The future is in our hands

insidetime the National Newspaper for Prisoners

By Ben Gunn ..................... PAGE 24

A ‘not for profit’ publication / Circulation 46,000 (monthly) / Issue No. 118 / April 2009

THE INSIDE TIME ADVERT THAT ENDED SEAN HODGSON’S 27 YEAR INJUSTICE

ean Hodgson, in glasses, with his jubilant brother steps out of the shadows into the sun outside The Royal Courts of Justice after the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction for murder. He served 27 years before DNA tests proved his innocence. Mr Hodgson always pleaded his innocence but few were listening - until he picked up a copy of Inside Time and saw an advertisement by Julian Young & Co. solicitors that specialised in criminal appeals. Judy Ramjeet, a partner at the law firm, received his letter and visited him at Albany Prison on the Isle of Wight. Ten years earlier, the Forensic Science Service told Mr Hodgson’s lawyer, at the time, that exhibits from the case in 1982 had not been kept, delaying, as we now know, his release by more than a decade. Julian Young told Inside Time that legal action against the FSS would almost certainly follow. Report from Court 4 - Page 21

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insidetime

a voice for prisoners since 1990 the national newspaper for prisoners published by Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of New Bridge, a charity founded in 1956 to create links between the offender and the community. Registered Office: 27a Medway Street, London SW1P 2BD

ISSN 1743-7342

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a not profit

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Board of Directors

Trevor Grove - Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, Journalist, Writer and serving Magistrate. Geoff Hughes - Former Governor, Belmarsh prison. Eric McGraw - Former Director, New Bridge (1986 - 2002) and founder of Inside Time in 1990. John D Roberts - Former Company Chairman and Managing Director employing ex-offenders. Louise Shorter - Former producer, BBC Rough Justice programme. Alistair H. E. Smith B.Sc F.C.A. - Chartered Accountant, Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation. Chris Thomas - Chief Executive, New Bridge Foundation.

The Editorial Team

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

At last someone is listening .......................................................................................................... MARK BRADLEY - HOUSING LINK DEPT, HMP SUDBURY Nottingham Probation Service should be congratulated and supported on addressing a massive problem when prisoners are released - homelessness. I estimate that 20% of the prison population here at Sudbury will be released NFA (no fixed abode); this figure does not even take into account those staying with friends, relatives etc. Nottingham Probation has realised the immense problems this is causing and are currently the only probation service in the country to take a lead working with The Gateway Project (Nottingham City Council) to provide help and support finding accommodation, solving debt related matters and organising grants and furniture for homes once they are found. Unfortunately, funding is only available at present until December 2009. I was appalled to learn when I first started working here in the Housing Link Dept that prisoners are unable to register with many councils until 28 days prior to release. To accrue enough points to enable a successful bid, you must then present yourself to the homelessness department and register with them on your day of release. Hostels are struggling to meet demand, and many private landlords are reluctant to rent to ex-offenders. I believe it is about time that all the authorities concerned realised the connection between homelessness and re-offending, after all, it's not exactly rocket science is it? So if you know of any similar projects pending or in action I would very much appreciate hearing from you.

Tampering with history .......................................................................................................... CHARLES BRONSON - CSC UNIT, HMP WAKEFIELD I read your March issue and it’s a bit rich the government wanting to ban books by serving and former prisoners ... does that ban mean everyone? What about Lord Archer, Jonathan Aitken, Oscar Wilde, George Best, Tony Adams, Lester Piggott ... perhaps even Nelson Mandela? The list is endless and such a ban would be tampering with history - and anyway, why shouldn’t cons write books and make some cash for their freedom in order to start a new life?

Rachel Billington

John Bowers

Novelist and Journalist

Writer and former prisoner

If anything, certain books can deter youngsters from embarking on a life of crime - I get letters from parents thanking me for turning their kids away from crime through the stuff I’ve had published. My books aren’t about drugs; they are against crime and expose the murky world of our penal institutions for what they are, and perhaps that’s what the government dislikes ... the truth … the other side … anything that exposes the corruption and the cloak and dagger brigade’s activities. No sane person wants to end up like me ... living in a cage ... a concrete coffin where I’ve spent the last three decades, and then perhaps dying in jail ... the cruellest, loneliest death imaginable. I’m doing my books; creating my art; being positive; respectful; so what does the government want from me? I know what I want from them ... I want moving out of this graveyard onto normal location so that I can move on ... and above all, I want my freedom. Film Review page 41

Eric McGraw

John Roberts

Author and Managing Editor

Operations Director and Company Secretary

Editorial Assistants Lucy Forde - Former prisoner education mentor Paul Sullivan - Former prisoner

Layout and design Colin Matthews - [email protected]

Correspondence Inside Time, P.O.Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ. 01489 795945 01489 786495 [email protected] www.insidetime.org If you wish to reproduce or publish any of the content from any issue of Inside Time, you should first contact us for written permission. Full terms & conditions can be found on the website.

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Keeping up appearances ..................................................... CHARLES HANSON - HMP BLANTYRE HOUSE Inside Time readers might be interested in a letter I received from the Treasury Solicitor relating to costs incurred for haircutting about which I (successfully) sought reimbursement. Although the figure is £62, the actual claim I filed at the local County Court was in fact for £128; this figure includes interest of the amount and costs of launching my claim. What is clear from the Treasury Solicitor’s admission, and of significance to all serving prisoners, is that the prison service has a duty of care that includes provision for healthcare, health and hygiene (bathing, clean clothes, haircutting and shaving); and this was the basis of my argument in the claim. Moreover, European Prison Rules set down the basic standards required for prison administrators of the member states of the Council of Europe, and the UK is a signatory; I also made reference to that in my claim. My argument was that the above provisions could not be adequately met in the case of haircutting by allowing untrained prisoners to cut fellow prisoners’ hair, and that there existed no proper supervision to ensure the proper health and hygiene practices were followed as one would expect of professional hairdressers. My argument concluded that I should not contribute towards my own imprisonment, and haircutting is a necessary requirement for the preservation of self-respect and decency. Clearly, the argument was persuasive enough that the client (the management of HMP Blantyre House) saw fit to accept the claim no doubt on the advice of the Treasury Solicitor. I do know there are some prisons which allow for civilian hairdressers to come into the prison a couple of times a week and East Sutton Park, the female open prison which has its own hairdressing salon, should be making provisions for prisoners at Blantyre House to have access to that facility. After all, Blantyre is clustered with East Sutton Park and we share the same governor and staff and some facilities. I won’t go into sex discrimination here; however I would bet there is an opening for that argument too. Up until now I have been paying for a haircut every six weeks when I am out in the community and on prison earnings of only £9.50 per week, the charge of £7 is quite a lump. Maybe I have set a precedent here and the argument can be taken forward by others? Political correctness page 27

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Star Letter of the Month ........................................................... Congratulations to David Greaves who wins our £25 prize, a cheque dated April 1st is on it’s way for this month’s Star Letter.

A normalizing effect ..................................................... DAVID GREAVES - HMP LITTLEHEY A taxi driver friend of mine contacted me recently and mentioned a fare he’d taken to the Home Office. On arrival, the man asked my friend to wait while he ‘popped into the office’. After ten minutes waiting, it became apparent he’d ‘done a runner’. My friend went to the back of the cab and noticed a plastic folder on the floor marked ‘strictly confidential’. It contained a document with the title ‘Proposals for Androgynous Custody in HM Prisons’. The white paper, in short, suggests that as female prisons are largely under subscribed and the male estate grossly over subscribed it would provide a considerable saving in costs and efficiency by combining them. To end the policy of segregation along sexual lines, men and women could be detained within the same prison walls; indeed not just the same prison but the same wings, the

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

same spurs and in exceptional circumstances, in the same cell. The most revolutionary aspect of the paper was the ‘demi-custody’ whereby a man’s partner could join him on a permanent basis and serve half the sentence with him; for example, if his term was two years they would do a year each, concurrently, thus completing the sentence in half the time. The paper continues that men and women living together could be of great benefit to the system. It would have a dramatic effect on reducing the high numbers of suicide, self-harm and violence. In keeping with modern society, it might have a great normalizing effect; as with the practice of having female officers on men’s wings, women prisoners might be a welcome introduction to an all male environment - a better balance to their prison experience. The leaked paper suggests that a medium sized prison such as Littlehey might be used as an experimental prototype; the trial period to commence early in 2010 and last, initially, for a year. Changes would need to be made to the facilities of an all male prison. Men could shower in the morning and women in the evening until more showers were provided. Provision for hair dryers would be required, also extra shoe storage. It suggests that condom machines could be sited on the wing. The canteen list would have to be radically revised to accommodate make-up and other beauty products; these would be available to all prisoners, regardless.

A flood of trivial recalls .................................................................................................................. FRANK MCVEY - HMP DUMFRIES At a time when overcrowding in prisons has become such a serious problem, a flood of trivial recalls is the last headache the prison system needs; especially when minor infractions of the conditions of an extended sentence, as we all know, can cause an offender to serve many more years in prison. Sending anyone back to prison for not seeing ‘eye to eye’ with a social worker, or being late for appointments, doesn’t fall short of being classed as unethical bureaucracy. I have met many men who are well aware that their freedom on licence will be short lived because conditions are so restrictive. Conversely, I have met men who, with the best intentions and optimism, are shocked to find themselves back in prison because they forgot, overlooked, or didn’t fully understand one of the rules of restriction. Under these circumstances it would appear that release on an extended sentence is a catch 22 situation, in which Murphy’s Law is bound to prevail. There is something wrong with a system where, at a summary court, a minor infraction of the rules could warrant a caution, fine or thirty days in jail. Yet for the same infraction, the Parole Board can leave an offender languishing in jail for years. How any Parole Board can reconcile itself to thinking that such a punitive action is conducive to rehabilitation is, in my view, highly questionable. Lord Faulkner suggested that instead of recalling trivial offenders to serve out their extended sentences, they should be brought back to serve a sharp thirty-five days and then be released. This would alleviate overcrowding. The media quickly condemned the proposal. Perhaps it would be helpful to suggest that the entire concept of extended sentencing has failed because sentences are so inordinately long; overseen by an unrestricted Social Work department and controlled by over zealous Parole Boards.

Prison law funding ensure your voice is heard! ..................................................... CHRIS STACEY - UNLOCK

Their ideas for the first stage of the consultation include: 1) Cases being pursued only where there is a realistic chance of an outcome that would be of real benefit to the prisoner; 2) Replacing the current system of ‘payment by the hour’ to either a standardised or fixed fee scheme; 3) Limiting work to firms that meet a minimum level of expertise in prison law. The second phase of reforms include: 1) Introducing a dedicated telephone helpline so cases can be resolved over the phone; 2) Greater use of video conferencing; 3) Introducing ‘block contracting’, where firms bid to provide services for all work at a specific prison for a given period at a set price. UNLOCK has contacted both the LSC and NOMS to find out how prisoners will be consulted on these reforms. Despite the Government having a duty to consult widely and ensure that the consultation is widely accessible, neither the LSC or NOMS seem willing to consult with prisoners.

UNLOCK will be responding, and would be happy to include, in their original format, any responses that you may wish to contribute. Submissions can be addressed to Chris Stacey, UNLOCK, 35a High Street, Snodland, Kent ME6 5AG, and need to be received no later than Monday 27th April 2009.

CRIMINAL DEFENCE AND PRISON LAW SPECIALIST

KRM SOLICITORS

Newsround .............. pages 10-15 ●

The Butler Trust Awards 2009 ...................................... page 10

Month by Month ............ page 16 Education ......................... page 17

© prisonimage.org

........................... Carrot or stick?

Inside Health .......... pages 18-19 Comment ................. pages 20-30

It is essential that these proposals are open to scrutiny from those who will be directly affected by any changes.

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Mailbag ........................ pages 2-9

UNLOCK feel it is imperative to allow prisoners the opportunity to respond. If you wish to contribute, we have been informed that you can obtain a full copy of the consultation from Keely Riordan, Policy Directorate, Legal Services Commission, 4 Abbey Orchard Street, London SW1P 2BS.

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As some Inside Time readers may already be aware, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has recently announced a consultation into the way that legal aid in prisons is going to be funded in the future. They are looking to make a number of fundamental changes which will have a massive impact on the way that prisoners are able to obtain legal aid funding for prison law cases.

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Worshipping psychology Keith Rose ..................... page 26

Short Story ................. pages 31 News from the House pages 32-33

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Book Reviews .................. page 40 Drama & Film Review ..... page 41 Poetry ........................ pages 42-43 Jailbreak ................... pages 44-48

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Mailbag

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

I’m not a crime boss, drug supplier, witness intimidator and I don’t really wish to escape, but I am in a prison so far from home that it makes visits near impossible and I have a partner who has recently given birth. I have a large family that I am very close to and, quite frankly, I got sick and tired of putting £15 a week on the phone only for it to be gone in no time at all. So when an opportunity presented itself for free weekend calls to landlines, or unlimited texts, or any of the other tempting deals offered by mobile phone companies, I accepted with a smile on my face. However, my advice to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation would be to steer well clear, you stand to lose far more than you gain.

Don’t be tempted! ..................................................... LUKE WHITEMAN - HMP RANBY We are all aware of the recent telecommunications war being fought on two fronts across the prison estate. On one side you have over 80,000 inmates struggling to pay the ludicrous prices charged to use the PIN-phone system and fighting to have the rates cut to resemble some similarity with what the rest of the country pay. On the other side you have prison security fighting to bring down the ever increasing supply and demand for mobile phones. I was caught recently with a mobile phone during a cell search and am sitting here wondering what punishment will come my way; loss of ‘D’ category status and HDC eligibility? What surprises me is the general view of prison staff that I’ve been using the mobile to organise crime, have drugs thrown over the wall, plan escapes and threaten victims. I feel insulted by their comments; whilst I understand their concerns, it’s as absurd as saying a motorist buys a car for the sole purpose of breaking speed limits.

¬ Inside Time writes: Under the Freedom of Information Act, we asked the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) how many mobile phones were found in British Prisons during 2008 - or if those figures aren't available, the figures for 2007. Also, having accessed a mobile phone; what means would be available to the prisoner to charge the phone in his cell? The NOMS response was that prisons in England and Wales are asked to send mobile phones and SIM cards that they find to a central unit. In 2008, this unit received 3,910 mobile phone handsets and 4,189 SIM cards. ‘Prisoners are not allowed mobile phones. Therefore no means are made available for prisoners to charge mobile phones in their cells’. ‘The National Offender Management Service is implementing a strategy to minimise the number of phones that enter prisons, and to find and disrupt those that do. This includes introducing a range of new technology to support prisons with their local searching and security strategies. NOMS have also strengthened the law: the Offender Management Act 2007 makes it a criminal offence with a penalty of up to two years for bringing an unauthorised mobile phone into a prison.’

Guilty until proven innocent .....................................................

.....................................................

I am concerned that my former cell-mate was regressed from enhanced to basic level of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme; the reason for this decision being a positive screening report, for which the adjudication is yet to be completed as he pleads not guilty. How can he possibly be downgraded before the case has even been heard?

I am concerned that plastic cutlery regularly used in HM Prisons releases a chemical (Bisphenol A; commonly abbreviated as BPA) when exposed to hot food and beverages. Recent studies have found BPA to be a carcinogen that causes reproductive problems, therefore given that prisoners use plastic cutlery on a daily basis, are steps being taken to find alternatives?

¬ The Ministry of Justice writes: Firstly, we would advise that if Mr Butler’s former cell-mate is unhappy with the decision to alter his IEP level that he uses the complaints process to appeal the decision. More generally, each prison’s IEP scheme will normally operate on at least three tiers: basic, standard and enhanced. Most prisons will not have a sufficient range of privileges to provide more than three distinct levels, but may do so with the agreement of their Area Manager or ROM. Prisoners move between levels according to their behaviour. The entitlements for each level consist of key earnable privileges which apply to all prisons and additional privileges which vary according to local circumstances. On entering custody, all prisoners must be placed initially on the standard privilege level and a review undertaken within the first month. When a prisoner has consistently achieved the type of behaviour and performance specified in the local scheme, he or she may advance to the level above. If the prisoner’s behaviour or lack of progress demonstrates that he or she cannot sustain his/her current privilege level, he or she may be downgraded to the level below. The fast-tracking of prisoners from enhanced to basic must be avoided except in the most serious cases of misconduct, e.g. assault. In this instance, a review must take place and be endorsed by the Governor or Director.

SOLICITOR NOTICE BOARD Were you a resident at Dr Garrett’s Children’s Home in Conwy, North Wales in or around 1981. We are a firm of solicitors who are seeking witnesses to assist us in our Investigation. If you attended the home during this time please contact: Caroline Chandler in CONFIDENCE on

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BRYAN BUTLER - HMP LOWDHAM GRANGE

Dr Garrett’s Children’s Home

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¬ The Ministry of Justice writes: Products containing or made from BPA have been in commerce for more than 50 years, and its current uses are numerous including baby and water bottles. The plastic cutlery used in public sector prison establishments is manufactured from polycarbonate which, because of its resistance to both temperature and breakage, is used in a variety of food contact applications. BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic. It is an authorised monomer for the manufacture of plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The Food Standards Agency carried out research between 2002 and 2003 aimed to provide a better understanding of the applications and situations where BPA might migrate to food and help in assessing consumer exposure to this chemical from food contact materials and articles. During the study, twenty polycarbonate samples were obtained covering a variety of food contact applications. These include drinking vessels, cutlery, tableware and cookware. Migration tests were performed in order to measure any BPA transfer (migration) from the polycarbonate plastic. Selected samples, for which BPA migration was observed, were tested using real foods. The foods selected were soup, pasta sauce and skinless salmon fillets. Migration of BPA into food simulants was shown to be either not detectable or very low. Migration of BPA into food was less than into food simulants. The cutlery used in HM Prisons, which fully complies with the EU Directive, is considered safe and does not represent any hazard to prisoners. The full report is available from the FSA Library and Information centre. To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Library and Information Services, Food Standards Agency (020 7276 8181/8182) or write to: Food Standards Agency Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6NH.

Ross SR Samuel Solicitors Criminal Defence and Prison Law Specialists ‡ Licence & Parole Issues ‡ Categorisation ‡ Recall to Custody ‡ Ajudications ‡ Tariff & Judicial Review For Immediate Visit, Clear Advice and Effective Representation, write or call, Pedro Kika at:

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Bedwetting ..................................................... JL - HMP ALBANY I am writing in response to an answer that was published in the Inside Health column in your March issue . The question was from a 37 year-old bed-wetter and I disagree with some of the statements made. I am incontinent and have been for many years, and have researched thoroughly the subject of bladder and bowel incontinence and related issues. I have to wear shaped pads (adult diapers) to help with this problem and even in prison cope quite well. The response stated that bedwetting is rare; I disagree. The latest research figures suggest there may be around 14 million people affected by some form of bladder problem and 6.5 million affected by some form of bowel problem. This means that more people are suffering from these problems than asthma, diabetes and epilepsy put together. It now appears that considerably more people are affected by bladder and bowel control problems than previously reported. In 1995 a study estimated the 3% of men and 8.7% of women had reported a bladder control problem. In contrast latest research indicates that 13% of men and 32% of women have reported a bladder control problem. With the population continually growing and living longer it would be fair to say that these problems are not going to go away, they are going to increase. It is estimated that 1 in 4 of the population have some kind of bladder control problem. It is not just a problem for the older generation. Over 4 million under the age of 24 are estimated

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

to have already experienced bladder control problems. Although you are more likely to be affected by bladder control problems as you get older, anyone, regardless of age or gender, can develop symptoms. In general you are more prone after the age of 45; it is interesting to see that the age group reporting the highest level of problems was the 45 - 54 year-olds.

Mailbag

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Contradiction in terms

Adult bedwetting has several causes; you may have an ‘overactive bladder’; it can be caused by anxiety or, unusually, you may produce as much urine at night as during the day - although experts cannot say why this does not wake you. It is also possible to be a side effect of certain prescribed drugs. It can sometimes run in families. Bladder retraining can help and so can cutting down on alcohol and drinks containing caffeine such as coffee, tea and some fizzy drinks - try asking healthcare to supply hot chocolate as a substitute. Special alarms can wake you when you start to leak and these gradually teach your body to hold urine or stir you from sleep to empty your bladder. There are also drugs that can help. Specially designed pants and pads can absorb leaks; some are disposable and some can be washed and reused. You can also get pads to protect your bed and chairs and special covers for your bedding and mattress. There are also products that can be used to collect urine.

