What's life really like in prison?

[Thankyou4calling]

It's easy to say that you will be played with in the shower by Mr. Big or that those inside for crimes against children are beaten senselessly on a regular basis.

But what's it really like?

The food, does it have a gym, can you watch TV when you like? Are drugs freely available?

I'm intrigued to know.

[storminnorman]

Depends wot you done and where you are put methinks.
Louis Theroux has done some good programs on jail before. Think I might find some to watch now

[rehab71]

I use to work with a guy who'd been inside for a short stint. Genuinely sounded like a peice of piss and he got his fork lift licence.

[Justayellowbadge]

Long thread on here somewhere by 10PS.

[GTIR]

It's not about what the conditions are like.

The fact you are locked up and denied your freedom is what really gets to people.
However, it's human nature to adgust and become institusionalsed and it does become normal after a while.

I wouldn't take any notice of these sensationalist headlines from the redtops about "cushy time" and TV's. PS3's and the like. It kind of misses the point.

[Thankyou4calling]

GTIR said:

It's not about what the conditions are like.

The fact you are locked up and denied your freedom is what really gets to people.
However, it's human nature to adgust and become institusionalsed and it does become normal after a while.

I wouldn't take any notice of these sensationalist headlines from the redtops about "cushy time" and TV's. PS3's and the like. It kind of misses the point.

I accept what you are saying but I wanted to know about TVs etc. We all know inmates are deprived of their liberty but what's life like?

A poster above says someone he knows obtained a forklift licence in prison which is really surprising.

[Ari]

Justayellowbadge said:

Long thread on here somewhere by 10PS.

I thought that got deleted because he was thinking of trying to get it published or something?

[Ari]

Thankyou4calling said:

Are drugs freely available?

This is the bit that gets me - drugs available in prison. It's a fecking prison for fecks sake! If you can't keep drugs out of (what should be) a completely secure building something somewhere is very wrong.

[Justayellowbadge]

Ah, ignore me then.

[Ari]

rehab71 said:

I use to work with a guy who'd been inside for a short stint. Genuinely sounded like a peice of piss and he got his fork lift licence.

Prisons have forklifts?

Must help to move all those drugs I guess...

[GTIR]

Ari said:

Thankyou4calling said:

Are drugs freely available?

This is the bit that gets me - drugs available in prison. It's a fecking prison for fecks sake! If you can't keep drugs out of (what should be) a completely secure building something somewhere is very wrong.

It's quite simple.
At visiting time the friend/family member brings in a package small enough to swallow and then later the inmate poos it out in his cell.

Or a dodgy screw brings it in. Possibly.

[Oakey]

Prison, where petty criminals go in as lanky streaks of piss and come out as ripped hardened crims

[GTIR]

Oakey said:

Prison, where petty criminals go in as lanky streaks of piss and come out as ripped hardened crims

Sounds a bit dailmail.

[Oakey]

GTIR said:

Sounds a bit dailmail.

I know of a couple of local lads who went in as skinny little runts and came out huge

Eta: here, from the horses mouth:

http://prisonofficer.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&...

Edited by Oakey on Friday 5th September 20:44

[mph1977]

10PS posts / blog got taken down ( by 10ps himself iirc) but they were a well written piece on relatively recent british prison life

[s p a c e m a n]

GTIR said:

Ari said:

Thankyou4calling said:

Are drugs freely available?

This is the bit that gets me - drugs available in prison. It's a fecking prison for fecks sake! If you can't keep drugs out of (what should be) a completely secure building something somewhere is very wrong.

It's quite simple.
At visiting time the friend/family member brings in a package small enough to swallow and then later the inmate poos it out in his cell.

Or a dodgy screw brings it in. Possibly.

Years ago I was sitting in a pub in Barking and a mate of a mate went off to the toilet and stuck half an ounce of cannabis resin and a nokia 3220 up his arse. We left about half an hour later and drove to Sheerness, which took about an hour. How the fk do they manage to keep all of that up there for at least 2 hours, I'd be gagging for a poo.

[The_Burg]

Who cares? F@ck them.
You break the law you suffer.

Should be beaten daily fed on dog food and sleep on concrete slabs, with pointy nails.

[Clarkey2110]

Thankyou4calling said:

It's easy to say that you will be played with in the shower by Mr. Big or that those inside for crimes against children are beaten senselessly on a regular basis.

But what's it really like?

The food, does it have a gym, can you watch TV when you like? Are drugs freely available?

I'm intrigued to know.

Won't go into much detail but will answer what you've asked, food is on a budget, cooked by prisoners, kept warm on a hot plate and then served by prisoners, gym yes, access most days by the looks of it, TV depends on privilege level, play up and it gets taken away along with nearly everything else. Not seen any drugs but seen the effects it has on prisoners, so obviously they are available, not as freely as people make out though.

Clarkey

[Justayellowbadge]

Gaz. said:

I know/knew three people who have been behind bars. One for death by dangerous driving, one for aggravated GBH and one for GBH. For the first two it simply wasn't up for discussion and never to be brought up again. For the 3rd chap he really never said much, just that it was as horrible as you would think it would be. He got sentenced to 6 months again for GBH and was an absolute shred of a man between his trial and sentencing, not only because he was frightened to his core, but also because he'd lose his house & job and the respect/friendship of his friends & family.

Difficult to feel much for the third guy if the experience didn't stop him going on to commit GBH again. Especially if he did it aware of the consequences you list in your last sentence.

Don't want to be all neocon about it, but what on earth was he thinking?

[Steffan]

Justayellowbadge said:

Gaz. said:

I know/knew three people who have been behind bars. One for death by dangerous driving, one for aggravated GBH and one for GBH. For the first two it simply wasn't up for discussion and never to be brought up again. For the 3rd chap he really never said much, just that it was as horrible as you would think it would be. He got sentenced to 6 months again for GBH and was an absolute shred of a man between his trial and sentencing, not only because he was frightened to his core, but also because he'd lose his house & job and the respect/friendship of his friends & family.

Difficult to feel much for the third guy if the experience didn't stop him going on to commit GBH again. Especially if he did it aware of the consequences you list in your last sentence.

Don't want to be all neocon about it, but what on earth was he thinking?

Regrettably I doubt if he was thinking at the time of the offence. That does seem to be the reality of many offenders. Not an excuse but some individuals cannot ( or will not) exercise self control. In consequence they end up in prison and the majority in my experience (personal visiting and financial advice) are very worried about the consequences of ther crime to their family. Sadly not suffciciently together as individuals to recognise the mistake for what it would become and decide not to commit their offences.

It does seem to be an indisputable fact that prison sentences rarely prevent reoffending and indeed provides the perfect opportunity to become wholly enmeshed in the criminal life and criminal activities. I would like to see this change but I think it very likely to continue. Despite all the money thrown at this problem so far as I can see it is as bad now as it has ever been.