A few weeks ago I caught the third episode of the third series of Jimmy McGovern’s drama “Time” on BBCTV. I was so moved by it that I have now watched the earlier episodes and the first two series on BBC I-player. They can all be found here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p09fs2qh/time
Each episodes is filled with countless upsetting incidents which illustrate that the worst effect of being in prison is not the loss of liberty but the constant, constant, fear of abuse or assault from other prisoners.
I highlight just one incident from each of the series which particularly struck me.
In the first, about an adult male prison, a new prisoner, Mark, is inducted. He is a teacher who has accidentally killed someone whilst driving over the limit. I am very conscious of the fact that that could so easily have been me: we were very careless of the drink-driving rules in the 1960s.
After the first night Mark is placed not in his own cell, but to share with another prisoner who is clearly mentally unstable and eventually kills himself. Mark’s life us made a constant misery because other prisoners steal his food or spit on it so that he can’t eat it.
The second series is about a women’s prison. One prisoner, Orla (I think) is there because she has stolen money in order to feed her three children after the break-up of her relationship. When she finally completes her sentence her home has been sold, her children placed into care, her mother has died, and she has no-where to go to live. The hostels are all full so she is offered a tent. A tent.
The final series is about a youth custody institution. After a good deal of effort by the chaplain a wayward youth is reconciled to his father, who is terminally ill. When the father dies the boy is willing to attend the funeral, but one of the officers on duty “throws a sickie” in order to go and play golf and, since there is no replacement staff, all the boys are locked up of the day, so the boy cannot attend the funeral.
I am assured by a colleague who has worked in the prison education service (when there was one) that the episodes are all realistic. These are the conditions prevailing in the UK’s prisons today.
They are inhuman.
They are not civilised.
They are a disgrace on the politicians who have been in charge over the last 50 years, and the public who have voted for longer and longer sentences but lower and lower taxes.
The only punishment for wrong doing should be loss of liberty: nothing more, and that only when necessary to keep society safe.
There are many alternatives to prison for wrong- doers who are not a danger to the public (which probably applies to most women in prison.)
The only pressure group for decent and constructive reform of the present unacceptable system of which I am aware is the Howard League for Penal reform.
https://howardleague.org/what-we-have-achieved/
I shall make up or my past neglect by subscribing as a life member.
I shall make up for my previous neglect by subscribing to it as a life member.
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