¬ Dr Shabana writes: Your letter was well written and well researched. Having looked through the references I do endorse your comments and hope that others will be able to read it and find it helpful. However I do feel that it is important for people with this condition to see their doctor to exclude a physical cause. I think it would be really useful if Inside Time readers could share their experiences with each other as you did and we would be happy to print letters that would benefit others in the future. Inside Health page 18

You can have sex at 16, but you can’t gamble.

NAME SUPPLIED - HMP ALBANY What is the legal age/adult? At what age is a person deemed an adult? It’s contradictory, what do you think? The following responses were supplied to me by Maria Eagle MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice: ALCOHOL: you can’t buy or drink alcohol until 18. You can, however, drink alcohol in a restaurant at 14 if accompanied by an adult. GAMBLING: you can’t play slot machines unless you are 18, nor can you place a bet at the bookies. However, you can play the national lottery at 16. MARRIAGE: you have to be 17 to get married in England with parental consent, but you can hop over the border to Scotland and get married at 16. CHILD BENEFIT: stops when the child reaches 16 unless going on to further education. SMOKING: you now have to be 18 but until a

year ago it was 16. VOTING: currently 18 but on the cards to be reduced to 16. SOCIAL SERVICE CARE: once you reach 16 you are deemed old enough to live alone. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: part II of the Youth Justice Criminal Evidence Act 1993 deems an ‘adult’ as 17 years or over; the ‘age of responsibility’ is 10. AGE OF CONSENT: 16 or over; the 2003 Sexual Offences Act states a ‘child’ as being 16 or under. If the age of consent is 16, why are the government giving contraceptives and abortions to 13 year-olds without parental knowledge? The term ‘adult’ should be given to those who are of a mature mind where they know rights/ wrongs and have the ability to make informed choices and are mature enough to be able to seek the right help should they need to. This is not necessarily all the criteria to be deemed an adult, but it’s surely a good starting point?

Right to access

Only seeing black and white

........................................................................................................

........................................................................................................ PAUL DAINTY - HMP GLOUCESTER

GEORGE GREEN - HMP WYMOTT Prisoners who have difficulty gaining access to PSOs and PSIs may be interested in the response to a question placed by lawyer Christopher Stacey under the Freedom of Information Act. In their reply, the Ministry of Justice Data Access & Compliance Unit maintain that prisoners have access to all PSOs and PSIs in their prison library and although they may not remove them (other prisoners might need them) they can request copies, although they may be charged for them: any forms within the PSOs they may need to use will be provided free of charge. The Ministry of Justice points out that anyone may access and print a PSO from the Prison Service website www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk and post it into a prisoner. The reference for the question was FOI/57116/08/AL and if a prisoner has difficulties, I suggest he places a formal complaint quoting this reference or writes to the Data Access & Compliance Unit, Information Directorate, Ministry of Justice, 1st Floor – Area C, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ.

The article in your March issue by ‘Sally’ (They just don’t know what to do with us), in which she highlighted another tragic suicide in prison, was undoubtedly about my wife Samantha, who recently took her own life at HMP Foston Hall. I would like to pass on my thanks to ‘Sally’ for her attempt at highlighting the numerous difficulties faced not only by my wife, but by countless others lost within a system that only sees issues in black and white. We at the sharp end of the stick know full well that the failings of the prison system are not often brought into the public domain. Organisations, and newspapers such as Inside Time, are the only chance we have to express our voices.

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Mailbag

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

.....................................................

Lacking the language of emotional expression

ARTHUR DENTON - HMP HULL

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Childhood debris

NAME SUPPLIED - HMP LONG LARTIN I felt an immediate need to express my thoughts on Mr Tait’s letter ‘Don’t suffer in silence’ which appeared in your February issue. Make no mistake, I have every sympathy for the thoroughly horrible start Mr Tait had in his young life and obviously, as he states, the influence imposed on him has remained. As research shows, he is unfortunate to still be paying a debt through a life sentence; as indeed are many other ‘painful secret’ sufferers. As I look around my wing, I wonder how many, like myself, have decided to step out of our drug or alcohol induced state in order to make false allegations to claim a few thousand pounds? I was coping quite badly on my own thanks. I didn’t fly a white flag and blame my toilet of a life on a certain ‘male’ priest. I didn’t need the added stress of friends and family knowing all my dirty, painful secrets. Yet out of the blue, and initiated by Operation Aldgate, two policemen visited me at my usual abode (HMP Durham) to tell me, then ask me if what they had heard was true or not. I totally denied their allegations; I’d had it successfully buried under the debris of my childhood in my head. But they came back, talking about retribution, ‘not letting him get away with it’, ‘finding closure’ and getting my life out of the toilet where it had been for the past 20 years. I’m happy for Mr Tait that by opening up he has begun the ‘healing process’; good luck to the man. All I ask is that before he chooses to advocate dismissive opinions by ‘no win no fee’ sharks, he pauses to reflect on how it must feel to be not only disbelieved but also told to go away for reasons as trivial as the ‘time limit’ and for having over 78 previous convictions. It’s all very well the perpetrators of this type of abuse having to be brought before a court within three years, but what about their victims? When does my time limit run out?

Do you feel remorse for your victim? How does remorse feel? Why do you feel remorse? These are questions routinely fired at criminals by psychologists compiling reports and carrying out tests. I found the questions hard to respond to; I can give quite eloquent responses to most questions but when asked to show emotion ‘on demand’ I dry up and I certainly don’t think I’m alone in this.

Cell searches; judicial review ........................................................................................................ JEREMY BAMBER - HMP FULL SUTTON I recently lost a landmark case, having challenged through judicial review the right of a prison officer to search my cell during the daily cell fabric checks. My complaint was that officers are now searching the cell rather than simply doing bars and bolts. During an official search, our legal documents are put into a bag in front of us and sealed. During an AFC search, legal papers can be (and are) gone through – they can be checked but not read. As prisoners, we have no way of knowing if documents have been read, however I know that copies of legal material have been passed by security to police liaison in the past as copies were retained in my prison file. We have Rule 39 legal privilege in respect of mail/documents but as soon as I go to work an officer can enter my cell to do a fabric check and look at that material. The excuses for doing so are health and safety, fire hazard or as part of a visual volumetric check. As legal documents are exempt from the volumetric limit, all documents must be looked at to see whether or not they are subject to such controls. The judge ruled that I had no right to ask for Rule 39 privilege to be maintained and that an officer can search my possessions at any time but must not read legal material; yet they can look through it when I’m not there. So why do they bag and tag it during official searches? Solicitors and their clients must now be guarded about what is put in writing as Rule 39 can be looked at - but not read. Be warned, you’ll have no idea if a document is being looked at. If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (concise and clearly marked) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ. To avoid any possible misunderstanding, if you have a query and for whatever reason do not wish your letter to be published in Inside Time or appear on the website, or yourself to be identified, please make this clear. We advise that wherever possible, when sending original documents such as legal papers, you send photocopies as we are unable to accept liability if they are lost. We may need to forward your letter and /or documents to Prison Service HQ or another appropriate body for comment or advice, therefore only send information you are willing to have forwarded on your behalf.

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Many of us are the product of male dominated environments and do not want to appear weak and consider that emotions are to be kept hidden. A whole life is spent developing a ‘stiff upper lip’. I don’t weep or beat my breast when I’m forced to talk about my crime (murder). There was a time when even I believed this must mean I experienced no remorse, although now I know better. Every time I am morally outraged by something or someone, a small voice in my head reminds me what I have done. It tells me that I have forfeited the right to moral indignation. When I despair at the length of my sentence, that voice reminds me that every day I wake up is a day more than my victim, and a day more than I deserve to enjoy. I no longer feel that remorse acquires validation by expression to a psychologist. We nearly all experience some remorse, yet I see many people who have been accused of failing to show enough. By what right can they be held to account for this? Presenting a tougher front than we really possess is so habitual that we lack the language of emotional expression. I contend that you cannot judge the heart of a man by what comes out of his mouth, so why ask questions about remorse at all? It is my wish that, during my sentence, I will be left to deal with my guilt in privacy. I want to be judged on how I conduct myself towards other people every day, not on my stunted response to invasive questioning. However I fear that, like plenty of others, I will be disappointed.

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Mailbag

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

Prison ‘sources’ ........................................................................................................ MATTHEW NUTLEY - HMP ALTCOURSE I have concerns about an article published in the Daily Mirror newspaper relating to my contribution published in the January issue of Inside Time, and a ‘source’ from the prison quoted in the Daily Mirror claiming: “The guy is still seen as being dangerous. It seems a very strange decision to allow kids into his cell”.

DAVID E FERGUSON - HMP WAKEFIELD

¬ The Ministry of Justice writes: A group of young children bordering on the edge of becoming

..................................................... DANIEL GOLDSMITH - HMP GARTREE It never ceases to surprise me how popular the red-top tabloids are in prison. They are so hostile and derogatory towards prisoners that it is unfathomable to me why any prisoner would choose to pay for them. A case in point: in the February issue of Inside Time I read an interesting letter from Sophie Barton-Hawkins at HMP Downview. The piece ran under the heading ‘Meeting their needs’ and centred on improvements that had been made for the over-fifties women at Downview. Lo and behold, in the Sun on 3rd February there was a short item that ran under the blatantly more antagonistic heading 'Help the caged aged'. The piece was obviously taken from Ms Barton-Hawkins’ letter to Inside Time and the tone summed up in the closing paragraph, which I quote: A source at HMP Downview said: ‘You'd almost forget you were in jail. It's like a social club - they get together and do knitting’. It shows just how quickly the red-tops can turn a positive into a negative. In contrast, on the same day the Independent published an article called 'Barred from Online Learning', written by Yvonne Cook, and which focused on the difficulty prisoners are facing with Open University study due to the increasing need for Internet access in OU courses. The article was well balanced and written with understanding and empathy. What a refreshing change.

involved in criminal activities visited HMP Altcourse recently as a deterrent. They were not allowed into the cells. Mr Nutley’s letter to Inside Time stated that he was seen as a High Risk Offender and had been refused categorisation due to his risk. He also asked if he was such a risk then why were young children allowed in his cell. This claim was apparently also reported in the Daily Mirror. No members of staff or offenders were mentioned in the Daily Mirror article and we must stress that no confidential information was released about Mr Nutley - as staff are not allowed to make statements to the Press. Any press related enquires would be dealt with by the Press Officer. I can only suggest the information possibly came from Mr Nutley himself through his letter to Inside Time.

‘Declaration of incompatibility’ ..................................................... DARREN GAY - HMP BIRMINGHAM ‘Why is the UK still using inhumane punishment?’ Many people who were prisoners-of-war, or who are and have been political prisoners, and those held unlawfully against their will, have all been heard to say the same or similar. Although some have been treated fairly by their captors, nothing can have prepared them for the pain of emotional torture brought about by anguish and anxiety of not knowing when or even if their incarceration will ever come to an end; a tortuous experience, thus inhumane. It therefore leaves the question: why are the courts still handing down sentences that are emotionally inhumane punishments? I am talking about the continuous use of the life sentence and the creation of IPP sentences.

The UK was one of the first countries to sign up to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) yet one of the last to ratify it into law. If the UK government had no intention of acting in accordance with the ECHR by continuing to allow courts to hand down life and IPP sentences, it should not have signed up to it. As from October 2000, legislation should have been in place to stop the courts handing down life sentences and replacing them with more appropriate determinate sentences. Having a definite release date gives a prisoner hope to get through their sentence and, more importantly, is a more humane sentence. I believe that since the ECHR became active, all indeterminate sentences handed down are a direct breach of Article 3 ‘prohibition of torture’ - torture can be physical or emotional. As such, a ‘declaration of incompatibility’ needs to be made against these sentences and the Criminal Justice Act amended accordingly. My search continues for an interested human rights solicitor to take on this mammoth task.

Views expressed in Inside Time are those of the authors and not necessarily representative of those held by Inside Time or the New Bridge Foundation.

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Neither is this the only incidence of blatant judicial/penal sex discrimination. The prison system is full of women accused and convicted of the most heinous crimes, yet there are no female ‘A’ Cat prisoners. There is not even a female high security prison capable of holding ‘A’ Cat females. Further to this, females are more likely to receive parole than their male counterparts when convicted of comparable offences. I’m all for the revision of prison policies that inflict trauma upon prisoners, however in an age where equality is a legal requirement, I question why the judiciary is allowed to implement policies and practices such as those that I have described which clearly discriminate against men.

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including murder, rape/serious sexual assaults, drug related cases and serious fraud

This is a very positive step, as the system is full of mentally and physically abused people who will have endured the humiliation of being forced to submit to the degrading requests of authoritarian figures - be they parents or carers. However the problem is not gender specific; many male prisoners will have endured the abuse that is being used to (rightly) justify the cessation of full searching of female prisoners. So why is a blatant sexually discriminative policy being implemented?

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Quite recently, PIN notice 38/2008 was issued by NOMS stating that the mandatory requirement for a full search (strip searching) of women prisoners when entering or leaving prison, or during cell searches, is to cease by April 2009. The only exception being when reasonable suspicion exists that the female has an unauthorised article concealed in her underwear. This change to policy was made in response to a ‘Women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system’ report by Baroness Corston.

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Are prison staff allowed to speak to the national press? Don’t they sign a gagging order when they join the Service?

Tabloid hostility

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Mailbag

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Closed visits

have been ignored by the prison who have their own interpretation.

..................................................................

¬ The Ministry of Justice writes: The misuse of controlled

T HOLLAND - HMP BUCKLEY HALL Could Inside Time clarify PSO 3610, as it seems this prison is interpreting the content in a different way to what is actually stated. My problem is that I was recently placed on closed visits. The form notifying me of this action stated: 'Security intelligence would suggest that your pattern of behaviour is consistent with drug activity at Buckley Hall’. I successfully appealed the decision within a matter of days through the complaints system. I feel that the rules have not been followed properly, as it clearly states … 'closed visits are an administrative measure and not a punishment'. As it is not often I receive visits, any intelligence the security department may have on me is only going to be within the prison; therefore it is unjustified to place me or any other prisoner on closed visits. PS0 3610 clearly outlines the procedure when applying closed visits - however this seems to

drugs is illegal, causes harm to individuals and disrupts the prison regime. NOMS therefore has in place a robust range of measures to reduce the supply of drugs into prisons. One of these is the imposition of closed visits to prevent smuggling through visits. To achieve a complete picture on the Prison Service’s policy on closed visits to prevent the smuggling of drugs, prisoners should read PSO 3610 alongside PSI 40/2008. In 2009 we hope to amalgamate and update these two policy documents into a new PSO, although the underlying principles are likely to remain unchanged. We shall attempt to explain the general principles of imposing closed visits on a prisoner in order to prevent the smuggling of drugs. In short, the policy enables prisons to place prisoners on closed visits if they are identified as being at risk of smuggling drugs through visits. It is impossible to give an exhaustive list

as to how a prisoner could be identified as such as ‘at risk’, as different behaviours and information will indicate different levels of risk for different prisoners. In addition, the evidence which shows a prisoner is ‘at risk’ of smuggling drugs through visits can come from anywhere. This means that for some prisoners their behaviour on the wing can show risk, as well as mobile phone use, MDT results and their behaviour in the visits hall. It is possible that the evidence could come from elsewhere too, including intelligence sources, and this is why no complete list of behaviours that give rise to automatic closed visits can be given in the PSO and PSI. This means that, if appropriate to Mr Holland’s individual case, information received by the prison about him and concerning drugs and/or mobile phones may well be sufficient to place him on closed visits. It also means that his association with certain other prisoners may mean he is more likely to smuggle drugs than other prisoners who do not associate with them, although association alone is unlikely to be sufficient to place a prisoner on closed visits in the majority of cases.

Daunting IPP requirements

Haunted by a report

........................................................................................................

.....................................................

STEVEN CARTER - HMP WYMOTT

LISA-MARIE DAVIES - HMP SEND

I have concerns reference the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence and escorted town visits for IPP offenders. We have been told that we no longer qualify for escorted town visits; yet offered no kind of explanation. The mental stress of the IPP sentence is bad enough for both prisoner and family without being held hostage and basically getting told ... ‘you will be released when we say ... that’s if we can find the key’.

I write in response to Ian Kennedy’s contribution in your February issue entitled ‘Lab Rats’. Although I agree with the majority of what he says concerning Robert Hare’s PCL-R check list, he needs to know that it is not only being used on the male prison population, as he claims.

¬ The Ministry of Justice writes: It is clear from Mr Carter’s letter that he has concerns about the nature of indeterminate sentences and the genuine difficulties faced, not only by offenders who do not have a fixed release date, but also upon their families. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that life and public protection sentences are designed to offer the public greater protection from dangerous offenders who must be kept in prison until they can be safely managed in the community. Indeterminate sentence prisoners serve a minimum term before they can be considered for release. They will then only be released if they present an acceptable risk to the public. The time needed by a prisoner to reduce his or her risk can vary considerably and the decision whether to release or not is a matter for the independent Parole Board. Regarding his query about escorted town visits; there is no automatic entitlement to escorted town visits for indeterminate sentence prisoners. Its purpose is to enable prisoners to begin the readjustment process to the outside world after a long period of imprisonment. Each case should be considered on an individual basis but clearly, the need for this facility is considerably less for a prisoner that has spent a relatively short time in custody as most IPP prisoners have. Without knowing anything about Mr Carter’s case, our advice would be for him to keep in regular contact with his Offender Manager and Offender Supervisor, so that he can talk to them about what he needs to do to reduce his risk and be clear about what is required from him. It is equally important for him that his case is reviewed by the Parole Board and that he works with the offender management system to reduce his level of risk and move towards release. We appreciate that the requirements of the IPP sentence can seem daunting in his current situation; nonetheless, public protection is at the heart of the Government’s agenda and this sentence is designed to offer the public greater protection.

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I am a ‘two-strike’ lifer and after serving my tariff of 3 years back in 2003 was given my first parole to open conditions. After being there for about four weeks the psychologist wanted to do the PCL-R on me and never having heard of it, I naively agreed. After several hours on different days of interviews, all video taped, I was left feeling emotionally drained. I had to talk about my childhood, being abused, and being brought up in the care system; all of which I had gone through previously in closed prison conditions. Bringing it all back up again was extremely painful. Then, having gone through all the crimes I had committed, along with previous relationships, when I finally received the report I was livid. Apparently I was on the cut off line! I did some research and was very upset to learn that the PCL-R was designed for males in America. I also discovered that this test was a lifetime diagnosis of psychopathic traits and behaviours. I felt stigmatised and found the whole process traumatic. A short while after this, I was back staged for drinking on my second town visit. I also believe the PCL-R results played a part in being back staged. Now, 6 years over tariff and despite completing all aspects of my sentence plan, I’m still in closed conditions. On each oral hearing, despite positive psychology reports, the one report that still keeps coming to the forefront is the PCL-R. Worshipping psychology page 26

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Tricks and tips ................................................... STEVEN GRICE - HMP BRISTOL I would like to begin work on a publication provisionally entitled ‘Prison Glue’. The idea is based on the theory that cheap toothpaste issued in prison is good for anything but cleaning teeth. Hence it is used for putting up posters, re-using stamps, healing spots and shaving nicks. I intend to compile a list of tricks and tips inmates use to make their lives a bit more pleasant. Other things that spring to mind include using matchsticks to make shelves and coat-hooks. I’m sure Inside Time readers can think of many more and so long as they are legal will be included and credited. If I am able to raise funds through selling the book, I may even offer prizes to senders of the best ideas. My second project is a poetry collection, but unlike some of the poems that feature in Inside Time it will focus on mental health issues/ conditions such as bipolar and schizophrenia. Again, contributions would be appreciated. If you have anything to contribute to either of these projects, and again I would ask that you keep it legal, send to: Steven Grice XE8156, HMP Bristol, Cambridge Road, Bristol BS7 8PS and mark the envelope ‘Prison Glue’ or ‘Poetry’.

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Mailbag

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physics GCSE and hope to do History and Biology. I have been accepted on the Primrose Programme.

Follow your dreams .................................................................... JO WHITE - HMP LOW NEWTON I’m writing in response to the various letters I’ve read in Inside Time containing negativity towards the IPP sentence. I received an IPP in October 2007 with a tariff of 21 months and at the beginning of my sentence the letters scared me half to death. Claims by IPP people being left on endless waiting lists for courses in order to get parole made me feel there was no hope and I was being ‘left to rot’ in the system. I’m only 23 and the prospect of spending endless years in prison brought me to make an attempt on my life. However, I have pulled myself together and instead of wallowing in self pity I am trying to turn this awful experience into a positive one. I was excluded from school at 15, so left with no qualifications, but have now achieved, among other things, CLAIT, various other courses and I am currently taking GCSE English and Maths and with support from ‘Women in Prison’ I am also doing

I am working hard on my problems and towards a better future and a decent career. An IPP sentence doesn’t have to be negative; of course I still have ‘down’ days and I hate this situation, but there is nothing I can do about it. There is light at the end of the tunnel; make the most of your time, follow your dreams, get the qualifications to follow those dreams. They can’t keep you here forever - hold on to that and keep strong.

