To think coming out of prison would be harder than going in

[continuallychargingmyphone]

I have no plans to break the law. I’ve been watching OITNB.

Obviously being in prison would be awful but how would you cope when out? Employment opportunities would be few and far between, no money as a result, and how would you pay your mortgage in prison? Where would you live when you came out?

Isn’t being in the easy part?

I wouldn't think it would be easy being

in prison.. but I'm inclined to agree.
You'd definitely need a good support network around you to come out to try make it work.

I suppose it depends what you went to prison for though as to how it affects job prospects etc.

I wouldn't have thought that many prisoners have got mortages, they probably have a long trail of petty crime before they get caught and go to prison so doubt that many of them would have to worry about that to be honest. If they have, they can always rent their house out and use those proceeds to pay the mortgage.

Timpsons will employ ex offenders and i'm guessing other retail places will too. Then theres construction - pretty sure you don't need to be clean to get a job on in construction.

But I disagree with you going in being easy - coming out must surely be better

Even so, where would you live? I suppose it mightn’t be too bad if you had a supportive family. Even so.

Some prisoners leave and move into temporary bail hostels and some probation officers are able to find housing. There are charities that help prisoners find employment- BlueSky, Princes Trust, Bounce Back etc

I think it would be very difficult too your whole life would have changed! I think I also thought this when watching OITNB

I met a recently-ex prisoner through a volunteering thing once. He'd been in for about 15 years and so much had changed, he didn't have a clue how things worked now, couldn't use a computer/the internet to apply for UC, didn't know how utility bills worked, just had no idea how to cope. He must have done something pretty awful to be in for that long but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him - he'd done his time but it was very much not the case that he could come out of prison and then just get on with his life.

Yes, a fifteen year sentence must be the hardest in some ways. Everything different but not a lifetime ... strange!

£44 they get on rerelease. Youd be surprised how many of them actually prefer prison as They become institutionalised and at least its 3 square meals a day, abed and a roof over their heads. The ones with their family all waiting out side the gates might be okay. However the ones with no one. I don't know how they expect people to start again and make a life for themselves with £44.

How can we ever as a society help rehabilitate people who have committed crime if they come out of prison with literally nothing . No home , no job no money. It costs us a ridiculous amount to keep someone in prison a year . Someone needs to look at ways of making it work for them on release.

and how would you pay your mortgage in prison?

Are people really this daft? Do you think most of the prison population own their own homes and have jobs and decent credit ratings? People like that are a tiny minority and homelessness is often a factor in criminality.

In answer to your question, going into prison is very frightening and you’re locked up with some very dangerous and unpleasant people and people who are dangerous because they’re ill and have been sent to prison instead of being treated. Violence is endemic in male prisons and suicide in female prisons. A lot of female prisoners will also lose their children when they are jailed and many men will be facing a loss of access to their children too.

Regarding leaving prison, it really depends on what support is given and it varies. Some people will be offered housing in an approved half way house, some nothing and only a few quid to tide them over weeks until their benefits start which is cruel IMO as it can force them to reoffend to survive.

There’s no reason to be so rude Augusta

Some prisoners do/did have mortgages in fact (white collar crime) but mortgage or rent it still needs paying doesn’t it?