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JASB
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+x+x+x+xHello, Prisons seem to be in the press quite a lot nowdays. There are those who argue that prisons are too easy and others who argue that they do not rehabilitate, are full of bullying and assaults. As someone who has never been to prison I wonder where the truth is. TV dramas always depict prisons as violent places where your life is always at risk yet I would guess most people think prisons are too easy nowdays. I was wondering if any member of the forum had been to prison and what their experienwe of this was. Regards, D Afraid so. The whole experience is terrifying but once there you settle into a trance and just try to get through day by day. It's a deeply undignifying time where you have to do things you're hugely uncomfortable with. On my first night the guy in the cell opposite hung himself. You are surrounded by people who no doubt have committed abhorrent crimes (along with yourself obviously) but you need to just keep your head down, make friends where you can and get through it. Boredom was the worst thing for me but partly resolved by being given a purpose when I got a job on the bakery in the kitchen. The guy in charge of us there was an absolute star and the only person in my entire time there to treat me like a human and make me feel like I had some self worth. Rehabilitation in there was non existent. If it did exist for others it was solely going through the motions. I haven't been in since late 2014, and I'm guessing things haven't got any better. They actually got worse while I was in, due in no small part to Failing Grayling and his madcap plans. Each prison and each wing can be different, and I saw some violence, but heard about more from eye-witnesses. The main problem for me was boredom, so getting out of your cell to work instead of being banged up makes a difference. If you can work longer hours, such as in the kitchen or staff mess, that's even better, as it also tires you out. Staying in your cell with strangers who might or might not tolerate you isn't easy, but you tend to find ways to get along. Much is said about rehabilitation, but the prison system just tries to break you down so that probation can do the rehabilitation stuff. I've seen documentaries about prison and probation, which were reasonably accurate, but the dramas tend to be rubbish. I stopped watching Screw after about five minutes. Hi where you personally at risk of any violence at all? Is the noise really bad at night? Hi Sorry late coming to this topic. Noise: My point to many wing officers is "why do you let inmates buy a hifi or radios that could work in a theatre but not state speakers no as headphones only?" The reply was that they "we" are entitled and teaches us valuable skills working the noise out with the inmate!!! At Stafford my initial inmate was about 70, blamed everyone but himself for his circumstances, never washed etc. My first job was to clean the "pad" out. At night he would put his radio o full blast (he was slightly deaf) and plug in headphones. After 5 minutes I asked him to turn it down. He said no because he had headphones on. At that point I checked his radio; he had them plugged into the aux point not the headphone socket!! Violence: On a weekend you go out and see violence but you keep away from it, same self protection skill inside. My self if challenged, I used self confidence and stood my ground by eye contact, and polite language. On most wings I was on I became known as someone who did not judge, would listen and offer support from writing letters to basically anything legal. If you look confident but not cocky, not think you are above anyone else and always try to understand why others are acting in a way you find threatening, you will be fine. Just remember most violent people have insecurities and try to hide them. You never know you might find they may become a friend and a better person to all because of you.
Society suggests I must let go of all my expectations but I disagree, as whilst I have a voice, I have hope.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.
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dedalus
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I've read this interview extract: Boris Becker reveals fellow inmates saved his life while serving time in UK prison: 'I was a nobody' | Tennis News | Sky SportsIt seems violence was almost ordinary where BB was incarcerated. Is it really that bad or do you think he may have been specifically targeted? Does not look like just keeping his head down helped him.
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JASB
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Group: Awaiting Activation
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Hi For starters he would of been classed as a "vulnerable" inmate as you are asked that at reception; of course he is going to say yes and so would of been residing with other such classified inmates. Do you think they would risk their status for an ex celebrity? Secondly read between the lines and you will see the denial/blaming of others and damage limitation. As he would of been paid for it so it would of been made as dramatic as possible to gain attraction and public sympathy. He'll be applying to come back to the UK next year to work for the BBC at wimbledon hence need for sympathetic view. I am not excusing any violence or saying violence is not in prisons but you have to put it in perspective to the issues many inmates have and the behaviour of so called intelligent celebrities. He talks of the reasons why he was threatened; was BB not understanding his surrounding, the "materialistic" driven poverty and so envy of those looking at what he had? Therefore lower his "image impact"?
Society suggests I must let go of all my expectations but I disagree, as whilst I have a voice, I have hope.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.