.......................................................................... LEE SHRUBSOLE - HMYOI PORTLAND I As a 20 year-old coming to the end of a sentence, can I offer my sincere appreciation to those staff here at Portland YOI for making this period the most constructive experience and in all honesty I can say that, for me personally, prison has been the best thing to have happened. However, before coming to those who have helped and supported me throughout my sentence, a few words for the eyes and

minds of young offenders everywhere who seem to look upon prison as the only way to get through life, and in the process need to give deep thought to the impact of their actions on victims, society and of course their loved ones at home. This sentence has made me appreciate that life isn’t all about money and yes, I know a lot of lads haven’t had the best of lives thus far and have been through foster homes and a lot of trauma, but far too many guys think they can do the time - until of course they get hit hard with a lengthy sentence or IPP, and suddenly the horrible reality occurs regarding just what they have done with their lives. I’m not a policemen, probation, your mum or dad, or indeed something special or a hero; I’m a young man who is exactly the same as you, yet who now realizes that he will never beat the system and needs to make something of my life and make my mum (god bless her) proud of me for what I’ve achieved and will in the future. I’ll go out shortly with my head held high and I’ll give life everything possible … my very best shot. Finally, to all those staff who have given me so much support; hopefully they will read this letter and know exactly who they are and that they have helped change a person’s life for the better.

Inaccuracies ..................................................... NICKI RENSTEN - PRISONERS' ADVICE SERVICE, LONDON Much as I am a great admirer of John Hirst and the enthusiasm and tenacity with which he challenges the prison system, I feel it important to point out that his article in your March issue: ‘Prison Service Order 1010 - Category ‘A’ Prisoners: Reviews of Security Category’ contains some major inaccuracies.

Comic Relief at Guys Marsh Prison ........................................................................................................ NELSON DAVIES - GUYS MARSH Here at Guys Marsh Prison we have managed to raise £130 for Red Nose Day by putting on comedy sketches and getting all the inmates involved to donate money from their canteen. At first it was an ambitious task, but by the sheer determination of those involved, we managed to pull it off and it was very funny indeed! At Guys Marsh there is an alcohol course called ‘Beyond the Gate’ which deals with alcohol issues and how it affects life. The lady who runs the group is Cathy Hillman, and on the group is myself and three other mentors. We got together and came up with the show that we performed in the Chapel. It helped a lot with confidence and we had great fun doing it, and we all worked well and co-operated as a team. We were allowed to get together and rehearse in the Chapel and Governor Scanlan gave us permission to do the concert. We also had Lauren who helps with the alcohol course at Channings Wood. She helped out a great deal and gave us confidence on stage; she also did our make-up for us. Our performance consisted of comedy sketches, music, puppets, and some funky dances of boys in dresses. It just shows that even though we are locked in the prison we are still thinking of the children that are suffering from malaria a world away from here, and we may not be able to put a stop to it but we can do our bit to help out and hopefully, somewhere down the line, it makes a difference to a child’s life. Well done to everybody who has done something to raise money for Red Nose Day and thanks to ‘Beyond the Gate’ and to Governor Scanlan for giving us permission to perform.

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John says that once the Cat A system was in place and operating in a secretive fashion, nothing changed for a number of years until the case of McAvoy brought in the ‘gist’ system, whereby prisoners would receive a ‘gist’ of the reports written about them, but the full reports would remain secret. The article then continues: ‘Rather than face fresh legal challenges, in PSO 1010, the Prison Service decided to make Category A reports more focussed and fully disclosable, subject to the exemptions in the Data Protection Act 1998.’ This is not at all what happened. The ‘gist’ procedure was in fact introduced following the case of Duggan in 1994 (3 ALL ER 277). In 1997, Micky McAvoy argued that the full reports should be disclosed but his challenge was unsuccessful. Category A reports actually remained secret until 2003, when Alan Lord, represented by the Prisoners’ Advice Service, used the provisions of the DPA 1998 which came into force in 2001 to challenge the non-disclosure of the full reports. Far from introducing a more open procedure to avoid legal challenge, the Prison Service resisted the case vigorously, contending unsuccessfully that they were exempt from disclosure of the reports under provisions of the DPA relating to the protection of third parties and prevention of crime. The current version of PSO 1010 was introduced in response to the Lord case.

Profit before care ................................................... COLIN BELCHER - HMP WOLDS I write to report the sad loss of a friend and fellow lifer, Sam Titley, who died here on 7th February. We believe this happened because, as always, this prison put profit before care. For a few weeks before his untimely death, Sam had been going to healthcare telling them he was having severe chest pains and not feeling very well. Healthcare did not check Sam properly; telling him he had heartburn and giving him an antacid and sending him on his way. On the day he died, he had gone to the gym like he did every Saturday but because of chest pains the gym staff sent him back to the wing to rest and get medical attention. He was locked up for evening roll check before tea and was found dead at unlock some 25 minutes later when a friend went to see why he had not collected his meal. Staff were called but did nothing until a member of staff versed in first aid procedures finally arrived, however by then it was too late. I find it hard to believe how the healthcare system here and at many other establishments put so little effort into treating us correctly. On the day of his death he had been left in his cell unattended because healthcare staff had clocked off at 3.30pm after medication issue to attend a colleague’s birthday party. How many more of us have to die before they put life above profit? Someone should be held accountable for this; we were told he died of a heart attack, aged 42, and that if he had been treated immediately then he might still be with us.

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Newsround

The Butler Trust Awards 2009 A quick fix The Butler Trust Annual Awards 2009, presented by the Trust’s Patron The Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace on 18 March 2009. This year the Butler Trust received 304 nominations from 130 locations. Here we feature three award winners who were nominated by prisoners. The Butler Trust identifies and celebrates the achievements of people who work in the UK correctional services and who have shown exceptional dedication, skill or initiative in their work.

Open Award David McAlley, Prison Custody Officer - HMP Altcourse

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David McAlley developed a drama programme, prison radio station and prisoner magazine at HMP Altcourse - first on a voluntary basis, now in a paid full time position - and the way he has involved prisoners' families in this is a particular strength. According to one offender, in support of his nomination, "[Dave's work] has given me back my self respect and developed my confidence".

‘At risk’ prisoners are being issued with a take-home pack of a drug to help them recover if they overdose. Statistics show that in the region of 3,000 deaths every year in the UK are due to drug overdose, with 1,058 death certificates in 2007 giving the ‘cause of death’ as injecting heroin or morphine. The most at risk group are newly released prisoners with a history of injecting; in the first month of freedom, they are seven times more likely to die of an overdose than other heroin users. In an attempt to address the problem, 5,600 prisoners with a history of injecting will take part in April in a trial in which, come their release date, half of them will be issued with

‘take-home’ packs containing one-shot injectors of naloxone. Giving addicts free access to naloxone - a cheap antidote to heroin that is virtually free of side-effects and regularly administered by paramedics and in accident and emergency units - it is hoped could lead to a significant reduction in overdose deaths and become part of national drug treatment policy. The trial, funded by the Medical Research Council, is being run from 25 prisons in England and Scotland. On release, prisoners will receive a pouch containing a pre-loaded syringe of naloxone hydrochloride, information illustrating injection sites, and a pre-paid reply card about their drug use. Families and carers will also receive training in overdose awareness and how to administer the drug.

Wates Foundation Award for work with female offenders Evelyn Davis, Prison Officer HMP/YOI Holloway

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Evelyn has worked at HMP Holloway for twenty years covering all areas of the establishment. Described as an inspiring and motivating officer by her peers, she has gained much respect from both prisoners and staff. An officer who gives that little bit extra, she can be relied on in any situation proving her to be an excellent role model and colleague for all.

Wates Foundation Award for work with female offenders Sandra Gibson, Senior Officer - HMP & YOI Foston Hall

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Sandra Gibson's work as a Senior Officer in promoting safer custody is not unique but her dedication and ability to identify those needing help make her stand out above others. To quote from her nomination, "[Sandra's] dedication and commitment are exceptional as she does what she does without judgment or criticism and never expects anything back."

The 2009/10 Award nominations open on 3 April and close on 12 June.

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Prince William pictured with staff and clients at St Giles Trust, who gave him a royal welcome in March when he visited their head office in south London to find out more about the work they do on behalf of offenders and disadvantaged people helping them rebuild their lives. The Prince met and spoke with ex-offenders who are now employed by the Trust and with staff who provide housing resettlement services to newly released prisoners. He also met staff and clients who use the training and employment support services offered by St Giles, and Junior Smart, who works with young offenders caught up in the negative cycle of gang crime. Rob Owen, Chief Executive of St Giles Trust, told Inside Time, “Everyone at St Giles is extremely honoured that Prince William took the time to come and meet with us and hear first hand about what we do and the issues our clients face. We hope his support will help inspire people to give ex-offenders a second chance.”

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Promoting a culture of idleness

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Did I say that…?

The Howard League for Penal Reform has highlighted figures showing more than 12,000 men and women now serve open-ended or life sentences in prison in England and Wales. Figures reveal:  There are 5,059 prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP), with around 100 new IPP prisoners going into prison each month. Only 47 IPP prisoners have been released since the introduction of the sentence in 2005;  The number of men and women serving life sentences has peaked at an historic high of 7,031:  The total of 12,090 men, women and children serving various forms of life sentence in England and Wales is higher than the total (11,477) of all 46 other countries in the Council of Europe added together, including Russia, Turkey, Germany and the Ukraine. Howard League director Frances Crook told Inside Time; “Men, women and children serving open-ended sentences with no certain prospect of release have dramatically increased both in number and as a proportion of the prison population, at a time when straitening public finances sees useful activity being curtailed; with prisoners left to spend decades lying on their bunks.

HMP Standford Hill’s Head of Safety David Milner (left) and Diversity Manager Amanda Sydell, pictured with Birmingham City FC winger Robin Shroot, who presented the certificates at an event of recognition to members of HMP Prison Service and prison Visitor Centre workers who participated in the 2008 Family Friendly Prison Challenge.

Prison officers and family workers from 40 prisons all over England travelled to the event to receive Action for Prisoner’s Families certificates in recognition of the contribution they made to the Family Friendly Prison Challenge, which had an educative theme thanks to partnership links with the Campaign for Learning and Year of Reading.

Chief Inspector of Prisons inspection schedule 20/04 20/04 11/05 11/05

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Parole Board changes The Lord Chancellor has appointed the Rt Hon Sir David Latham (pictured above) as the new Chairman of the Parole Board. Sir David has taken up the post initially for one year. He was a Lord Justice of Appeal from 2000 and Vice-President of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) from 2006 until his retirement from the judiciary in February. Christine Glenn has left the post of Chief Executive of the Parole Board, which she held for more than 7 years, and has been replaced by Linda Lennon CBE (pictured above).Linda joined in April for an initial period of 12 months; she was formerly London Area Director in Her Majesty’s Courts Service with responsibility for the civil and family courts. A public consultation process on the future arrangements for the Parole Board will be launched in the spring, led by the Ministry of Justice.

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Jack Straw speaking when in opposition

Over 1,600 children visited parents in prison thanks to the commitment of some 100 people who gathered at the certificate ceremony in Birmingham.

“Rather than engaging these prisoners with real work, or education and training, the government prefers to promote a culture of idleness and a dangerous discontent. When these thousands of individuals are finally released, as most will be, then society will be left to pick up the pieces”.

g sentin Repre rs in e prison and d n a l g En for 10 s e l a W years

“it is not appropriate for people to profit out of incarceration. This is surely one area where a free market certainly does not exist”

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“Labour will take back private prisons into public ownership - it is the only safe way forward” The first privately-run prison in the UK, Wolds, was opened by Group 4 in 1992. In 1993, before it had had a chance to evaluate this experiment, the government announced that all new prisons would be built and run by private companies. The Labour party, then in opposition, was outraged. However, during his first seven weeks in office, Jack Straw renewed one private prison contract and launched two new ones. A year later he announced that all new prisons in England and Wales would be built and run by private companies, under the private finance initiative (PFI). Today, the UK has a higher proportion of prisoners by head of population in private institutions than the US.

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Newsround Community sentences contributing to prison overcrowding Government attempts to slow a rapidly rising prison population by a reformed, and credible, community sentences framework has largely failed, according to a new report published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King's College in London. There is evidence that the Community Orders and Suspended Sentence Orders, which came into effect in April 2005, are contributing to the rise in prison numbers, rather than helping to arrest its growth.

Victorian Prisoner No 2

Some of the report's key findings are:

ELIZABETH SMITH

 There was a fifteen-fold increase in the use of the Suspended Sentence Order in its first year and a twenty four-fold increase in the three years to 2008;

The cameras have been allowed inside Holloway - Europe’s largest female prison - to make a three-part documentary series. Holloway comes across as a humane institution with staff struggling to do the best they can under impossible circumstances. According to the governor, Sue Saunders (above left), many of the 500 women who arrive at the prison have been sexually, physically or mentally abused outside. A lot have serious mental health problems. Some prisoners feel more safe inside than out, and some get themselves sentenced deliberately so that they can use the prison’s detox facility as in the case of Brennan (pictured right). What makes the film so depressing is that more than half of those released are back as a matter of course. One girl featured in the documentary, who is released, reoffends within hours. mentation. Social workers, he said, were bogged down in bureaucracy; training was not up to scratch and council bosses were failing to take responsibility. The laws were in place to protect children, he said: “NOW JUST DO IT!”

Child protection failures Lord Laming has delivered a damning report on Britain’s child protection services - eight years after his report on reforming the system following the death of Victoria Climbie. Lord Laming was asked to review the system again last year, after the death of Baby P. This time he praised the Government for accepting his initial recommendations, but expressed frustration at the lack of imple-

It had been hoped that Lord Laming might challenge the refusal of government minister Ed Balls to publish Serious Case Reviews (SCR) in instances where children have died. The refusal to publish the SCR into Baby P meant that the reasons for catastrophic failure were known only to the local authority that failed. Secrecy so often assists incompetence. But Lord Laming, a former probation officer, does not agree. It looks, as though he has been made a prisoner by the very bureaucracy he criticises.

 Half of all Suspended Sentence Orders handed out in the magistrates' courts are for the less serious ‘summary’ offences, suggesting that the Orders are being used too often and inappropriately;  Both the Community Order and the Suspended Sentence Order appear to be getting tougher and more punitive. Use of unpaid work and curfews has been growing. Both unpaid work and curfew requirements share punishment as a main sentencing purpose, suggesting an increased resort to more punitive requirements;  There is no evidence that the Community Order or Suspended Sentence Order are reducing the use of short-term custodial sentences or tackling ‘up-tariffing’. The prison population has continued to grow alongside the increasing use of the two orders. There is evidence that the sentences are displacing fines, rather than prison.

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We also specialise in Extradition Law Levys Solicitors Manchester House 84-86 Princess Street Street Manchester M1 6NG

Trade or Occupation: .......... Skin Puller (skinning rabbits for lining cloaks etc) Distinguishing Marks: Pockmarked, scar left eyebrow Address at time of apprehension:None Place & Date of Conviction: ............. Surrey Sessions 2 July 1872 Offence for Which Convicted: Larceny from the person. Stealing a watch £2.50 Sentence: ........... 12 Mths Hard Labour Intended Residence After Liberation: Working Womans Home, Dudley St. Previous Convictions: .. 3 Nov 1871 Vagrant Prostitute 21 days Hard Labour 17 Feb 1872 Rogue & Vagabond 3 Calendar Months Researched by Louise Shorter at the National Archives

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Date to be Liberated: ........ 1 July 1873 Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies said: “Most people would no doubt prefer a spell of community service to six months in Holloway or Wormwood Scrubs. But the current community sentencing framework appears to be contributing to ongoing prison expansion, not slowing or reversing its growth. The question is: Are community sentences part of the solution, or are they part of the problem?

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The sad plight of the cheetah

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Cheetahs are at risk of extinction, according to the United Nations Environment programme. The big cats, which can achieve speeds up to 120km/h, have declined by 90% in the past hundred years, partly as a result of human activity, which deprives them of food and land on which to roam. There are now thought to be just 10,000 cheetahs living in Africa, and a meagre 50 or so in Asia - in Iran’s Kavir Desert.

Is your cat losing its mind?

Ashley Cole prepares to meet his pop star wife Cheryl after he is accused once again of cheating.

The “cafes” on the seabed where great white sharks congregate

One in ten domestic cats is suffering from dementia, but their owners may not be aware of it because they do not associate the condition with their pets. According to researchers from the University of Edinburgh, pets, like humans, are living increasingly long lives, thanks to better diets and improvements in veterinary care, which means they are more likely to be treated than simply put down. The downside of this longevity is that more and more felines are reaching an age at which dementia becomes likely. Owners of pet cats aged 11 and above are advised to keep an eye out for various telltale signs of “Geriatric onset behaviour problems”. These include: disorientation (becoming trapped in corners, or failing to find litter trays); crying, especially at night; any unusually aggressive or attention-seeking behaviour; changes in appetite; aimless wandering; and decreased grooming.

In the popular imagination, great white sharks are solitary predators, roaming the seas alone in search of prey, says ScienceDaily.com. Yet they’re actually rather sociable creatures, marine biologists are discovering. It seems that after leaving the seal colonies where they feed throughout the summer, migrating great whites prefer to travel the same “superhighway” routes as others of their species; they also like to gather at “hotspots” on the seabed, where these superhighways meet. One such spot somewhere in the vast expanses of ocean between Hawaii and Mexico - is so popular

that researchers have dubbed it “the white shark cafe”. “It’s where a shark might go to have a snack or maybe just to see and be seen”, explains Salvador Jorgensen, who along with a team from California’s Hopkins Marine, tagged 150 great whites to learn more about their movements. “Once they leave the cafe, they return year after year to the same exact spot along the road.” Jorgensen hopes that once they’ve identified such hotspots, his team will be able to persuade fishermen to give them a wide berth in order to avoid catching endangered shark species.

‘British Women must wear burqa’ rule is introduced just in time for a woman from Luton accused of adultery and facing death by stoning.

Glacier warning Glaciers are melting at a faster rate than at any time since records began. Scientists from the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), which tracks 30 glaciers in nine mountain ranges, estimate that from 1850 to 1970, glaciers were shrinking at a net average rate of 30cm a year. Between 1970 and 2000, losses rose to 60cm-90cm a year; since then, the average has been more than one metre a year – and last year saw the biggest losses yet, of 1.3m. Only one glacier has grown larger. Worldwide, glaciers are receding “at least” as fast as those in this sample, says professor Wilfried Heaberli, director of the WGMS – with potentially disastrous consequences for local communities. In the short term, there are likely to be more floods; in the long term, rivers will dry up, leading to acute water shortages.

After Barack Obama extends the hand of friendship in a television address to the Iranian people the Iranian President sends his reply.

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“In a cell give us a bell” We provide assistance in all aspects of Criminal Defence, Family, Personal Injury & Prison Law, with a well-earned reputation for success. . Adjudications . Recalls & Oral Hearings . Parole Representation . Categorisation Reviews . IPP and Extended Sentences . Judicial Review / Human Rights . All Lifer Reviews . Transfers / CCRC . HDC Applications To contact our Prison Law Team direct call Matt Bellusci on 07834 630847, Becky Antcliffe on 07969 005616 or write to: Petherbridge Bassra Solicitors, Vintry House, 18-24 Piccadilly, Bradford BD1 3LS.

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The stinky truth about erections

NEWS IN BRIEF

What do rotten eggs and a man with an erection have in common? Quite a lot, according to a team of Italian scientists, who have discovered that hydrogen sulphide - the foul-smelling gas given off when eggs go bad - plays a key role in achieving an erection. A study carried out at the University of Naples has shown that, prior to intercourse, tiny quantities of the gas are released in the nerve cells that control the process of engorgement (when the penis swells with an influx of blood). Scientists now hope to develop a hydrogen sulphide pill that could rival Viagra (to which a third of men suffering from erectile dysfunction do not respond).

Teenagers are getting stupider…

In Camden, as Amy Winehouse slips down a drain, a quick thinking paramedic keeps her occupied while the ambulance arrives.

British teenagers now score significantly less in IQ tests than they did a generation ago, despite the fact that results have improved among all other age groups. Tests carried out in 1980 and again last year found that the average score by a 14-year-old had fallen by two points.

