taking a gander. Women teacher there a real hero. She showed empathy.

The link between prisoners and illiteracy is very real. (I saw a figure of 86 per cent mentioned.)

And it goes without saying a lot of prisoners should be in hospital (especially women)
thanks a lot for joining the debate. Its a good learning curve.

PS I think governments are influenced by tabloids on this (and everything)

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 11/05/2011 10:54

Scousy-more people are going into jobs to make a difference and a change. My DD has a mental health background and is considering training as a prison warder. I went into CP to make a change, i know that i am in it for the right reasons and will do the job well. I dont agree with all of the politics but the system will just go down and down if people are put off for that reason.

'Those in authority' are changing.

I work at present with charity organisations who work with offenders and it is staffed by very dedicated people. I also know probation officers who are dismayed at the proposals.

As i said in my earlier post we will be up a lack of investment in children and families somewhere else (usually the prison system). If the government is seen to be lenient on prisoners then the public object. They don't accept that it ends up costing the country at least four times as much. There also is a very 'why should they get that if i don't' attitude towards ex offenders (housing, access to benefits, GP etc).