Have you ever been to prison?

[AhhhhThatsBass]

As an inmate, that is. Just that really. I was inspired by another threat I’ve been reading this evening.
What was it like, was it hell or was it bearable? I once watched a programme about a women’s prison and I remember thinking that it didn’t seem that bad, there was a good deal of support and camaraderie there but maybe I’m being completely naive.

(Nosy Me would love to know what you did but that might be a step too far)

my uncle and his daughetr both work in a prison, he talks about everything and anything to the inmates, mostly about religion. His daughter is a prison officer (im guessing thats why he got into it as he was actually retired) and she says most of the time - things are super calm and most just want to do time and get out - you get alot of children that visit which is sad sometimes (shes a mother herself) and you do ge thte odd trouble maker, but most of the time, its like a boarding school you never leave for a duration.

"Ooh, they're like holiday camps....." Having worked on both holiday camps and inside at cat B prison I feel qualified to comment on that! The similarities are:
Fixed routine, breakfast (meds), activity, lunch (meds), activity, dinner (meds). That's it. I'd much rather be on a holiday camp.

I used to have a bodyguard (long story) about a decade ago who was flat out the most terrifying man I’d ever met. He was always very nice to me though. He’d been to prison for ABH for 9 months and said there was nothing on this earth that would make him go back to prison. He always said he couldn’t promise not to hurt anyone again but if he did and he got caught, he’d kill himself before going to prison.

I googled him recently just out of sheer curiosity and couldn’t find out anything about what he’s up to now. There was a few articles about the case that he’d gone to prison though which was (unsurprisingly really) pretty different to what he’d told me. I can’t believe that I let him near me, unaccompanied for long periods of time just based on the fact that he’d always been pleasant to me.

DH and I were foster caters for a number of years and we had 2 of our young people go into the same YOI.

1 we visited weekly for 4 months, and the other weekly for 2 months

It was not cushy. Awful place. Constant fights.

The staff that we came into contact with weren’t that nice either

@99 if i was in prison and you waltzed in wanting to watch me as a spectacle for some book talking about how you’re an important published author i would be pissed. OFF.

My cousin has been in holloway for assault and drug dealing. She got her nose and her jaw broken. Got threatened with blades when she interrupted self harmers. Got propositioned romantically and faced the fall out when she declined. Prison is shit - unless you’re life is already so shit that it’s the best of a bad lot. Use your imagination.

Agree with other pps on YOI. They are chronically understaffed. Particularly prisons like aylesbury which are very open - try being out on that yard with only 2 guards to keep an eye. Accidents happen.

I know someone who was sent to scrubs in the van after court by mistake when he should have gone to feltham. They processed him anyway and told him he was there for time being even though he wasn’t old enough. He got gang raped in the showers by 3 long termers - screamed for his life and the guards conveniently never heard him until it was all over.

Prison is a daily reminder that you are on the lowest rung of society - infact you are no longer a part of society. Subconsciously that makes any human feel worthless. It damages some people for life or worse institutionalises them.

Op have you read about the problems on rykers island and the recent high profile cases and suicides? And the attitude of the guards? Should give you some inspiration.

@99balloonsandproblems are you well known? Have you been published? Is your name known.

I'm not sure...you've not mentioned

Not a womens priston I know but one DS went to prison at 18, for burglary, he was given community service, but didnt do it, so was given originally 6 months, reduced to 3, then increased. He said it was the making of him. He is very honest, people used to order him to give them his food, he said no, and what was the worst thing that could happen the would beat him up. He has scars on his arms where he was pinned down by the warders, he said he put his hand up to scratch his neck, and they desided he was going into attack mode. As he was under 21 this was a young offenders unit, but hundreds of miles away from home. He did a lot of reading I used to send him books. Not many people know because I am embarrsed.

99, yes by all means PM me, though it is quite a long time since I worked in the prison.