Does swimming make people fat? If you are exercising to lose weight, choose your sport carefully. New research shows that certain forms of exercise cause participants to feel more hungry than others - with the result that any calories lost are likely to be quickly replaced. Swimming in cold water, for instance, tends to make people crave high-fat foods such as biscuits, while mid-to low-intensity exercise such as walking has no impact on appetite. Meanwhile, running on a hot day actually suppresses hunger. The findings, said Dr David Stensel of Loughborough University, who led the research, are related to the production of the appetite hormone ghrelin, which is suppressed by running and stimulated by swimming. “The body tends to respond to exercise so it can do it more efficiently in future,” said Dr Stensel. Runners perform better if they have a low body weight, he explained, whereas people who swim in cold water would benefit from protective fat.

Men are catching up with women The drop was especially marked in aboveaverage teens, whose scores had dropped by an average of six points. “It looks like there is something screwy among British teenagers,” said Prof James Flynn, the author of the study, which was published in the journal Economics and Human Biology. “While we have enriched the cognitive environment of children before their teenage years, the cognitive environment of teenagers has not been enriched. He thinks the explanation may lie in a change in British teen culture, which now revolves more around visual activities, such as playing video games and internet browsing.

GUNEY CLARK & RYAN

The life expectancy gap is closing: according to research in America, husbands can expect to live as long as their wives in as little as two generations. Traditionally, men have been outlived by women, partly because of the high mortality rates associated with “masculine” careers such as soldiering and mining and partly because men have tended to be more resistant to health advice. But with the West broadly at peace, jobs in heavy industries in decline, and more men taking better care of themselves, male life expectancy is starting to increase at a faster rate. In 1981, British men lived on average to 70.8 and women to 76.8 – a difference of six years; now, the difference is just over four years, with women living on average to 81.5 and men to 77.2 Scientists in Atlanta predict that if the trend continues, then for all those born in Western countries after 2035, the gender gap will have vanished.

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In Antarctica, there’s evidence that global warming is beginning to affect some birds migrating habits.

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Newsround

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 Do you know...? • Fly-fishermen have been banned from casting their flies at a Derbyshire reservoir, lest they injure passers-by. Every year, thousands of anglers fish at the Foremark Reservoir, which is run by the local water board. No one has been snared in 40-years. • Pride is the most common female sin. A study of confessions made to Catholic priests, published in the Vatican newspaper, found that – while men were chiefly guilty of lust, gluttony and sloth – women were prone to pride, envy and anger. • Prince Harry was ordered to attend an equality and diversity course, as a punishment for calling an army colleague “our little Paki friend”. The black comedian Stephen K. Amos welcomed the news. He claims that, at a charity event last year, the Prince told him: “You don’t sound like a black chap.” • A Barnsley man who was ordered to wear an electronic tag looked on in amused silence while probation officers fixed it to his prosthetic. Bret Ravenhill, 29, who lost his left leg in a motorbike accident six year ago, had been convicted of cannabis possession and given a nighttime curfew for three months. He says the officers who fitted his tag never checked to see whether his leg was real. “I’m not a danger to the public,” he warned, “but what if they’d done the same thing to an armed robber?

• ”The TV series ‘24’ is to become the first “carbon-neutral” programme, according to its makers, Fox. Producers say they will cut don on fuel used for on-set generators, transport and special effects, and buy carbon offsets from wind-power plants in India. They have promised that the show’s thrilling stunts will not be affected. • Beatles fans from September will be able to do a master’s degree in “The Beatles, Popular Music and Society” at Liverpool Hope University. • Gordon Ramsay, whose claim to have been a Premiership footballer in his youth was dismissed as “nonsense”. Glasgow Rangers historian Robert McElroy said the celebrity chef only played in one match for the club and didn’t make any impact. • 79% of Britons say they would rather have a good night’s sleep than have sex with their partner. 70% have trouble sleeping, and 25% would call themselves an insomniac. • 5% of British adults think Charles Darwin wrote A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking’s study of cosmology. 3% think he wrote The God Delusion, the atheist tract by Richard Dawkins. Nationwide, only 17%

believe in creationism – but that figure rises to 20% in London, which has a growing number of Pentecostal churches. The most godless region of Britain is eastern England, where 44% say the theory of evolution makes God obsolete. • A German court has fined a dentist 6,000 euros after he forcibly removed dentures from a patient who had not paid her 700 euro bill. The unnamed dentist marched into the woman’s house and wrenched the teeth out of her mouth, saying they were his property. • Up to 1,000 Britons a day go to hospital for alcohol-related injuries – a 36% rise since 24-hour drinking was introduced in 2005. • Stomach stapling and other surgical weight-loss measures have increased by 40% in a year. Nearly 25% of British adults are obese. • Swimmers at an outdoor pool in east London have been told they cannot go for a dip if the weather is too wet. Customers at the London fields Lido in Hackney were made to wait outside during a recent burst of rain, which staff said could cloud the water, making it hard for lifeguards to see into the pool. Hackney council confirmed that this was part of its health and safety policy.

• Home secretary Jacqui Smith has admitted that a baby has had its DNA stored on the national database. The child was not even one year old when the DNA sample was added to the 4.5 million-strong database. It was probably taken because the baby was present at a crime scene, such as a family home, but it should have been immediately destroyed. • A study by the London school of Economics found that train journeys into London are slower now than before the Second World War. • Georgia’s entry into the Eurovision Song Contest was rejected by organisers because it appears to attack Vladimir Putin. “We Don’t Wanna Put In, by 3G, was deemed too “political”. Lyrics include: “We don’t wanna put-in, the negative move, it’s killin’ the groove.” • 14% of Britons say it is sometimes acceptable for a man to hit his wife or girlfriend if she is “wearing sexy or revealing clothes in public”. The same proportion think it is acceptable for a man to hit a woman if she is “nagging or constantly moaning at him”. 21% of women, and 18% of men, say rape victims should be held partly responsible if they are attacked while wearing revealing clothes. 33% of both sexes would hold a rape victim partially responsible if she had previously flirted with her attacker. • 23% of British pupils have no idea what Auschwitz was. 2% think it is beer. 60% do not know what the Final Solution was.

• The number of Russian billionaires has fallen to 49, from 101 last year.

Image adapted from The Week

• Around one in 25 men are unknowingly raising another man’s child. • A pub landlord who outlawed swearing is abandoning the policy after drinkers deserted his bar. Ian Milne, the proprietor of the Royal Hotel in Keith, Banffshire, was fed up with hearing foul language; but since his ban the bar has been almost empty. “The locals pretty much boycotted the place,” he says. “We got rid of a bad element but haven’t been able to replace it.”

15

Tony McNulty, the Employment Minister, is under pressure to explain why he claimed about £60,000 in MP’s second-home allowance for the house where his parents live and he doesn’t. His spokesman says ‘there is absolutely nothing irregular in Tony’s situation’. Unfortunately for Tony the entire prison population thinks there is.

• Across the UK, only 189 children from families poor enough to qualify for free school meals achieved three A-grade Alevels last year. That same year, 175 pupils at Eton gained three A-grades. • 2,130 Britons are on incapacity benefit, having been deemed too fat to work. • 83% of consumers want shops to begin charging for plastic carrier bags, up from 76% a year ago. 91.9% are concerned about the harm they cause the environment.

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Diary

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Month by Month by Rachel Billington

prison hierarchy. Successful voluntary work, he advised, depends on a good relationship with the prison and sometimes workers underestimated the understandable resentment felt by some officers towards ‘do-gooders’ particularly in the arts area. Finance was the theme of the next speaker, Jacque Mallender (Chief Executive of the Matrix Knowledge Group.) At the end of last year, Matrix produced a report called The Economic Case for and against Prison. Its conclusions are startling: the cost savings per adult or juvenile offender receiving a community intervention rather than prison range from: £3,437 to £88,469 for savings to the taxpayer only and £16,260 to £202,775 for savings taking into account fewer victim costs. The report also predicted that the cost savings per adult offender receiving an enhanced prison sentence are: £425 to £35,213 for savings to the taxpayer only and £17,462 to £130,578 for savings to the taxpayer; plus the savings from fewer victim costs.

Attending the symposium (left to right) Danny Kruger, Lord Ramsbotham, Baroness D'Souza, Baroness Stern and Mark Woodruff.

The Moses Room in the House of Lords is used as an alternative to the main chamber, so Lord Ramsbotham told me when we met there for a symposium on (I’ll give it its full title) The Threat to the Voluntary Sector’s Role in the Rehabilitation of Offenders. The surroundings were grand - leather seat, individual mikes, bottled water and a free copy of Inside Time - for the forty odd participants. But this was not empty theatre. Everybody invited by the host, Baroness D’Souza (Convener of the Independent Crossbench peers) was there because they knew exactly what they were talking about and several of them were very passionate indeed. Half of all rehabilitation work in prisons is done by the voluntary sector; so why is the government making it harder for them to contribute? First of all the panel put their point of view. Lord Ramsbotham, who never seems to weary of the battle - could it be his army training? - said that in 1997, New Labour had promised to be ‘Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’ but unfortunately ‘causes’ seemed to have become ‘causers.’ He emphasised that the aim to prevent reoffending could best be achieved by a partnership of the public and private sectors, and that the new procedure which put organisations in competition against each other, known as ‘contestability’, was counter-productive. Mark Woodruff, from the Sainsbury Charitable Trust, talked with an air of deep

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frustration about ‘the nonsense of NOMS’ which made giving money to prisons a less and less rewarding task. Arts projects, he said, have to prove themselves over and over again, while good practice in one institution is never copied in another. He referred to the ‘lunacy of contestability’ and wondered whether trusts would eventually turn away from the difficulties of helping prisons and ask themselves, ‘Why don’t we buy a painting for the National Trust?’ Apparently in despair, he added that it seemed as if there was ‘an unseen hand bent on destroying what is good in the criminal justice system.’ This was strong stuff, immediately followed by Baroness Stern (Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for Prison Studies) who explained to us that the criminal system in Scotland was superior to that of England and Wales in many ways, including the approach to youth offending and probation, called Prison Social Service. Scotland, she said, ‘remained true to the voluntary sector ethos’. She concluded, ‘We should not underestimate the power of altruism.’ The final panellist, Danny Kruger (Executive Chairman of Only Connect which encourages personal development through drama) described the beleaguered world of Arts in Prison. He pointed out that power inside a prison is arbitrary and rules, about security matters or as insignificant as whether you can chew gum, may vary from one establishment to another, often enforced low down in the

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This news that additional extras to basic prison are more than cost effective must have been welcome to the many charitable trusts and organisations represented who do so much to provide them. The question, of course, is whether the government is listening. At the meeting, the Ministry of Justice was represented by Frances Flexington (Head of the Partnership Strategy Unit, Criminal Justice Group) who put up a brave defence of some of the government policies. Her voice, however, was overwhelmed by the flood of speakers who wanted to share their experiences. These included Clive Martin from ‘Clinks’ who said, sadly, that ‘No-one is proudly talking about rehabilitation anymore’ and Juliet Hope from ‘Startup’ who has set up ex-prisoners in 91 new businesses but still can’t get government funding. Charles Bronson, the self-styled ‘most violent man in prison’, came into my life quite a few years ago when my father, Frank Longford, took me to visit him. They got on very well, famously competing to see who could do most press-ups which, since my father was in his eighties and press-ups were Bronson’s main occupation (ahead of kidnapping), had a no-brainer outcome. Bronson was on good behaviour, although agitated by the number of officers keeping an eye on him - about six, I’d say. One annoyed him in particular because he was directly in his eye-line. Obligingly, the officer moved and all was sweetness and light. Having just watched the movie, Bronson, I’m grateful to that officer. I can’t be sure how true the film is - I was in correspondence with

Charlie for a while and always found him and his cartoons brilliantly entertaining, but it feels true that Bronson flipped into anger and motiveless (indeed finally self-destructive) violence with no warning. The film, often surreal and quite unlike the mindless horror movie I feared, paints a fascinating picture of a man who has attacked the prison system single-handed and, despite the huge cost to himself, won what he most wanted, quoted as the film opens, ‘My name’s Charles Bronson and all my life I’ve wanted to be famous.’ Whether the battle has been worth his while, only he can say. His kidnap victims may have their own view. The five other members of the audience in my Shepherds Bush cinema munched through their popcorn with equanimity. Film Review page 41

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Education

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often bringing out hidden talents and increasing their self esteem. In addition, due to the new reduced hours out of cell, as stated in the February issue of Inside Time, it can be used to communicate with the prisoners. Nevertheless due to these changes, students’ motivation was reduced and less programmes could be made.

s a teacher who worked in prisons, I became more and more despondent. I am under the impression that people are sent to prison to be both punished and rehabilitated. My job was part of the latter. Teachers work for colleges that are contracted to provide education; the type of education is decided by the prison and the government. Therefore, with anything the government is involved in, it changes on a regular basis. One minute it is Skills for Life, the next Employment. I taught courses linked to Employment.

A

It is sad to say that in all the years I worked in prisons (all Category ‘B’, all male, one YOI) there was an underlying battle going on between security and education. The people in security view prisoners as totally untrustworthy and are constantly on the watch for passing of contraband and anything else they can report and punish further. I can understand this to some extent, but behaviour breeds behaviour and it gets to the point where if you feel you are expected to do something bad, in the end, you will. Teachers are taught to treat people with respect and courtesy, to draw out intelligence and talents, build relationships and be sensitive to changes in behaviour. We are neither trained, nor want to be, looking for ‘passing’. If we see it, naturally we would report it but we are busy teaching and engaging our learners. We spend hours with these prisoners, having discussions on all sorts of subjects; we are told we must not be manipulated and we so easily can be, apparently. I have to say though that it is not just criminals that stab you in the back! It seems the security people’s view of these prisoners, and the general public’s perception, is that they are different from everyone because they have committed a crime. My view, and that of other teachers, is that they are people like the rest of us and nowadays people are put into prison for all manner of things (e.g. pensioners’ rights, journalists’ whistle-blowing) and it does not necessarily mean they are hardened criminals. As we all know, prisons are overcrowded, partly due to the police trying to meet their targets, partly due to the IPP system, and partly due to a very high percentage of reoffending. The latter is the very thing we are trying to help avoid. If we can convince prisoners that a life of crime is just not worth spending half your life in prison for then we have succeeded. My own personal target was one a year. If I could convince one prisoner a year and get them through a high level of work with certification, and they didn’t reoffend, then I had succeeded. Inside Time’s recent survey demonstrates that education is working reasonably well in achieving these goals. Unfortunately, due to the constant sackings

© prisonimage.org

Carrot or stick? A former teacher with several years experience of working within prison education departments is highly critical of methods employed by prison security to undermine teachers’ efforts and misconducts/reports, attendance in education is reducing. Another thing I was told by security was that “They all say they are innocent.” They don’t! A few do, and it would appear from recent events to be true - albeit too late; 27 years later … “Oops, we made a mistake, off you go.” No matter how much compensation someone gets (and that is being diminished, presumably due to all these cases coming to light) it is not going to make up for all those lost years. The justice system is a mess and the prisons are encouraging behaviour that will add to overcrowding because they will leave, eventually, and just commit another crime … because that is what is expected!

wrong. I also understand that we are guests in the prison and that their rules have to apply to us. What I don’t understand is why I was treated virtually as a prisoner myself; that my opinion was worth nothing; that when I said I trusted prisoners then I was deemed stupid. In addition, as has been demonstrated on TV by giving students jobs as prison officers and prisoners, power goes to people’s heads. I have seen this for myself; I have heard of a man in tears because he is due for parole soon and has been given two misconducts related to him losing his ID card (damaging his previously unblemished record in prison). Is this really necessary? We all lose things, we all make mistakes. This is going to affect his life, why be so petty?

If any prisoner does want to improve their education, he/she will be paid less than if they go to work. So anyone who does come to education clearly does (although sometimes they are forced to as part of their sentence planning) want to learn and improve their lives. Again, there will be an argument that we are just making cleverer criminals and some days, I admit, it passed through my mind, but on the whole not. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

I worked on the radio so security was even more important and there are strict criteria for entrants to the course. However, the security people added new rules which made it extremely difficult for me to provide lessons that sparkled, with differentiation and a healthy environment. All of these things are requirements of being a teacher. I know that prisons really want to take over education themselves, they don’t really want us there, possibly because then they can treat the prisoners even worse - or am I being too cynical?

I understand that security is paramount and punishment is vital in defining right from

The radio is an outlet for their talents and can be immense fun as well as a learning experience,

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I knew I was working with people who committed violent crimes and should have appreciated the officers’ presence, being there to deal with any aggravation. But I never had any. I have never been or felt threatened. I tried not to know what crimes my students committed but often it came out in discussions. I still don’t understand that a drug dealer can get 18 years and someone who is a drunk driver, and kills a family, gets 18 months. It appears that within the British justice system any crime related to money is deemed more evil than one related to death. Conspiracy to commit a crime is also highly punished. The argument would be, of course, that if security was not paramount then all hell would be let loose; but I have worked in prisons where there is no prison officer in the education department and it worked fine. I have also actually seen things flare up simply because of the prison officer’s behaviour – shout at me and I will shout back! I don’t believe prison works but I don’t have an alternative to suggest. I do believe education works and that if we are allowed to encourage, engage and work with them, we can possibly convince prisoners that there is another way, another life to lead. Perhaps I am living in cloud cuckoo land and I know all security and prison officers will disagree with me, but until they have spent hours with prisoners - actually talking to them instead of at them, giving them orders or punishments - how do they know? It is all about carrot and stick. Which works best? I think Inside Time’s research demonstrated the answer.

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Health

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Inside Health... with Dr Jonathon and Dr Shabana Providing this valuable service are Dr Jonathon Tomlinson and Dr Shabana Rauf, both GPs practising in East London. Dr Rauf is particularly interested in women’s health. If you have a question relating to your own health, write a brief letter (maximum one side A4 paper) to Inside Time (Health) PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ. Everyone will receive a reply, however only a selection will be published each month and no names will be disclosed.

Q I often get little white lumps in my throat and they smell very bad. I think they are causing me to have bad breath. I have tried several nasal sprays that have not helped, what do you think?

A I’m not sure why you should keep getting smelly white spots on your throat causing you to have bad breath. They might be due to an infection and a doctor or nurse could take a sample using a cotton bud swab to check the cause. They may be due to bacterial or fungal infection and if so it might be worth looking for any underlying causes depending on what the swab shows. I wouldn’t suggest trying any more nasal sprays until you know a bit more about what’s causing them.

Q For six months now I have been passing blood in my urine, sometimes I have trouble passing urine at all - it is as though there is a blockage. Occasionally I experience low back pain and a drawing sensation in my stomach and pain in the groin. During the night I have to get up frequently to pee. The doctor here has taken blood and urine samples but says they are clear.

A Passing blood in your urine regularly really needs an explanation and I think it’s essential for you to have some more tests to find out what’s going on. There are many possible causes, some more serious than others. If the urine tests so far have come back clear it may be that you need to send another early morning sample, since this is when the urine is most concentrated and any abnormalities are most likely to show up. Someone like yourself, who has had blood in their urine for 6 months, should be tested for infections in their urine including TB (tuberculosis) and should have an ultrasound scan of their kidneys and bladder. If there is still no explanation you will need a test called a cystoscopy, which is when, under anaesthetic, a

urologist (bladder and kidney specialist) looks inside your bladder with a special camera. Quite frequently no cause is found for blood in urine, but I would strongly recommend you are properly investigated.

Q Is there any medication or solution to the funny smell whenever I sweat in my armpit? I bathe everyday but even after a shower, if I sweat the smell comes and I find it difficult to cope with at times. I always shave my armpits to help with this and use a roll-on deodorant. Is there anyway to erase this body discomfort?

A Smelly armpits can be really tough to treat. If you’ve got as far as writing to me for help, you’ve probably tried regular (twice daily) washing with soap and water and daily use of a deodorant or antiperspirant. Deodorants are designed to disguise the smell of your sweat and antiperspirants reduce the amount of sweat. Many treatments are combined antiperspirant-deodorants. There are really strong antiperspirants available made from aluminium chloride, also called ‘anhydrol forte’ or ‘driclor’ which are available with or without a prescription. Because they are very powerful, some people find that the skin becomes sore after using them. If you’ve tried normal anti-perspirant deodorants, then it’s probably worth trying this. Strong flavoured foods, especially really spicy or fishy flavours and smells, can come out with the sweat, and many people smell of alcohol after a night of heavy drinking, so it’s worth thinking about your diet. Some clothing, especially man-made materials like polyester, seem to hold bad smells more than natural materials like cotton. Wool is probably the best for not holding body odours. Finally, it’s worth making sure you drink lots of water during the day so that you are well hydrated.