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punter99
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We don't know if it would really have led to violence. Sounds more like intimidation of a first time offender, by someone chancing their arm. The inmates who 'protected' him, probably wanted something in return as well.
It was strange that he was deported having served less than half his sentence. Maybe that was just to free up space in the system, but it doesn't appear that he will serve much time in a German prison, so it is not much of a deterrent to others. It is even reported that he will earn £435k for his interview, and that the TV company flew him out to Germany on a private jet, while many offenders leave prison with just £45 and end up on the streets.
He won't get to attend Wimbledon, because there is a 10 year ban, for anybody who is deported from the UK. He won't get into Australia ever again, because he was sentenced to over 12 months and he may well be refused entry to the USA, if it is considered a crime of moral turpitude. So that just leaves the French Open, which he could travel to.
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JASB
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Group: Awaiting Activation
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+xWe don't know if it would really have led to violence. Sounds more like intimidation of a first time offender, by someone chancing their arm. The inmates who 'protected' him, probably wanted something in return as well. It was strange that he was deported having served less than half his sentence. Maybe that was just to free up space in the system, but it doesn't appear that he will serve much time in a German prison, so it is not much of a deterrent to others. It is even reported that he will earn £435k for his interview, and that the TV company flew him out to Germany on a private jet, while many offenders leave prison with just £45 and end up on the streets. He won't get to attend Wimbledon, because there is a 10 year ban, for anybody who is deported from the UK. He won't get into Australia ever again, because he was sentenced to over 12 months and he may well be refused entry to the USA, if it is considered a crime of moral turpitude. So that just leaves the French Open, which he could travel to. Agree with your words but does "moral turpitude" stop Andrew Windsor?
Society suggests I must let go of all my expectations but I disagree, as whilst I have a voice, I have hope.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.
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This forum supports these words, thank you Unlock and your contributors.
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punter99
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Group: Forum Members
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+x+xWe don't know if it would really have led to violence. Sounds more like intimidation of a first time offender, by someone chancing their arm. The inmates who 'protected' him, probably wanted something in return as well. It was strange that he was deported having served less than half his sentence. Maybe that was just to free up space in the system, but it doesn't appear that he will serve much time in a German prison, so it is not much of a deterrent to others. It is even reported that he will earn £435k for his interview, and that the TV company flew him out to Germany on a private jet, while many offenders leave prison with just £45 and end up on the streets. He won't get to attend Wimbledon, because there is a 10 year ban, for anybody who is deported from the UK. He won't get into Australia ever again, because he was sentenced to over 12 months and he may well be refused entry to the USA, if it is considered a crime of moral turpitude. So that just leaves the French Open, which he could travel to. Agree with your words but does "moral turpitude" stop Andrew Windsor? I doubt he will be going to the USA any time soon, as the FBI may want to interview him, but since he has no criminal convictions, the visa exclusions do not currently apply to him.
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JASB
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Group: Awaiting Activation
Posts: 1.1K,
Visits: 1.7K
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+x+x+xWe don't know if it would really have led to violence. Sounds more like intimidation of a first time offender, by someone chancing their arm. The inmates who 'protected' him, probably wanted something in return as well. It was strange that he was deported having served less than half his sentence. Maybe that was just to free up space in the system, but it doesn't appear that he will serve much time in a German prison, so it is not much of a deterrent to others. It is even reported that he will earn £435k for his interview, and that the TV company flew him out to Germany on a private jet, while many offenders leave prison with just £45 and end up on the streets. He won't get to attend Wimbledon, because there is a 10 year ban, for anybody who is deported from the UK. He won't get into Australia ever again, because he was sentenced to over 12 months and he may well be refused entry to the USA, if it is considered a crime of moral turpitude. So that just leaves the French Open, which he could travel to. Agree with your words but does "moral turpitude" stop Andrew Windsor? I doubt he will be going to the USA any time soon, as the FBI may want to interview him, but since he has no criminal convictions, the visa exclusions do not currently apply to him. Hi Your comment "since he has no criminal convictions" confuses me. He has just been inside or have I missed something  Yep I have you was referring to Andrew : Happy New Year by the way.
Society suggests I must let go of all my expectations but I disagree, as whilst I have a voice, I have hope.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.
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This forum supports these words, thank you Unlock and your contributors.
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