10fingers, no idea , but maybe she did not state her intention of writing; as I haven't read it, I can't really comment. But there are other examples too, Jeffrey Archer for a start. Some people just flout the rules and get away with it easily after the event, I was just pointing out why the authorities may not want to encourage this if they are told in advance by those who act honestly like 99.

@nannybeach my family were embarrased too about my cousin but it doesn’t take much to cross the line and get caught when you’re young and impressionable.

Although as a mother i cannot imagine how you felt with your son in yoi. I used to work in criminal defence and it is no joke. At all. Heartbreaking how violent they are and terrifying. Glad your ds is out and well now.

My uncle was in prison in the 70s for GBH for a year. He definitely didn't want to go back.

An ex-colleague went into YOI when aged 16 for joyriding.
It benefitted him because he learned to read & write so was able to get a good job in a factory when he was released.

At the factory where I worked quite a few of my male colleagues had served time so it's a myth that you can't get a job afterwards- obviously you're restricted as to the type of job.

Oh god @nannyb just realised not your ds but one you know!!! Brain fail - sorry!!!

@99 i was thinking, could you get yourself arrested? Maybe steal some books from waterstones, or foyles? Or go middle class and copy someone elses manuscript after creeping into their house? You could publish a radical blog about it with an indie vibe? If you’re fiction skills aren’t strong enough and you’re lived experiences are wildly removed from the subject matter and people you wish to observe / get stories from.

My OH was in prison years before we met. He was a silly teenager and had a knife fall out his pocket while being searched. Did 3 months of a 6 month sentence. Never been back. Grown up and an amazing man. He said it was the best 3 months of his life at that point because he got into a structure and routine. Just kept himself to himself and moved on with his life after getting out.

@Loonoonow, you say Some women positively loved prison as they got a secure space of their own, regular food and were safe from their abusers I am really conflicted about what you say because on one hand the fact that they love prisons to get away from abusers is an incredibly sad fact. But on the other hand, it is supposed to be a punishment and a deterrent to committing further crime as well as being a significant cost to the tax payer. Is it too nice? (Again, I apologise for my naivety, because I really no clue what it is to have a hard life, another reason for my curiousity)

I don't think there's any question of prison being 'too nice' unless you think the imprisoned should be thrown in a hole in the ground and forgotten about, it's more that some people's lives are so awful, that a basic dry bed and adequate food and medical attention and being able to avoid an abuser is an improvement.

If you are used to eating what you want when you want, having a comfortable bed with nice bedding, wearing nice clothes, nice toiletries and being in nice surroundings, you would probably still find it awful beyond belief.

This is a very interesting thread. I know someone who was in for a long time, not someone I would speak to at all, I knew him before he went in, hardly a pillar of society and it's a shame he didn't get life. Prison hasn't reformed him in any way. He was in for 16 years, mostly in Parkhurst and I've been told he didn't have an easy time of it (probably because of 1 of his crimes, he was done for more than 1 thing).

Whats all this crap about being 'outed' who gives a flying fuck and don't post

Its not anyone massive like J K Rowling or Martina Cole as they would be able to get the information they wanted easily enough.

Is it too nice?

Really?

There is a very interesting thread over on Pistonheads (I know I know... bit like school rivals. But I promise you it’s very good)

Can’t remember what it’s called but it was started by a chap called 10penceshort. Very thought provoking and it’ll stay with me forever. A search should bring it up.

Watch Wentworth on Amazon, its in Oz but bloody hell it's good.

No

Prison diary? I find this stuff interesting. I like to watch all the various prison documentaries on Netflix etc

Op see if you can find on bbc I player reggie Yates documentary he stayed in prison for a week or something.

Lord Grosvenor's daughter is not Lord Grosvenor's daughter. She is the Duke of Westminster's sister.

I see 99 balloons has had her threads deleted. I wonder why? She seemed more worried about her fame banging on about it than anyone else

Not been in one, but have worked in several in a therapeutic and research capacity. Some people cope well but they are difficult places to be for most.