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Useful health tips Looking after your health is an issue which needs attention and care. At times it can be difficult to get a doctor’s appointment, but for minor illnesses and injuries we can treat them ourselves. Here are some useful tips: MINOR BURNS DO: run cold water over the affected area for at least five minutes. Cover the burn with sterile gauze, bandage loosely. DON’T: rub butter or ointment on a burn. Don’t use ice, this can further damage the skin. Don’t break blisters - this can cause infection; don’t cover burns with cotton wool. PULLED MUSCLE DO: follow the acronym RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. It takes 1-3 weeks for the muscles to heal so rest is important. Take anti-inflammatory painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen. DON’T: put heat on the muscle right away. Don’t have a vigorous massage, this could cause more harm than good. FEVER DO: take medication such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dress lightly to lose extra body heat. JT - If the fever doesn’t settle after a few days, or if you have been in a country with malaria or TB in the last few months, you should see a doctor. DON’T: work through it. Avoid gym and socializing. Don’t cool skin with ice, this could cause burns. SORE THROAT DO: mix a teaspoon of salt in 8 fluid ounces of water and gargle often. Stir honey and lemon juice into a cup of hot water and drink regularly. Suck lozenges or use an antiseptic spray to numb the area. DON’T: take antibiotics as most sore throats are caused by viruses. STOMACH BUG DO: Add a pinch of chopped ginger to a cup of hot water. Drink lots of clear fluids such as water and herbal tea. Stick to bland food; eg crackers, toast or dry cereal. DON’T: drink coffee or fruit juice or eat proteins. SINUS PAIN DO: use a saline spray to clear mucus and bacteria. Take a decongestant like Sudafed. Ease pain with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Inhale steam for 5-10 mins by covering your head with a towel. DON’T: rely on steroid sprays or antibiotics. JT - Many people do find steroid nasal sprays useful, especially if they get recurrent sinusitis or have chronic (long term) sinusitis or rhinitis (blocked/runny nose).

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DRY COUGH DO: use honey to prevent mucus accumulation. Steam will help as well. Most of the dry coughs are caused by viruses and without treatment will go away after 10-14 days. JT - If you have a dry cough for more than a few weeks, especially if you get wheezy, are a long term smoker or if you may have been exposed to TB (for example if you have lived in central Africa or SE Asia) then you should see a doctor to see if you have a more serious condition such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer or TB. EARACHE DO: take painkillers eg paracetamol or ibuprofen. Most earaches take 10 hours to go. Decongestants can relieve swelling inside the Eustachian tube to relieve pain. Steam inhalation with menthol crystals is effective. Use warm olive oil to clear the ear wax. DON’T: poke your ear drum with a cotton bud as this may cause more damage. Don’t use antibiotics until there is pus coming out of the ear drum. Our thanks to Neil Tangotra at HMP Pentonville for providing this helpful and comprehensive list. All suggestions have been checked and approved by Dr Jonathon Tomlinson, Inside Time’s resident health expert.

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CUTS DO: establish that there are no foreign objects such as gravel or glass in the cut before cleaning with warm water and soap. Keep cut moist. JT - It is important to apply direct pressure to a bleeding wound to stop the bleeding. DON’T: pick at a cut or scab or use alcohol to clean it as this can dry the skin.

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COLD SORES DO: apply ice as soon as you feel that first tingle or itch, this will reduce or delay the cold sore. Use Vaseline to keep the sore moist and prevent it cracking. Eat turkey, pork and fish. Be patient as the cold sore goes away after a few days by itself. DON’T: eat nuts and chocolate. Don’t pick at it, share drinks or kiss anyone - cold sores can spread.

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Health

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What is cervical cancer?

The speculum used is a stainless steel instrument with a curved end. The woman usually lies flat on the examination couch with her knees drawn up and apart. The doctor then slides the speculum into the vagina. The speculum handles are squeezed together to widen the jaws, opening the vagina to reveal the cervix.

Cancer is the rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells and this may occur in the cervix (the neck of the uterus protruding into the vagina). The junction between the vaginal lining and the uterus is known as the transformation zone, where cells have a very high replacement rate. This makes them more vulnerable to malignant change and it is from this area that cancer of the cervix develops.

With the cervix visible, the doctor looks for any signs of infection and, if found, takes a swab for laboratory analysis. The cervix and the inside of the vagina will also be examined for warts, which increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. The doctor then inserts a thin, flat stick (sometimes a brush) through the speculum and rotates it gently against the surface of the cervix to scrape off a thin layer of squamous (flat) cells. Occasionally, a secondscraping may be taken from inside the open-ing into the cervix.

Although cervical cancer makes up only 4% of all cancers in women, its incidence is on the increase, especially amongst younger females.

What causes cervical cancer? The exact reason is unknown, but there are several factors recognized as increasing the risk of developing cervical cancer. Risk factors include cigarette smoking, infection with human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 and low socioeconomic status. Vaccinations against human papillomavirus were introduced in September last year for all girls aged 12-13. It usually appears either as invasive cancer or as early, localised cell changes confined to the cervix and known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Some CIN lesions may develop into full cancer if left untreated, but some do not. Rarely, malignant cancer can arise without previous non-malignant change in the cervix.

Jade Goody, daughter of two drug addicts, who found fame on reality TV, died of cervical cancer, aged 27 on Mother’s Day March 22 2009. Goody allowed the media into her life to chronicle her final days as the cancer - which spread throughout her body - consumed her life. This relentless media exposure did much to raise awareness about cervical cancer and the importance of smear tests, which have gone up by more then 20 per cent as a result of her story being told. These days, fame is rather like cancer. It makes no character judgements. And in the end - also like cancer - it can happen to anyone.

Symptoms EARLY SYMPTOMS UU Inter-menstrual, postmenopausal or post-coital bleeding UU Abnormal or unusual vaginal discharge LATE SYMPTOMS UU Pain UU Weight loss UU Symptoms of secondary spread to other organs: breathlessness (lungs), fractures (bones), headache, confusion (brain)

When should I see my doctor? Nearly all early cervical cancer is asymptomatic (the sufferer is unaware of it). For this reason, regular screening by means of the cervical smear test is the best way to detect precancerous changes at a stage when treatment is most likely to be effective.

Although the officially recommended interval between smear tests is five years, most experts recommend that all women be tested every three years. Often you will be automatically invited to attend for this on a routine basis. Most deaths from cervical cancer still occur in women who have never had a smear test. You should see your doctor if you develop abnormal vaginal bleeding, or any of the other symptoms listed.

How a cervical smear is taken

What is a cervical smear test? A cervical smear is a simple test to detect abnormalities in the cells of the cervix. These abnormal cells are the first warning signs of cervical cancer which, if left undiscovered and untreated, may be fatal. However, if detected early enough, pre-cancerous changes can be treated with complete success.

What does the test involve? The cervical smear test is simple and usually

painless. It can be carried out by your GP, or at a family planning clinic or a well-woman clinic. To take the smear the doctor must insert a speculum into the vagina in order to get a clear view of the cervix.

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The scraped cells are smeared at once onto a microscope slide and despatched to the laboratory. Each cervical smear slide will be accompanied by a form which includes all relevant details about the medical background and gynaecological condition of the woman.

What if the test is positive? When a woman's smear proves positive, she will usually be sent for further tests to establish the nature of the abnormality. The first stage is usually an appointment at the colposcopy clinic. A colposcope is a microscope used for taking a detailed look at the cervix and the inside of the vagina. If an abnormal area on the cervix is revealed, a biopsy will normally be taken. This involves inserting special forceps into the vagina and then snipping off a sample of tissue from the cervix. If the abnormality is mild, simple local ablative treatment (in which diseased tissues are removed by excision) is normally adequate. In a few cases, where it seems the abnormality is severe, an immediate cone biopsy or even a hysterectomy may be recommended. A cone biopsy is a more complex form of biopsy carried out in hospital under general anaesthetic. It provides both diagnosis and cure, for it not only yields a sample for analysis, but removes all the affected tissue at the same time. A hysterectomy is an operation to remove the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and, occasionally, the ovaries. If a woman has local ablative treatment or a cone biopsy, the smear will be repeated within a few months to check there are no abnormalities.

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Comment

Venus’ position in the solar system means she’s never far away from the Sun. At times she disappears from view because her orbit takes her to the far side of the Sun. Now, after being so bold for months on end, she vanishes from sight for several weeks - before appearing rather more modest in the early morning sky.

A licence to print money! Andrew Cousins from Gema Records marvels at how the ‘master of the unexpected’ has announced a comeback after years of being surrounded by controversy

Wheel of the Year Michael Jackson announcing to his fans his first live shows, at the O2 Arena in London, for 12 years

t seemed strangely appropriate that on the same day as the Bank of England confirmed it would be issuing £75bn of new banknotes, the self-styled ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson, announced his return to the world stage. Both events, in their own way, seemed a licence to print money.

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Jackson's motivation is clear. At 50, he is in dire need of his own financial stimulus package: he is reportedly £100m in debt and last December was forced to sell his Neverland ranch to an investment company in order to prevent a foreclosure sale.

Jackson's 50-date UK residency at the O2 will be his first live shows for 12 years. To say that demand is likely to outstrip supply is putting it mildly: the day after his press conference, tickets that had not even been printed were selling on eBay for more than £300. It is an astonishing comeback for a man who in recent years has been dogged by controversy. In 2005, Jackson faced a five-month trial on 10 charges of child molestation, attempted abduction and administering alcohol to a minor. Although he was eventually acquitted, the rumours persisted. Through the years, he has made out-of-court settlements totalling $25.5m with the families of boys who accused him of child abuse.

Ever the consummate showman, Jackson has also been savvy enough to keep out of the limelight in recent months. In the four years since the trial, he has pursued a nomadic and solitary existence. For six months, he was the guest of Sheik Adbullah bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, the son of Bahrain's king, who recently sued him for allegedly reneging on a $7m album deal - the case was settled out of court last November. From Bahrain he flitted to Europe and then to Dubai, where he took to wearing traditional female Arab dress and caused something of a stir by using a woman's public lavatory. Spells in Ireland, Las Vegas and New Jersey followed. When he did appear in public - in a woman's floppy sunhat and high heels in St Tropez or signing autographs for £600 a throw in Japan - he looked pale and gaunt. It seemed to have been an irreversible fall from grace. However, like all the most experienced performers, Jackson is a master of the unexpected plot twist. When he announced his return to the stage, one US commentator called it "the greatest comeback since Lazarus". He has no new material, there are concerns about his physical fitness, and he will probably lipsync rather than perform live, but the frenzied anticipation among die-hard fans is already bubbling over. Can the King of Pop pull it off? Probably! In the past five years he has lost his home, his fortune and his reputation - but there is one thing that Michael Jackson has never lacked: an audience. Andrew Cousins is Managing Director of Gema Records, the leading supplier of Music, Games and Films to UK prisons.

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A monthly column devised by astrologer Polly Wallace exclusively for readers of Inside Time drawing on themes from both astrology and astronomy. The intention is to provide a range of information and ideas to coincide with the International Year of Astronomy and the 400th anniversary of the birth of Astronomy (1609) celebrating Galileo’s first observation of the sky using a telescope.

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Venus is powerful all right! In astrology she rules the zodiac signs of Taurus and Libra. Taurus is first of three earth signs that the Sun passes through in his yearly journey through the zodiac. It is concerned with the world of the physical senses - with all that we can touch, see, smell and hear. Now that fiery Aries has kick-started the astrological year through Taurus the pace settles down so there’s time for quality of experience to count for more. Taurus is closely linked with the Bull, an ancient and magnificent symbol that represents natural power and strength. A typical Taurean is practical, determined and dependable. The influence of Venus brings in artistic flair to complement these solid virtues. Taureans are often capable people who can be seriously effective in ways that range from building to business, from music to gardening and cookery. The key point is that they like to be productive and to have something to show for their efforts.

n April, the Sun makes his presence felt more strongly. Following his move into Aries and the northern hemisphere, he’s now building a power base in the northern sky. Like a king in his counting house, the Sun increases our ration of daylight hours with a steady hand. And regardless of any credit crunch, we can be sure that, at this time of year, we’ll all be getting a little more of something precious - daylight!

Taurus’ strongest quality is its stability. It can survive emotional storms, intellectual whirlwinds and physical danger. It knows how to stand firm to its ideas and also within relationships. The shadow side of Taurus emerges when stability hardens into stubbornness, so that obstinate attitudes and rigid opinions can stand in the way of change and progress. Loyal and protective, Taureans make caring partners - with the added bonus that their sign is one of the most sensual in the zodiac!

Just before midnight on 19th April, the Sun moves into Taurus - a stealthy move at dead of night when watchful Saturn is the only planet visible among the stars. This month we can see more planets before sunrise than in the evening. Throughout last winter, a nightly guest appearance from Jupiter and Venus transformed the evening sky soon after the Sun set in the west. Now Jupiter can be seen before sunrise - while Venus plays hard to get …

This year, Easter happens in mid-April. Many religions rely on celestial bodies for the timings of their most important religious festivals. An example is Ramadan which depends on the first sighting of a crescent moon. The date of Easter is flexible because of the tradition that Easter Sunday is the first Sunday on or after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox. So there’s method in the madness after all!

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Astrologers base their understanding of each planet on its physical appearance and behaviour. The sparkling loveliness of the planet makes it easy to associate Venus with love and beauty - but in astrology her reputation is far more complex. For example, the Aztecs translated Venus’ brilliance into a drama of power and made her their god of war. Perhaps these ancient people had a good point as, for all the eye candy she offers, Venus is the most physically hostile of all the planets. If your space craft landed on Venus you’d be simultaneously crushed, corroded, suffocated and roasted.

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Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org to come that they do not do at the present time? Of course, we cannot tell; we do not know what we do not know.

Report from Court 4 Leading investigative journalist Bob Woffinden raises the issue of retaining and properly storing all the forensic science material in any given case

So the only logical course of action is to retail all case material. Not only is it logical now; it was logical twenty years ago. Case material must be properly stored, both in the sense of being kept in ideal conditions (where it will not be damaged by heat or cold, for example) and of being kept somewhere that enables it, if necessary, to be conveniently retrieved. Hitherto storage has been haphazard, so it is not altogether a surprise that lawyers acting for Hodgson in 1998 were told that the material had been destroyed. Meanwhile, it might be valuable to find out what has been lost or destroyed that shouldn’t have been. The highest-profile case in which the prosecution has been cavalier about destroying case material is the Jeremy Bamber case (and this was after Bamber’s defence had pleaded with them to keep everything). In the Michael Attwooll and John Roden case, one of the most serious murder investigations in south Wales, crucial ballistics evidence was “lost” even after the Criminal Cases Review Commission had specifically requested its retention.

Sean Hodgson (left) with family and friends on the steps of The Royal Courts of Justice. or once there was an exuberant atmosphere in Court 4 at the Royal Courts of Justice. It was a spring morning and a special day. A conviction was going to be quashed.

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It was Wednesday 18 March and Sean Hodgson, who had served twenty-seven years for a murder he didn’t commit, was about to be freed. The pathway to justice and liberty had opened for him when he read Inside Time. He contacted lawyers who advertised their assistance, and they took up his case with considerable energy. Within a year, fast work by criminal justice standards, he was on his way to the outside world.

The most fundamentally important repercussion of the case is the need for retention and proper storage of all the forensic science material in a case. By the end of the 1980s, it was already clear that developments in DNA technology meant that much more information could be derived from blood, semen and saliva specimens than had previously been conceived of. It genuinely was a new frontier. The best-selling author Joseph Wambaugh wrote a best-selling book about it (The Blooding, published in March 1989) – not, it seems, that those managing criminal cases in this country bothered to read it.

However, an inventory of lost or destroyed exhibits should focus attention on this vital matter. The CCRC is now asking for a fresh review of cases predating DNA technology which might now be enlightened by state of the art science. This is precisely what Barry Scheck and his team at the Innocence Project in New York have been doing since the mid-1990s. As a result, they have now been able to use the technology to exonerate 234 Death Row prisoners - an extraordinary achievement.

Court 4 is the Lord Chief Justice’s court. If quashing convictions is something that gives you a special thrill, then you’re probably never going to become Lord Chief Justice. Certainly, Lord Judge did not appear to share the general bonhomie. He looked more than usually gloomy and referred to it as ‘a dismal case’. He also said that it raised ‘important unanswered questions’. Since he did not venture to suggest what the broader questions were, we’ll try to fill in some gaps.

There is an argument for saying that material that has disappeared in such circumstances should automatically be held to benefit the appellant.

Leaving aside the overambitious use that is occasionally made of DNA, the forensic information could now be so specific that it could effectively name the guilty party. So what information might other exhibits yield in years

So it is a shame that the CCRC had not recommended such a course from the start, rather than twelve years after its inception. The Hodgson case is not simply or even pri-

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marily a science case. It is a false confession case. Hodgson was convicted almost entirely on the basis of his own confession, even though it was known at the time that not only had he pleaded guilty to other murders that had never happened, but that he was diagnosed three years earlier as being ‘a compulsive liar’ who suffered from ‘a severe personality disorder’. As a result of the work of Professor Gisli Gudjonsson and his former colleague, the late Dr James MacKeith, the UK has led the world in developing the psychology of false confessions. In 1998, when Hodgson’s lawyers were thwarted in their hopes of locating surviving scientific samples, they should simply have adopted a fresh tack and sent the case papers to Gudjonsson. The case may then have been resolved. Bearing in mind that the prosecution continue to insist that Hodgson provided seven details of the crime that were not publicly known, even today the case papers should be sent to him. It is now a “proved innocent” case and, as such, should help to further the understanding of false confessions. Another area that should be subject to urgent review is the practice of the prison psychology service of keeping in prison those who continue to assert innocence. The reason might just be not a lack of perception of what happened, but a clear understanding; they might actually be innocent. One of the most remarkable aspects of the entire Hodgson affair was the comment that, ‘It is not in our interest to see someone whose conviction is unsafe in prison. We supported Mr Hodgson’s defence team and moved very quickly.’ This comment was attributed merely to “a prosecution source”. There may be many reading this who will wonder whether this prosecution source is on the same planet as the rest of us. Does the source understand what routinely goes on? The seemingly serene progress of the Hodgson case is the exception, not the rule. Would-be appellants continue to experience enormous difficulties in trying to overturn their convictions. Whether it’s merely retrieving the case papers, or locating the exhibits, or finding lawyers or reputable experts, the appellant is confronted by a range of obstacles that the prosecution appears to do little to ameliorate. But at least what the prosecution source said is now a matter of record. Those fighting their cases who encounter the usual wall of bureaucratic intransigence will at least know what to quote in future. Perhaps then there may be more days of ebullience in Court 4.

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Comment

Locked Up Potential Today, prison officers have to concentrate on containment and warehousing - but precious little else. And jails have become conveyor belts carrying the same repeat offenders in and out of custody over and over again, while at the same time costing the taxpayer an absolute fortune … £16 billion a year to be exact. These are the conclusions of Jonathan Aitken, former-MP, former-Government Minister, former-prisoner, in the preface of a new report ‘Locked Up Potential - a strategy for reforming prisons and rehabilitating prisoners.’ Eric McGraw reports design - a design which offers more purposeful activity and training opportunities.  Rejecting the Titan prison building programme and instead re-invest, in much smaller community prisons, the £2.3 billion new building budget.  The transfer of selected prisoners to residential community based drug or alcohol centres as part of their custodial sentence.  Creating new local Parole Boards known as Community Supervision and Release Boards (CSRBs). Instead of early release decisions being made by prison management behind closed doors, they will be made by CSRBs which are knowledgeable about local resettlement services and support.

he report sets out an ambitious agenda for much needed reform, recognising that there are no quick fixes or instant solutions to the two interrelated crises in the prison system of overcrowding and reoffending.

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The Reports major recommendations include:  Abolishing the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), a 2004 merger of the Prison and Probation Services hastily designed with little genuine consultation, and devolving its centralised powers of prison management to new Community Prison and Rehabilitation Trusts (CPRT’s) - a similar idea to the local NHS Trusts.  Expanding the basic eight-week training course for prison officers (including better screening) to at least 12 weeks. And changing the culture and training of prison service staff, including prison governors, so that their mission includes community based rehabilitation of prisoners before and after their release.

 Expanding the role of voluntary groups in the rehabilitation of prisoners.  Devising more effective and more disciplined community sentences, thereby reducing the number of less serious offenders being sent to prison.  Transferring a greater proportion of foreign national prisoner to their own countries to serve their sentences.  Radically overhauling prison drug treatment programmes including a review of current drug testing methods, which are easily evaded and fundamentally flawed. Introducing compulsory drug testing on arrival at prison; improving the communication and coordination with community drug teams to develop effective support after release from prison.

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 Giving private sector employers who hire long and medium sentence prisoners after their release from jail a £5,000 credit against their Employers National Insurance Contributions (NIC) to encourage more employers to offer jobs to ex-prisoners.  Replacing the 35 years old Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 with new legislation titled the Second Chance Act - incorporating the most important features of the United States Second Chance Act passed by Congress in 2007and the Home Office Review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Breaking the Circle, which has never been implemented.

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“Prison officers in France train for a minimum of eight months. Prison officers in Singapore train for around nine months. Correctional Officers in the United States of America can train for up to two years, combining academy study and apprenticeship work” “Strong and innovative leadership is stifled by the centralised bureaucracy of the present system” “52 per cent of people we polled said government should build small, community prisons. Only 32 per cent supported prisons of 2,500 inmates” “55 per cent of ex-prisoners we polled said that prison officers did not do all they could to prevent drugs entering prisons” “Over 50 per cent of friends and family relatives of ex-prisoners we polled said they did not feel supported by the Prison Service during the period of sentence” “Only 8 per cent of people we polled said that enough importance was given to close relationships in planning for resettlement” “82 per cent of ex-prisoners we polled said they spent less than 10 hours a week in some form of education” “61 per cent of ex-prisoners we polled said they were not given an opportunity to learn relevant skills”

The Report published by the Centre for Social Justice, 9 Westminster Palace Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RL. www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk

“54 per cent of people we polled said that meetings between prisoners and their victims could reduce re-offending. 21 per cent were unsure”

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“Only 12 per cent of people we polled said prisons were currently effective at rehabilitating people. 78 per cent said they were not very effective, or not effective at all”

Locked Up Potential published on March 23 2009 under the auspices of the Centre for Social Justice, founded by the former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith MP in 2004 as a pledge he made to a mother whose son died from a drug overdose after he was released from prison.

 Increasing the number of prison visiting centres run by voluntary organisations and modernise visit booking procedures.  Equip, support and empower families to

We are a friendly and supportive firm of solicitors specialising in

 The creation of a national Restorative Justice agency and a new Act of Parliament. The Restorative Justice Act to provide the legislative framework for expanding Restorative Justice.

 Placing alcohol abuse on the same level of priority as drug abuse recognising it is a cause of a significant amount of reoffending.

 Building future prisons to a radically different

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23

Rehabilitation revolution

Former prisoner Paul Sullivan responds to Conservative proposals for reforming the justice system “Prisons are in crisis. The prison population has soared, jails have become seriously overcrowded, and re-offending rates have risen. Emergency measures have seen the early release of violent offenders, and community sentences command little public confidence.”

tury system. The point of the justice system is not for the benefit of the public to see what is going on - it is between the state and the convicted person. The Sun and News of the World are not our elected representatives, and we do not need public hangings or floggings; by suggesting this, David Cameron does the British people and our system of ‘justice’ a disservice.

At the moment, large numbers of people are sent to prison for trivial matters and often with very short sentences. These people frequently lose their job, accommodation and partner; the very things which are shown to lower reoffending rates. No purpose is served by this type of sentence, which burdens prisons with a continuously changing population. This is where community sentences that allow people to continue in employment would be of most value. “The current prison system isn’t working. Building new prisons to accommodate all those sentenced by the courts and reduce overcrowding will be essential – but it is not an end in itself. Half of all crime is committed by previous offenders and one in five recorded crimes committed by former prisoners. The right way to reduce the prison population is to break the cycle of re-offending and reduce crime.”” The way to stop people committing crimes is to identify the reasons they do it and come in with early intervention. If a person keeps committing low level crime and gets away with it they will progress onto more serious stuff. The answer is to get in early and identify the causes of their behaviour. Forget ASBOs and such like, which many view as a badge of honour. Take the ‘offenders’ away from their mates and do some real work with them and their families. Many young people get into crime because they are abandoned by the state in every department from housing to education. “Our goals are to restore confidence in the criminal justice system, re-design prisons for the 21st century and launch a rehabilitation revolution.” Before you can do anything you have to agree what ‘rehabilitation’ is and how it works. You will also need to find a way to make people want to be rehabilitated and provide real jobs and employment for those who are rehabilitated. The simplest way to sort things is to look at how and why people got into crime, and work hard at removing those contributory factors. “We will introduce honesty in sentencing so courts set a minimum and a maximum period

“Our rehabilitation revolution will unlock funding currently used to reconvict and accommodate offenders who commit more crime and end up back in prison. These savings will be re-invested to boost the money available for rehabilitation by up to £259 million a year by 2017 - or £2,500 for every prisoner discharged.” It seems the Tories think that by turning prisons into profit-making businesses, the Government of the day will save money. Given that the private sector is only in it for profit; where will these profits come from?

ast year, David Cameron published the Conservative Party panacea for repairing the justice system and creating ‘prisons that work’. Unfortunately, like a lot of political hot air, not only will their ideas fail to work but they demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of how the wheels turn within our prisons; they also fail to understand the psychology of prisoners, and seem to show a complete absence of knowledge about the history of prisons and punishment, which has brought us to the current crisis point.

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“Prison regimes will be transformed by our sentencing changes and rehabilitation reforms. Prisons will become places of education, hard work, rehabilitation and restoration.”

In their Green Paper: ‘Prisons With a Purpose’, they made numerous bold statements about how they would change it all around, cut re-offending and save £259 million a year in the process. Sounds good … until you look more deeply at what they are actually suggesting writes Paul Sullivan. with no possibility of parole until the minimum has been served. Prison governors will decide when short to medium term prisoners are released.” I agree with a minimum and maximum term, providing it is sensible; prison governors should, however, have no part in deciding upon the release of prisoners because they would have many conflicting interests, are not impartial, and should not be part of the sentencing system. What governor is going to put himself on the line and release a prisoner before the maximum time? “We will end automatic release for all determinate sentences so that no prisoner is automatically released from custody unless they have served their full term. Prisoners will earn their release, dependent on their conduct and progress in custody.”

the whole point of Parole. It was set up so that prisoners who toed the line and didn’t destroy prisons, create havoc and violence, and were generally well behaved were rewarded. If a prisoner is not going to be given that reward then what incentive is there to comply? “We will make community sentences tough and effective by improving compliance, making them more visible, and introducing new sanctions for breaches, including benefit withdrawal for those who don’t attend.” You do not need to introduce new sanctions, they are already there (ask the Probation Service); they don’t need to be visible, the Tories are just trying to go back to the stocks mentality whilst trying to describe a 21st cen-

Like many before them, the Tories are missing

This is fanciful. Prisons only run by the consent of the prisoners and, like it or not, the prisoners’ cooperation is vital. Who is going to pay for proper education in prisons when the Tories claim to be cutting £259 million a year from the budget? Education is not free, is not profit-making and has to be paid for. Thousands of prisoners warehoused without access to education or work would love the opportunity to do some constructive activity. “We will sell off old prisons and rejuvenate the prison estate; building smaller local prisons instead of the ‘Titan’ prisons proposed by the Government.” It is not possible, overnight, to build dozens of new prisons. The new prisons would have to be built before the old ones could be dispensed with. Small local prisons would cost a disproportionate amount to run - rather at odds with the claim to save £259 million - which might build two or three prisons at a push. The reason prisons are built in distant ‘out-of-town’ positions is because ‘local’ land costs too much.

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Comment

other. As time passes, and the conditions change, then I would like to see a more formal structure being developed, with a list of members who are able to organise and vote for the Association’s officers. Once our legal challenge is won, then each wing, each prison, will be able to organise and elect its representatives, and the AoP leaders will exist only because you chose them.

t seems that I have been ‘anointed’; a wizened hand reached down from Hull and passed on the baton that is the General Secretary of the Association of Prisoners - AoP. Perhaps it's because I tweak the management's tail through my comments in Inside Time; or maybe it's because I do love the politics!

I

Whatever the reason John Hirst, founder of the Association of Prisoners and winner of several important legal challenges, has passed the pen down the line to me. Some of you know me, I have been wandering the landings for 29 years and gracing the pages of Inside Time for so long I'm surprised you aren't sick of me.

Alongside this informal collective, John Hirst and myself will be reaching out to invite support for various aspects of the AoP’s agenda from prisoner-friendly groups and individuals in high positions and low places. As these links develop, we hope that the loose collective of members will become more focused and formal - but still with the same aims.

What fewer people know is that I began this sentence when I was a youngster, standing in the dock in my school uniform having killed a friend. My tariff was 10 years but due to my bloody-minded refusal to keep my mouth shut I'm still here 29 years later. If there is one thing I just can't stomach it is abuses of power; and as the essence of prison is power, I have found myself at odds with management in most places I've been.

© prisonimage.org

The future is in our hands

That attitude now sees me at the helm of an Association which has no formal structure and no list of members. In one sense, long may it stay that way; the Prison Service currently forbids us from organising nationally, claiming that we have no shared interests. That is just a reflection of their fear, because all prisoners obviously have shared concerns - we labour under a national set of rules, a national IEP system, a national psychology programme ... to claim otherwise is just plain silly. One of the legal challenges I intend to make this year in the name of the AoP is against these petty restrictions and to stop the Prison Service saying we are allowed to organise but then throwing up so many barriers as to make it impossible. However for the moment, we have to work with what we have - no national organisation. For the time being, what I want to do is develop the AoP into a loose collective of individuals who share a similar outlook, spread across the system. These are the people who take the time to help others with the perpetual ‘paper-chase’ that rules our futures; the ones who have the sense to stand up and resist the

Lifer Ben Gunn announces that he is the newly appointed General Secretary of the Association of Prisoners and challenges all prisoners to play their part in bringing about change system’s excesses; the ones who stick their head up above the parapet and say their bit on the landings and in Inside Time. Look around you; there is one of these people on every landing. There are those driven by outrage or despair; there are those driven by anger; and there are those driven by a deep understanding of the crass waste of life that is imprisonment. Some of these people have only their balls and brass-neck to offer. Some have a particular knowledge of psychology, law, prison, parole or the IEP system. All of these people have their effect and, little by little,

Give yourself the best chance

change does happen. It may be a screw who thinks twice, or a management policy that is altered, but things do change. Now imagine how much more could happen if all of these professional pains in the arse got together and developed new ideas, swapped tactics to help resist the stupidities that comprise our daily life. Imagine if their particular skills were offered to help other cons who are currently being screwed over. I want the AoP to foster a network of active prisoners who can all subscribe to the same broad agenda and coordinate between each

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But this isn't 'someone else’s struggle'. It is the struggle of every prisoner on every landing to be treated decently. Each of us can play a part, in a thousand small ways. Each time you request a copy of your OASys and demand the errors be removed; each time you write in the food comments book; each time you challenge a psychologist; each time you refuse to be spoken to like an idiot; each entitlement you demand... in itself, each of these is a small gesture, an infinitesimal ripple; however each in itself also speaks volumes; for each is a sign that as individuals we are autonomous, thinking human beings and not rabble to be dismissed and misused. Each small step any of us takes is an assertion that we are individuals, not 'bodies', and that what we say matters. Each tiny step builds our confidence and shows us that we can make a difference. And once we have that confidence in our own voice, then we can begin to speak louder and more firmly. The future is in our hands. Welcome to the Association of Prisoners. Ben Gunn is currently resident at HMP Shepton Mallet

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As well as challenging the restrictions placed on the Association, I can now reveal that I am the un-named party who took up last month’s front page in Inside Time - I am attempting to force the government to deal with the prisoners’ vote judgment that they have avoided for four years. Along with this, I intend to challenge the fact that we are being used as forced labour for outside companies.

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Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org hen Defence Secretary John Hutton admitted that two terror suspects captured by British troops in Iraq were handed over to the United States to be ‘rendered’ to Afghanistan, no-one at Reprieve was surprised.

Without doubt, this is embarrassing. But the more important question is how we stop this abuse from happening in the future.

W

Although Obama has promised to close CIA sites, this is simply not enough. Thousands more prisoners are held beyond the rule of law at military prisons like Bagram and proxy prisons - where prisoners are held by a third party but controlled by the US - worldwide. These prisoners remain at serious risk of abuse.

In the course of trying to reach prisoners held beyond the rule of law worldwide, our investigators have uncovered a multitude of uncomfortable facts about our government's role in the War on Terror. The challenge has been to persuade the Department of Defence to come clean - and help us access the thousands of 'disappeared' prisoners who are the forgotten victims of this war.

This is why Reprieve is so desperate to access these prisoners - starting with the two men rendered to Afghanistan.

So we welcome the admission that, not only has the UK colluded with the USA in the illegal practice of extraordinary rendition, but also that the previous Defence Secretary misled parliament and the public about it.

The forgotten victims

Frustratingly, our government has misinformed us again and again. First, they said that Diego Garcia was not used for rendition flights; then David Miliband had to admit that Jack Straw had misled us on that and apologised to parliament.

Then Mr Miliband said repeatedly that the government and its security services condemn torture, yet it seems that those services were complicit in the torture of Reprieve client, Binyam Mohamed. Indeed, for the first time, the UN’s senior torture investigator has directly criticised a British government, warning that Britain may have broken international law. Now Defence Secretary Hutton tells us that, despite previous government assurances to the contrary, British forces have handed prisoners to US forces in Iraq whom the US have rendered to Afghanistan. Is it any wonder we are not surprised?

Clare Algar, Executive Director at Reprieve, says secrecy and cover-up surrounding the UK government’s role in rendition must stop All of this secrecy and cover up must stop and we are not alone in saying so. UN Senior Torture investigator Manfred Nowak said of the UK government’s refusal to disclose correspondence which would confirm MI5 involvement in Binyam’s torture: “I am very concerned about the fact that allegations of torture actually cannot be really investigated because of the state secrecy privilege. We must get away from the use of the state secrecy privilege as a way of quashing court cases and litigation from victims of torture being heard in public."

Reprieve has written to Defence Secretary Hutton offering to represent the two prisoners he has admitted to rendering, for free. By reuniting all prisoners - Iraqi, British or otherwise - with their legal rights, we can help the Department of Defence reaffirm a respect for the rule of law.

Despite this damning wake-up call, David Miliband and the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, are now refusing to testify to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on allegations of British collusion.

As a 'neutral' organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross often has access to prisoners where lawyers do not. A long-hidden report by the ICRC, delivered to the Bush administration in 2007, was leaked to the press last month. It stated that the administration's treatment of terror suspects ‘constituted torture’. This confirms what our Guantanamo clients have been telling us for years - the CIA ran illegal prisons where practices like water-boarding were routine.

Surely a line must be drawn at this point. The only way to rescue this government from loss of all credibility and trust is for it to institute a truly independent review of its conduct of the War on Terror. We cannot learn from history unless we know what history is.

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The problem is access. Reprieve needs both the US and UK defence forces to support our aims by allowing us to see prisoners - and, as we saw recently, this can be highly embarrassing.

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Firstly, we must be told who they are, so that we can arrange legal representation for them. It is not acceptable for people to be imprisoned without the opportunity to challenge the legality of that imprisonment. Secondly, complete details about their detention must be fully disclosed. There has been enough hiding people away in medieval conditions. Here is a golden opportunity for the UK government to demonstrate a clear departure from the deeply unpopular practices of extraordinary rendition and illegal detention - not to mention the chilling abuse of state secrecy privilege. We must all hope they take it. Reprieve represents prisoners caught up in the War on Terror abroad, and British prisoners on death row around the world. They investigate, litigate and educate. Working on the frontline, they provide legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves. They also promote the rule of law around the world, and secure each person’s right to a fair trial; in doing so often saving lives.

Stop press: Since the article was written the police have been asked to investigate allegations made against MI5 that they were complicit in the interrogation and torture of Binyam Mohamed, who spent 7 years in detention but was never put on trial. Attorney General Baroness Scotland said she was ‘sufficiently concerned’ to ask for a police enquiry, while Binyam Mohamed’s lawyer, Reprieve Director Clive StaffordSmith, insisted that the investigation should be ‘wide ranging’.

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Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Comment "We consider that the current Prison Service Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for offending behaviour programmes is misplaced, because it measures their success by the number of courses run, rather than by outcomes. We recommend that the Prison Service put in place ongoing monitoring programmes evaluating outcomes ... and impact on reconviction rates on an annual basis"

Worshipping psychology Keith Rose exposes flaws in psychology and how prisoners are frequently intimidated into participating on certain courses ccording to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee there is no difference in the reconviction rates for prisoners who participate in ... cognitive skills courses. And Paul Cavadino, Director of Nacro, , told the Committee: "The reality is ... some of the courses work for some of the time for some people in some circumstances if they are very well targeted, but to simply argue that if you put a prisoner through an anger management course, or a thinking skills course, it will make any difference, is very questionable"

A

So the Home Affairs Select Committee is also disenchanted with psychology and their antics, which may put a curb on their empire building. Have you ever wondered how psychology trainees, the baby psychologists or ‘psycho-babes’, arrive at their decisions that an individual needs to undertake a course? The Offending Behaviour Programmes Unit (OBPU) sets out a minimum criteria for all courses. For example, the minimum criteria for the CSCP course is a score of 100 or above on the OASys Likelihood of Reconviction, and 4 or more convictions for violence, including the index offence, (this does not include unconvicted violence or adjudications).

when a psycho-babe states to a prisoner, "You will never progress and/or leave this establishment unless you do this course". That is intimidation.

"We [the Committee] share the Government’s disappointment at the results of the most recent research into the impact of offending behaviour programmes. We consider that the great expansion in offending behaviour programmes since they were introduced in the 1990s, and the alteration in focus of whom they were delivered to, have compromised programme delivery"

There is a ‘gotcha’ clause, which states that: ‘An offender who does not have 4 convictions for violence or has an OASys score of less than 100 can still be referred to CSCP if there is reason to believe that they are at HIGH RISK of future violence. This may be evidenced by behaviour in prison, staff reports etc’.

"In our view, the results of the Home Office research argue in favour of reducing the priority given to offending behaviour programmes".

Whilst the above is the OBPU minimum referral criteria, there have been endless cases of prisoners who come nowhere near the minimum being placed on CSCP courses simply

because individual establishments need to meet their Key Performance Indicator targets; yet another example of the psycho-babes breaching the British Psychological Society's Code of Ethics & Conduct. Minimum referral criteria like the CSCP example above are nationwide criteria which apply to all establishments running CSCP. Requesting your establishment’s criteria for a psychology course can be difficult; psychobabes like their secrecy. Here at Long Lartin it took 2 requests then 2 complaints until it was revealed that Long Lartin did indeed adhere to the OBPU guidelines, which were delivered on Friday 13th February by a Governor with the comment, "Psychology really hate you, you've got up their nose". Hardly surprising, no-one likes being exposed. My reply? "The truth hurts." I had begun to suspect that I was upsetting psychology as during the month of February, I was banned from writing any psychology articles using the education computers. Then I was suspended from education for 2 weeks; had my mail delayed for up to 2 weeks; had all my gym sessions cancelled; was suspended as a Listener for a week; received only 2 weeks unemployment pay; and had my first ever IEP warning. Purely coincidental, would you say? Yes, the truth does indeed hurt, which brings me on to another very common aspect of psychology misdeeds; when a psycho-babe states to a prisoner, "You will never progress and/or leave this establishment unless you do this course". That is intimidation. When a psycho-babe cancels an Open University course merely because a guy dared to question the need for him to undertake a CALM course, then that quite simply is petty bullying. How this sits with the BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct is questionable, but this routine behaviour is a breach of the Home Office/Prison Service Violence Reduction & Anti-Bullying Strategy. Isn't it about time the Great God Psychology was revealed to the Home Office and Prison Service as a false god?

Keith Rose BA (Hons) is currently resident at HMP Long Lartin

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Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Political correctness

A quack’s way to build the recovery

Lifer Charles Hanson looks at how several areas of prison life have fallen foul to an insidious ‘politically correct ideology’

By Professor Frank Furedi The government’s announcement that it will offer psychological support to people concerned about their economic future is a textbook example of how to make a drama out of a crisis. New Labour clearly looks upon people’s anxieties - about unemployment, poverty and family fallout - as a potential mental health emergency. It plans to train 3,600 therapists and hundreds of specialist staff and set up psychotherapy centres to deal with what it sees as a growing army of mentally ill people. This institutionalisation of “recession therapy” is based on the assumption that the economic crisis will lead to an epidemic of depression and stress. Transitional counselling, like many forms of therapy, has a habit of turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Once children pick up on the idea that going to secondary school is a traumatic experience, many of them start to interpret their normal anxieties and insecurities through the idiom of psychology. One symptom of this malaise is a rising number of referrals for a recently inverted condition: “school phobia”. There is little doubt that policies seeking to “phychologise” people’s response to the economic crisis will have a similar outcome. What we need is a totally different approach, one that regards people as problem solvers rather than as potential mental health patients. Experience shows that communities can deal with economic insecurity and hardship if they are provided with a sense of purpose about what should be done. People don’t need counselling but, rather, opportunities for rebuilding their lives. Instead of encouraging the public to look to therapists for help, our political leaders should foster a climate that supports individuals and communities who are committed to helping themselves.

joyless, elitist and purist politically correct ideology has crept into every facet of our lives and in its wake has crushed dissent, glorified ‘victim-hood’ and with its authoritarian and rigid ‘thought police’ control over our lives, and not least in the Prison Service, this dogma, ostensibly designed to protect disadvantaged groups, is actually all about advertising the moral purity of those who enforce it.

A

It also comes nicely wrapped up in a language all of its own, so that the various definitions of the mumbo-jumbo language often leave people so utterly bewildered as to render the language meaningless. One man’s ‘sense’ is of course another man’s nonsense. Examples of the politically correct ethos which underlines Prison Service policy are: AFTERCARE: A noble and worthy idea but an idea it remains, as ‘aftercare’ frequently means something entirely different - for example probation hostels, which are often dumps and at worst an extension of the prison one has left behind. Aftercare can also mean recall to prison, as the probation service systematically fails men and women and creates more hardened and incorrigible offenders. DIVERSITY: The Prison Service’s obsession, where prisoners are again pigeon-holed according to their ethnic origin or religious background. No other groups are worthy of consideration so diversity actually means division and divisiveness, the opposite of equality and cohesion, where some prisoners are more equal than others. In the Prison Service, diversity means what staff want it to mean; with every group trying to grab a bit of the action. HEALTH AND SAFETY: A current phenomenon that has spawned a gigantic industry now mushrooming out of control and providing a gravy train for its followers.

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All prisons have a Health and Safety Officer and a Health and Safety policy, however whilst Health and Safety is a current fad, heavily promoted and forced down our throats, two or three prisoners continue to eat, sleep and shit in the same cell designed for one. Nowhere is ‘Health and Safety’ a consideration there. INCENTIVES & EARNED PRIVILEGES SCHEME: A system whereby prisoners are graded according to their behaviour and progress and become eligible for different privileges and facilities. Often arbitrary and little more than a system of control, the IEP scheme is designed more for the easiness of prison staff who simply want a quiet life. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: Another politically correct term to describe how well the prison is doing by use of graphs, pie charts, tables and columns of figures. A dubious and easily manipulated system to bolster the Governor and staff’s reputation and credentials, but is meaningless in the eyes of prisoners, who understand that they don’t need maths to figure out how chaotic the prison system really is. MANDATORY DRUG TESTING: Something all prisoners are subject to, but quite often only those who have no drug history will be targeted. Figures count here and by a sleight of hand it makes sense not to test the guilty; as that would demonstrate that prison security is failing to stem the flow of drugs into prisons, which in any event often find their way to prisoners through corrupt staff. OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR PROGRAMMES: A spoon fed ideology which holds that prisoners can be coerced, threatened or abused into attending dubious and meaningless courses to reduce risk through changing their thinking patterns. Does an Englishman going to live in

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China, and having to learn Chinese, forget he ever spoke English? A big money-spinner for those who develop such courses and those who tutor them; without there being any convincing evidence that they actually achieve what is claimed. Those who subscribe to the validity of such programmes, and embrace them, disregard the inconvenient truth - they are simply no more than ‘one size cap fits all’ indoctrination. PRISONER’S CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: A so-called democratic but politically correct device used by prison Governors to elicit intelligence and prisoners’ grievances from a select few; who are usually self-assumed, self-elected and self-serving spokesmen for other prisoners. The Committee acts as a barometer for how prisoners are thinking and in line with politically correct and KGB-like snooping, encourages a small band of prisoners to tell tales on others under the guise of seeking considerations and extra privileges for all. Governors and prison staff listen and note grievances, but that is the limit of their involvement. Who cares anyway? THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES: The likes of Grendon and Dovegate, which supposedly challenge a prisoner’s offending behaviour. They are liberal regimes and a source for researchers but do not succeed in what they claim to do and are seen by many prisoners as enhancing their prospects of parole, although sadly this is not actually the case. They represent an avenue for the do-gooder element wishing to peer inside the minds of those who volunteer for such prisons. WELFARE: Supposedly linked to rehabilitation and so-called ‘through-care’, however the politically correct world demands that you must follow their rules on how to live, love, work, play and think, with any dissent, thinking for oneself and freedom of thought and speech being treated as a cardinal sin to be challenged. The ‘we know what is best for others’ approach has to prevail or one faces the wrath of the liberal elitist and politically correct staff who tend to dominate prison regimes and policy, and in its wake attempt to socially engineer prisoners. Charles Hanson is currently resident at HMP Blantyre House

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Comment

n a news item broadcast on 10th February, the government skills watchdog voiced their concern that an ever increasing number of young people are completing job application and college entry application forms in ‘text-speak’.

I

Tools of the trade

I feel it incumbent upon me to preface the following in declaring that I am 63 years of age and, self-evidently, educated in an era when teachers employed different methodologies and rules when teaching various subjects, not least the English language. I do not look back through rose-tinted spectacles to the days of my primary and secondary education in the fifties and sixties; it was by no means a golden era of education, however I can state without fear of contradiction that my peers and I were taught the use of the tools of the trade where English language and arithmetic were concerned. It has become an annual complaint on the part of university professors and lecturers that many first year undergraduates require remedial lessons where their knowledge and use of the English language is concerned. Many employers echo the complaint of the academics. Apparently, and it is glaringly apparent, many school-leavers are devoid of understanding the fundamental tenets of the English language. It is lamentable that a university entrant or prospective employee has little to no understanding of the rules of language, and many are incapable of producing an essay or a formal letter worthy of the description.

Gerard McGrath takes issue with modern teaching methods that have led to a generation of young people without a proper concept of English language skills and adverb. I was taught the use of tenses: the present, imperative, interrogative etc. I was taught: clause analysis, the use of adverbial and adjectival clauses. I was taught to understand the subjunctive, why and how to paragraph, what a synonym and antonym are, what onomatopoeia and tautology are.

It has become an annual “ complaint on the part of

No arrogant disdain of subsequent generations is intended in my stating that I am eternally grateful to those who educated my generation. I owe a debt to those who taught me what the tools of the trade are and how to use them; enabling me to construct and produce an essay, a piece of prose, a report, formal or informal letters. I hasten to add, I do not flatter myself that I am an exemplar of a wordsmith who can string words like a necklace of flawless pearls. My generation of teachers engendered and inculcated in me the desirability of gaining as comprehensive a lexicon as possible. They imparted an understanding of grammar and syntax. I was taught the parts of speech, how to punctuate and spell words in common usage – and not so common. I was taught in sadly long defunct English comprehension class how to conjugate a verb, the correct use of a preposition, conjunction, noun, adjective

employed it to describe a state of wellbeing or joy. A given rule may be abandoned. At this writing there is a lively debate regarding whether or not the apostrophe should be consigned to history because many people do not understand the correct use of it. Personally, I have nothing against the apostrophe; having been taught its proper use. I learned that King's Cross is correct, Kings Cross is not correct and the reason why. If competently taught, one does not have to be a member of Mensa to understand the correct use of the apostrophe.

university professors and lecturers that many first year undergraduates require remedial lessons where their knowledge and use of the English language is concerned

”

I concur with the opinions of academics and employers that if prospective undergraduates and employees are not taught what are and how to use the tools of the trade of the English language, it follows that they struggle to construct and produce anything of acceptable quality.

Recognizing and understanding what is wrong and who is accountable in order to rectify is prudent and wise. Apportioning blame for the sake of it serves no useful purpose so suffice the following.

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Gerard McGrath BA Hons is currently resident at HMP Haverigg

I am compelled to conclude that the so-called radical reformers of education and teaching methodology in the late sixties and early seventies were at best myopic and misguided in their zeal and fervour. To be succinct, phonetic/ phonic methodology became the way forward on the basis of freedom of expression and communication theory. Consequently, from the late seventies to date, a plethora of empirical evidence has exponentially accumulated to affirm that children were ill-served in being ‘educated’ by teachers trained to deliver such ill-conceived methodology. Subsequent variations on a theme were put into practice but all have proven flawed. Any language has only one purpose; to communicate by means of the spoken and written word. I am aware that language is akin to a living entity and evolves over time. Vocabulary changes, words are coined, the definition of a word may change reflecting the context of usage. For example, the word ‘gay’ no longer means what it did when Dickens, Wilde, et al

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I am no Luddite. I do not object to the evolution of language. However, I am implacably opposed to children being left in ignorance of what are the tools of the trade and how to use them. I hold the opinion that many young people are at best semi-literate and innumerate because they have been shamefully failed by so-called educators who owed them a duty of care. It beggars belief, actually completing a form in 'text-speak?' To our shame, and the detriment of the English language, we are indeed reaping as we have sown.

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Now 'Listen' To This Andy Thackwray considers the Listener scheme needs a transformation in order to function properly and provide the kind of support structure that challenging, complex and vulnerable prisoners need and deserve ow, isn't it time to have a radical overhaul, or pack it in and leave the psychological needs of the prison estate's most distressed and vulnerable to a more appropriately qualified and accountable body? Harsh words? Maybe, but with prison suicides and serious cases of self-harm ever on the increase, surely that statement isn't as scathing as it may seem. Something needs to change.

N

Now don't get me wrong, I've nothing against people who genuinely want to help others, but I do have a problem with people who 'say' they genuinely want to help, but really only want to help themselves. Unfortunately, during my seven years incarceration I've met a lot of Listeners who fit the latter description. However most, to their credit, have admitted to me that they have become Listeners primarily to secure a single pad, a six month hold from transfer, gain favourable parole reports, and to sport a green/black jumper, a garment which in a lot of cases complements their green trousers. I have a problem with such individuals, but until now I have kept my big gob firmly shut. After all, who am I to comment on how someone should do their sentence? I'm not a Listener! However, I fear the families, friends and loved ones of prisoners who have to rely on the Listeners, and I say 'have to rely' in no uncertain terms, may want to know the real reason why and how such bogus individuals have managed to join the Listener's ranks, especially if they are the last person their loved one sees before going on to seriously harm themselves or worse still, take their own life. According to Ruth Acty's fluffy article, 'The Listeners,' featured in the March 2009 issue of Inside Time, the Samaritans support and orchestrate the Listener schemes throughout the UK prison system. She states that to

become a prison Listener, a prisoner must complete a thorough selection process conducted by the Samaritans which determines whether the prisoner possesses the right qualities to become one. I have a very good understanding of the basics of counselling. And before any nit picker shouts 'listening's not counselling', let me tell you counselling involves a lot of listening. Before coming into prison, I gained various qualifications in many aspects of the skill, including bereavement, relationship and drug and alcohol focused work. However, I believe I would still have to study a further two years in order for me to practice it competently and safely and keep within the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy's strict practitioner's guidelines. This is a far cry from the Samaritans training package of eight modules delivered over a duration of three to eight weeks as highlighted by Ruth Acty. Surely this basic training is monstrously inadequate; especially when it will subsequently be used with the most challenging and complex of individuals. Regardless of the type of listening/counselling, a few fundamental rules apply to all levels and disciplines. One such rule is, 'never bring your own problems to a session/listen. Now I will defy anyone, and I mean anyone, to argue against the fact that every inmate incarcerated within the prison estate of today has not got problems associated to their daily life. If they say they haven't, then in my book they are either liars or in Broadmoor Hospital. I argued this point with a Listener not too long ago. He told me, 'Oh, I don't have any problems in here, Andy.' Presumably the fact that he was in prison, at the start of an eight, in for kids and maintaining his innocence, must have escaped him. The fact that such prisoners are allowed to join the Listening ranks, and have direct access to the prison estate's most vul-

nerable without first addressing their index offence, for whatever reason, beggars belief. It makes a complete mockery of the Samaritan's so called ‘selection’ process. This absurdity is especially so on the VP estates on which I've resided, where many of its inmates’ index offences involve several dominating and controlling elements. To me, it's akin to have had Harold Shipman put in charge of the prison pharmacy! Just for the record, I was wrongly convicted of rape and I'm actively maintaining my innocence - a stance I have taken from the day of my arrest. I've been in the prison system for over six years now in a cat B local. I've seen a lot, heard a lot, and learned a lot. Some say I'm ‘good Listener material.' I say, 'bollocks’. First of all, how the hell can I muster any empathy or understanding for people who have, say, taken a life or physically, psychologically or sexually abused men, women and children …

... someone says they are going to do themselves in, or do someone else in for that matter, then someone in authority definitely wants telling, and they are, so why on earth lie and say they don't? and in some cases goats and sheep? I simply can't. How can I expect to help a ‘client’ get their house in order when mine isn't and never will be until I clear my name. And finally, I have enough problems of my own associated with my appeal work; anyone following a similar path will know exactly what I mean - I simply haven't got time for anybody else's shit. Selfish, maybe, but respect my honesty if nothing else - a stance the Listener scheme and some of its members should be well advised to adopt when peddling its services. For starters, let's get rid of all that 'everything remains confidential' bollocks. We all know it doesn't, and quite rightly, so please don't anyone oppose me on that statement. If someone

EBR

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29

says they are going to do themselves in, or do someone else in for that matter, then someone in authority definitely wants telling, and they are, so why on earth lie and say they don't? Let's also have in place a more robust, thorough and detailed screening process, to detect and prevent the morally corrupt joining its ranks. Let's do away with all the carrots and incentives, thus making it easier for the Samaritans to sort the wheat from the chaff. Why not have potential Listeners to have had at least two years time done and all the courses linked to their offending behaviour completed? Give them more thorough and intensive training before they are let loose on the vulnerable; training which can be continued upon release. Let's go for quality rather than quantity; enabling only genuine, caring and qualified prisoners to don the Listener colours. And last, but not least, why not have a new and honest mission statement which can be truly believed? Something along the lines of.- ‘The Listeners, we are the prison's inmate liaison and referral team. We are trained by the Samaritans to help inmates in times of despair and distress. We help bridge the gap and convey matters of concern between the prison's inmates and its staff in all departments. We are available 24 hours a day’. Would it be so wrong for the Listeners to trade on something like the above premise? We all know that prison staff are stretched to their limits in all departments, and in the present financial climate the situation is going to get worse before it gets better. For all my gobbing off, the Listener Scheme, in principle, is needed and valued, but badly in need of a shake-up if it's to stand any chance of minimising the presently unacceptable prison self harm and suicide rates. It needs to gain credibility, and to do so it will have to eradicate the points, discrepancies and individuals that I've highlighted in this article. Openness, honesty and guidance shared by some strong, genuine, adequately trained and experienced inmates to the weak, distressed and suicidal, surely represents a recipe for success and something that they, at the very least, deserve. Andy Thackwray is currently resident at HMP Hull

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Comment PRISON SERVICE ORDER 4480 Prisoners’ Representative Associations

PSO

watch In his monthly feature exclusively for Inside Time, former prisoner John Hirst simplifies Prison Service Orders. John spent a total of 25 years in prison (his tariff was 15 years - discretionary life sentence for manslaughter) and is the author of the Jailhouse Lawyer’s blog. Prior to release in May 2004, he proved to be the most prolific prisoner litigant of modern times and, he says, unlike Perry Mason and Rumpole of the Bailey, he never lost a case against the Prison Service

I remember reading government literature published about the same time as the Human Rights Act 1998 was passed, informing public authorities of the likely impact of the new legislation when it came into force 2 years later. I was pleased to note that government advisers had totally missed the significance for prisoners of Article 11 of the European Convention that protects the right to freedom of assembly and association, including the right to form trade unions, subject to certain restrictions, that are ‘in accordance with law and necessary in a democratic society’. When I studied ‘O’ Level Law, I remember reading …’it is the right of individuals to form an association in direct opposition to another association’. In the margin of the book I had written ‘Association of Prisoners’ – POA. However, because the Convention had not at that time been incorporated into English law, it would receive short shrift from the Prison Service and the courts. When the time was right and the iron hot, I struck. Having spoken to some prisoners who I believed would be ‘up for it’ in HMP Nottingham we started to form an association and there were 10 founder members; one of whom is the present General Secretary of the Association of Prisoners, Ben Gunn, a lifer at Shepton Mallet. This was on a Sunday, and I phoned the Daily Telegraph to break the story. The next day the article by Matt Born was headlined ‘Prisoners in move to set up trade union’. When I phoned to thank Matt, he told me that he had phoned the Home Office press office for comment and was informed (unofficially) that we had caught them with their pants down! When they pulled them back up again, the official response was to publish Prison Service Order 4480 – Prisoners’ Representative Associations. It is a brief PSO and in the introduction states: ‘This PSO gives advice to Governors and

Controllers on how to respond to prisoners who wish to set up, participate in, or become members of prisoner representative associations’. PSO 4480 contains both mandatory instructions and guidance in relation to prisoners’ associations. Under the heading ‘Output’ the PSO states: ‘The operation of prisoners’ representative associations will be a matter for local discretion. In deciding how far to allow such associations to operate within their establishments, Governors and Controllers must take account of local conditions and the potential implications for Good Order or Discipline (GOOD). The nature of imprisonment cannot allow for representative structures wider than establishment level. Associations can therefore have no standing at either national or area level’. In my view, the above advice is only the department’s view of the law and it is doubtful that it would withstand a challenge by way of judicial review. Whilst accepting that Governors and Controllers by law can exercise some discretion in how they manage their establishments, this does not extend to subjecting prisoners to a totalitarian state, where repression and oppression become legally acceptable. There is room for negotiation simply because it is neither the Governor’s nor Controller’s association, but the prisoners association(s) and the operation of these are governed by the association’s constitutions and rules and not the Prison Rules; but any prisoner association which fails to take into account the Prison Rules would not be a sensible route to take. There are some sensible, liberal thinking Governors in the system, however there are also some buffoon-like Captain Mainwaring types, as in Dad’s Army, and they will panic even though some Corporal Jones-like prison officer might advise “Don’t panic!” It’s the old ‘catch-all’ good order or discipline Prison Rule, which some Governors are still too fond of for the smooth running of the establishment. This might bring back memories for some of Randle P McMurphy in ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ as he attempted to reform the coolly monstrous Nurse Ratched’s regime, which she saw as being in the good order and discipline of the mental institution.

Whilst it might suit Governors and Controllers if prisoner associations were kept to a local level, this advice would not stand up to a judicial review. One would only need to point out that the POA operates at both local and national level, and if Governors or Controllers sought to limit the human right contained within Article 11 of the Convention, then they would run foul of s. 6 (1) of the HRA “It is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right”. Obviously, area and national associations would have less scope than, say, the POA, because of the nature of imprisonment, but it is no excuse to claim that they cannot extend beyond the local level. In fact the Prisoners Rights Movement is international. PSO 4480 is incorrect to claim that GOOD overrides the HRA and the Convention. When the then Governor of HMP Nottingham attempted this argument in relation to the prisoners’ human right to phone the media under Article 10 of the Convention, he learned his lesson in court. Later he was escorted away by police, for another matter, from the open prison where he had moved to as Governor; so perhaps he had not learned his lesson after all. From a prisoner’s perspective, a national association has the benefit of it being pointless for Governors and Controllers to transfer prisoners who legally organise, because once the association spreads, they will meet like-minded prisoners or members in other prisons. The Prison Service introduced management run and controlled prisoner ‘representative’ groups, which only gave the appearance of democracy. These should not be confused with genuine prisoner associations. Another tactic used by the Prison Service was divide and rule; that is they introduced the IEP scheme. In effect they created a lower, middle and upper class prisoner with the Basic, Standard and Enhanced regimes. Prisoners should look to Europe and the EU as the best way forward to improve conditions.

Readers are reminded that the Prison Service Orders on this page have been summarised. The full text of the PSOs can be viewed in your library.

Peter Bonner & Co Solicitors Specialists in Criminal, Prison and Family Law

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Short Story

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Lags and Wags

Matthew Williams

Continuing her series exclusively for Inside Time, writer and comedienne Alison Henderson has more zany adventures from Sue and her friends …this month they are off to the Partners in Severe Stress (PISS) annual conference at St Mary’s scout hut and the ladies are raring to go. They meet at Sue’s house however some are more eager to go than others! ‘I don’t know why we’re bothering going’, moaned Maureen as she looked out of the window to see if their taxi was coming. ‘Well, I’ve never been before’, piped up Vera as she brushed the dog hairs off her black leggings. ‘It’s riveting’, replied Maureen sarcastically, raising her eyebrows. ‘Sue’s brave getting up on stage isn’t she?’ smiled Vera excitedly. ‘She does it every bloody year!’ laughed Maureen hysterically. ‘It’s not that funny is it?’ asked Vera, somewhat puzzled. ‘ I wouldn’t say it was funny, no, but considering this year’s conference theme is ‘coming home’, and her Baz has only spent six months of his bloody life on the outside, then yes, I think Sue getting up doing a speech is hilarious!’ chuckled Maureen, shaking her head. ‘Oh, that’s Sue’s house phone ringing’, mumbled Vera. ‘Sue!’ shouted Maureen upstairs, ‘It’s your phone!’ ‘Right, thanks’, shouted Sue. ‘I’ll get it up here!’ ‘Hello’, mumbled Sue down the receiver, trying not to smear her nail varnish over the phone. ‘Hi babe’, came the reply. ‘Hi honey’, replied Sue coyly. ‘What you up to today?’ asked Baz inquisitively. ‘I’m going to PISS’, replied Sue nervously. ‘Well just cross your legs for a minute love; I’ve only got 30p credit left until canteen tonight so I wont be on here that long’, replied Baz. ‘Sue, Sue, the taxi’s here!’ shouted Maureen from the bottom of the stairs. ‘Look babe, I’ve got to go to PISS now’, explained Sue.

‘Have you got cystitis or something love?’ asked Baz with a concerned tone. ‘Baz, I’m off to PISS ...’ explained Sue. ‘Oh crap! My units are going. I’ll ring tonight babe’, interrupted Baz before the line went dead. ‘Hurry up Sue!’ shouted Maureen, ‘the taxi’s waiting!’ ‘Right, right, I’m coming now!’ replied Sue, flying down the stairs. ‘Come on, come on, the taxi’s outside waiting on us’, panicked Maureen, prodding Sue and Vera out of the front door. ‘Oh you do look lovely Sue, you look just like that David Beckham’s wife’, smiled Vera as the women huddled up together in the back of the taxi. ‘Who?’ replied Maureen with a frown on her face. ‘David Beckham’s wife, you know … posh spice’, replied Vera, admiring Sue’s suit. ‘She might look like Victoria Beckham but she’s got legs like David’s!’ laughed Maureen loudly. ‘Oh Jesus!’ shouted Sue, looking down at her pins. ‘I forgot to shave them! That’s Baz’s fault for ringing!’ ‘Right ladies, where are we going?’ asked the taxi driver - eager to go. ‘We’re going to PISS’, replied Vera, straightening her skirt. ‘Pardon?’ coughed the taxi driver nervously. ‘We have to get to PISS quickly’, chirped in Maureen as she applied yet another layer of lip gloss. ‘I’m going to have to ask you to get out’, said the taxi driver sternly. ‘And why’s that?’ questioned Sue … unimpressed. ‘I can’t take you to PISS’, he replied, scratching his head. ‘Oh that will be right! Just because we’re families

of prisoners you refuse to take us anywhere!’ Maureen ranted. ‘But you said you all need to go to PISS?’ mumbled the taxi driver. ‘Yes we did, Partners in Severe Stress! PISS for short!’ explained Sue, raising her voice. ‘Look love, just take us to St Mary’s scout hut near the convent’, sighed Maureen. ‘They should change their name really’, moaned Vera, still fidgeting with her skirt. PISS isn’t really suitable is it?’ ‘Yeah, they should call it Convent!’ sniggered Maureen. ‘Isn’t that where nuns live though?’ questioned Vera, slightly puzzled. ‘Exactly!’ laughed Sue. ‘I think the name is quite fitting actually!’ ‘Oh?’ stuttered Vera, completely not with it. ‘CON-VENT!’ laughed Maureen. ‘You know Vera, CON-VENT, as in us lot venting about cons!’ chuckled Sue. ‘And not forgetting us being nuns!’ giggled Maureen. ‘But we’re not nuns’, replied Vera, now totally confused. ‘Well I bloody well am! I have been for years because my other half keeps on making a ‘HABIT’ of going back inside!’ roared Maureen hysterically. ‘Right ladies, we’re here’, laughed the taxi driver, amused by their conversation. ‘Oh look, someone’s come in fancy dress’, smiled Vera, pointing over to the scout hut entrance as she hopped out of the taxi. ‘Ah no Vera, that’s PISS’s character and mascot - Bob the Burglar’, replied Sue, tucking her hair behind her ears. ‘He looks like Bob the Builder though?’ said Vera, squinting as she tried to take a closer look. ‘Well yeah, he’s pretty much the same only this one has got a yellow balaclava on instead of a hard hat’, smiled Sue. ‘That’s a disgrace!’ Maureen replied disapprovingly. ‘What is?’ asked Sue, trying to light her cig against the wind. ‘Bob the Burglar!’ replied Maureen, unimpressed. ‘Oh Maureen, it’s for the kids hun’, sighed Sue. ‘Bob the Burglar, can he fix it … yes he can? So what does he fix then?’ questioned Maureen. ‘Well, stuff like window locks and busted door handles and things’, replied Sue approvingly. ‘Bloody hell!’ laughed Maureen in disbelief. ‘Right, come on ladies, it looks like they’re asking us to go in now’, sniffled Vera, dying to get in there and park her backside. The ladies made their way into the scout hut and grabbed seating nearest to the buffet table. ‘The spread looks nice’, nodded Vera, scanning the food. ‘Oh look, it’s young Jenny off the estate. I wonder if her boyfriend’s back inside whispered Sue amongst the hustle and bustle of people arriving. ‘Jenny love!’ bellowed Maureen as she stood up waving. ‘Ah she’s seen us. Look, she’s coming over’,

31

pointed Sue. ‘Hiya Jenny love’, said Maureen giving her a big bear-hug. ‘Hiya babes’, replied Jenny, pleased to see the girls. ‘Is he back inside love?’ asked Sue delicately. ‘Oh God yeah he is’, replied Jenny, nodding. ‘It was Ronnie and Reggie’s fault for sticking him in.’ ‘Blimey!’ gasped Maureen. ‘Well, he nicked a plasma screen and hid it in Ronnie and Reggie’s. Next minute, someone rang the dibble and Ronnie charged out dragging the copper all over the floor!’ explained Jenny. ‘Jesus!’ gasped Sue. ‘Then Reggie ran out and all hell let loose! Mark tried to calm them down but they were having none of it. Anyway, one of the coppers ran round the back of our house and came back out carrying the bloody plasma!’ laughed Jenny. ‘So did Ronnie and Reggie bring the plasma screen over to your house then Jenny?’ asked Vera sympathetically. ‘Er, no’, replied Jenny, confused. ‘Well how come the police found the plasma screen at the back of your house then?’ asked Vera, somewhat baffled. ‘Because they found it in Ronnie and Reggie’s hun’, interrupted Maureen. ‘Well, Jenny’s just said they found it at the back of their house?’ replied Vera. ‘They did!’ snapped Sue. ‘It was in Ronnie and Reggie’s kennel Vera!’ sighed Maureen with her head in her hands. ‘Oh?’ stuttered Vera. ‘Ronnie and Reggie are bloody Staffordshire Bull Terriers!’ explained Sue, half pulling her hair out. ‘Right, well, anyway he’s on remand for burglary’, said Jenny, huffing and puffing. ‘I’m sorry to hear that love’, sighed Maureen. ‘And how are the kids?’ ‘They’re fine thanks; I’ve brought them here to meet Bob the Burglar and see if it helps them come to terms with it and all that’, replied Jenny positively. ‘Christ’s sake’, whispered Maureen under her breath. ‘Oh well, that’s a good thing’, smiled Sue supportively. ‘Well, PISS is introducing a new mascot later today for the older kids’, beamed Jenny excitedly. ‘How lovely’, smiled Vera. ‘Fantastic!’ mumbled Maureen. ‘So they got funding then for a new character?’ quizzed Sue. ‘Characters’, replied Jenny. ‘So there’s two new ones then?’ asked Sue, rather surprised. ‘Yeah … Screwby Doo and Scrappy’, replied Jenny. ‘What!’ laughed Maureen, totally beside herself. ‘Yeah, Screwby Doo and Scrappy’, repeated Jenny. ‘Typical of PISS really’, screamed Maureen, rolling over with laughter. ‘Well, Screwby Doo is the prison officer and Scrappy is the prisoner who keeps getting into fights and all that’, explained Jenny politely. ‘Good morning to each and every one of you and thank you for coming. Please could you take your seats and welcome today’s forum…’

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News from the House plans to move any of the women out of Drake Hall and Morton Hall as a result of the change. The change is essentially an administrative one, both establishments will retain their current levels of internal and perimeter security and their current resettlement regimes, including their roles as specialist foreign national centres. Women suitable for “open” or “closed” conditions will be able to go to these prisons if such a move meets their resettlement needs. The changes are compatible with Baroness Corston’s recommendation. (Editorial Note) An extract of a letter a former prisoner wrote recently to the Minister: ‘How are you able to keep women as close to their families as possible when there are only 14 prisons in the female estate?

City Minister Lord Myners, in charge of stamping out company tax dodging, has himself set up a business in the tax haven of Bermuda. Lord Myners, already under pressure for approving Fred Goodwin’s massive pension of £700,000 a year from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), was part-time chairman of an offshore company which avoided more than £100 million a year in taxes. Details of Myners’ involvement in an offshore company, reported first by The Sunday Times, will be an embarrassment to Gordon Brown who is seeking to win the backing of governments to abolish tax havens at the G20 meeting in London on April 2.

News from the House of Commons Prisoners Transfers: Jamaica

Young Offender Institutions

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the prisoner transfer agreement signed with the Government of Jamaica in June 2007. Mr. Hanson: The prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Jamaica was signed in London on 26 June 2007. It will enter into force when ratified by both the United Kingdom and Jamaica. Changes to Jamaican law are necessary before it can ratify the agreement. Once these changes have been made and Jamaica can proceed with ratification, the agreement will be laid before Parliament in accordance with the Ponsonby Rule in the normal way.

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the redesignation of HM Prison/Young Offender Institution (HMP/YOI) Drake Hall and HM Prison Morton Hall will have on (a) the distance from home, (b) resettlement programmes, (c) community links and (d) re-offending rates of those female prisoners held in (i) HMP/YOI Drake Hall who have been assessed as suitable for semi-open conditions, (ii) HM Prison Morton Hall who have been assessed as suitable for semi-open conditions, (iii) closed conditions in the female estate and (iv) open conditions in the female estate; and if he will make a statement.

Prisons: Construction Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any land has been acquired for the construction of Titan prisons. Mr. Hanson: The work to identify suitable sites for prison clusters is currently under way, but we have yet to confirm or purchase any sites. (There is a rumour that the construction of Titan prisons will now not go ahead because the Government had planned to collaborate with the Royal Bank of Scotland - a bank which is now mostly owned by the Government. Ed)

Mr. Hanson: The re-designation of HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Morton Hall as closed prisons will allow the Prison Service to more properly provide for the needs of women suitable for each of the prisons. The effect of the change will allow for greater flexibility in the use of the estate; improving closeness to home and families for some women, allowing appropriate lifer and indeterminate sentenced women to be placed so as to better meet their needs, and in general enable more women to access the resettlement regimes available at the two prisons. There are no

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If this is the case, perhaps you could explain why I was taken from court in Guildford - local to my home address - to Bronzefield; after a week transferred to Peterborough and then six months later transferred even further north to Morton Hall. I was released on tag to an address in Lincoln, 200 miles north of my home, with no employment prospects, no home of my own and only one member of my extended family in the area. Due to the distances involved, I was unable to get visits from close family and friends except for a brief period when my daughter was stationed within 50 miles of Peterborough. Hardly conducive to resettlement and rehabilitation is it? I was not alone in this predicament and given that there are at least three prisons within 50 miles of my original home address, it makes a mockery of your statement. Perhaps you were hoping that women prisoners or their families would not be privy to your comments? With no help at all from the system, I have found employment and been able to move back south to be near friends and family and have, in the most part, been able to rebuild those relationships. In the three establishments that I was held in, resettlement and rehabilitation was non-existent and had I depended on them I would probably have had to do my whole sentence in prison and come out to a railway arch! It is no wonder that so many prisoners re-offend - there is so little support either inside or outside the prison.’

Young Offender Institutions: Nationality Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders held in (a) HM Prison/Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and (b) HM Prison Morton Hall are (i) UK and (ii) foreign nationals.

Mr. Hanson: The following table gives the numbers of foreign national and British national prisoners held in Drake Hall and Morton Hall as at the end of December 2008. Establishment Drake Hall Morton Hall Total population 224 332 Foreign nationals 45 225 British nationals 177 107 Nationality unrecorded 1 0

Prison Sentences Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prisoners serving a prison sentence beyond their original or adjusted tariff were prisoners serving indeterminate imprisonment for public protection who had (a) not yet completed their mandatory courses and (b) are awaiting a Parole Board hearing at the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by region. Maria Eagle: As of 15 December 2008 there were 1,508 prisoners serving an Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection (IPP) who were or would be held in prison beyond their tariff on 9 February 2009. There are no mandatory courses that IPP prisoners must complete before being considered for a Parole Board hearing. Therefore, there are no IPP prisoners who are awaiting a Parole Board hearing having not completed a mandatory course. However, IPP prisoners may be identified as suitable for inclusion in specific offending behaviour programmes, depending upon the nature of their offending and their identified risk factors. As of December 2008, 2,865 IPP prisoners had been given access to at least one offending behaviour programme. This equates to 58 per cent. of the current IPP prisoner population.

Prison Sentences Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection have been set a tariff of (a) less than 12 months, (b) between 12 months and two years and (c) over two years; (2) how many prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection who have served sentences longer than their tariff have served (a) fewer than six months, (b) between six months and one year and (c) more than one year over their tariff. Maria Eagle: The number of prisoners in custody on 12 February 2009 serving an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection broken down by length of tariff is as follows:

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Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

No. of prisoners Awaiting confirmation of tariff 329 Tariff less than 12 months 253 Tariff 12 months to two years 1,122 Tariff over two years 3,355 Total 5,059 The number of prisoners in custody serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection longer than their tariff on 12 February 2009 was 1,487. This is broken down as follows: No. of prisoners Past tariff by fewer than six months 525 Past tariff six to 12 months 394 Past tariff 12 months or more 568 Total 1,487

The tariff is the minimum period which an indeterminate sentenced prisoner must serve for punishment and deterrence. It is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether to direct the release of an indeterminate sentenced prisoner once his tariff has expired, based on all relevant information as to the risk of harm which the prisoner presents. Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners are serving (a) life sentences and (b) other indeterminate sentences. Maria Eagle: At the end of December 2008 there were 4,963 prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection in all prison establishments in England and Wales, and 7,031 serving life sentences. (The total of 12,090 men, women and children serving various forms of life sentence in England and Wales is higher than the total (11,477) of all 46 other countries in the Council of Europe added together, including Russia, Turkey, Germany and the Ukraine. Ed)

Prisoners Release: Reoffenders Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many mandatory life sentence prisoners released on licence in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available

have reoffended, broken down by offences committed. Mr. Hanson: The only centrally held data on prisoners who reoffend while on licence is in respect of those offenders who are recalled to prison for reoffending. This information is available only from 2003 onwards. Our records show that for the period from 1 January 2003 until 17 February 2009, there were 758 releases recorded of mandatory life sentenced prisoners, of which 48 (6.3 per cent.) were recalled and subsequently found guilty of a further offence or offences. In addition, we have recorded a further 17 who were released prior to 2003, were recalled over the same period and subsequently found guilty of a further offence or offences. This gives a total of 65 mandatory life licences recalled and convicted for further offences from 1 January 2003 to 17 February 2009.

NEWS FROM THE HOUSE OF LORDS Prisoners: Parole Lord Hylton and Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoner hearings have been postponed by the Parole Board in the past 12 months; and for how long, on average, they are postponed. To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the reasons for the postponement of prisoner hearings by the Parole Board. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost of postponement of prisoner hearings by the Parole Board. Lord Bach: In the current financial year there have been 479 cases which were listed for hearing but postponed before the due date. In addition there were 339 cases which went to a hearing but were adjourned or deferred on the day.

Prison Sentences Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average sentence tariff handed down to offenders sentenced to indeterminate sentences for public protection was in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. Mr. Hanson: In 2007 the shortest tariff handed down to a prisoner sentenced to an indeterminate sentence for public protection was 28 days. The longest tariff was 11 years and 11 days. The average tariff was two years and 348 days. In 2008 the shortest tariff was 39 days. The longest tariff was 14 years and 235 days. The average tariff was three years and 140 days. The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 introduced changes to the sentencing framework for indeterminate sentenced for public protection. The amendments introduced a minimum tariff of two years below which an indeterminate sentence for public protection cannot be given except where offenders have committed extremely serious crimes in the past. These changes apply to cases sentenced on or after 14 July 2008.

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The average amount of time for cases that have been postponed to be heard is 3.9 months. There are a number of reasons why prisoners' hearings are postponed. The main reasons are identified as 1. Incomplete dossier. 2. The Board could not arrange a panel. 3. Witness not available. 4. Key documents arrived too late. 5. Prisoner transferred to a different establishment. 6. Prisoner to complete a behavioural/educational course. The cost of postponement of prisoner hearings by the Parole Board is difficult to calculate given the broad variety of circumstances in individual cases. However, the NAO calculated that failures to release on time and the cost of administrative delays amounted to £3 million for the nine months from 1 September 2006 to 1 June 2007.

Prisoners: Sentences Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps have been taken to ensure long-term prisoners are prepared for a return to the community when they have served their sentences.

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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): Following release, long-term prisoners are subject to a period of licence when they will be supervised by the probation service. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) works in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council and is engaged with employers nationally, regionally, and locally to offer offenders education and training which will help them find employment on release. Subject to a risk assessment, prisoners approaching the end of a long sentence will be released on temporary licence to undertake training, community or paid work, to attend job interviews and make other preparations for work and accommodation on release. There are also a range of short programmes which help prisoners with personal finance and family relationship issues. Prisoners receive help with meeting accommodation needs. NOMS is currently working with key stakeholders to pilot an initiative to enable prisoners to open bank accounts while in custody. NOMS also works with the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus to ensure that prisoners due to be released have appointments made with local jobcentres and benefits offices. And there are arrangements in place to ensure continuity of healthcare for any ongoing medical needs. In 2007-08, the Prison Service exceeded its targets for the percentage of prisoners released with employment (109 per cent against target) and accommodation (115 per cent) on release. (These figures suggest that prisoners who left prison did so with a job. They in fact are Job Centre interviews after release very important of course but they are not jobs. Ed)

INSIDE? YOU NEED A FRIEND ON THE OUTSIDE... At Keith Park Solicitors we have many years experience representing our clients, not only before sentencing but also once they are in custody. There are many ways we can help you with advice and representation once you are on the ‘inside’. Our team of Legal experts will be your friends on the outside. We specialise in: OUTSIDE ADJUDICATIONS. Have you committed an offence whilst in custody? We can provide representation for you in front of the adjudicator. PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS. We can supply written representations and attending oral hearings. CATEGORISATION. If you want us to assist by way of written representations – we can help.

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Legal Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Only lawyers with good expert knowledge to advise prisoners Andrew Sperling and Michael Purdon from the highly influential Association of Prison Lawyers highlight the Legal Services Commission Consultation on funding of prison law work and its implications for prisoners seeking legal advice

he Legal Services Commission (LSC), which foots the bill for legal advice to prisoners, has just published a Consultation document on its thoughts for future funding. No, the funding is not going to be increased; in fact the proposals look set to significantly reduce the availability of legal advice to prisoners.

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In the Consultation, the Commission pays lip service to the importance of legal advice to prisoners then immediately follows up with proposals to reduce funding to prisoners who seek to exercise their legal rights. A prisoner who is having his rights trampled on, or just needs a bit of expert advice on how best to progress towards release, will find it much harder to get the help they need if the Commission’s plans come into effect. No doubt the Commission will say that access to justice is paramount, yet it proposes that legal aid currently available will no longer be there for some problems. The pool of prison lawyers will start to evaporate - they cannot work for nothing - and ‘access to justice’ for many prisoners will be an empty, meaningless idea.

The Commission justifies these threats by pointing to the £7m a year increase for prison law over the last 3 years; conveniently ignoring the reasons for this - the government packing prisons with IPP prisoners and then leaving them stuck in the system and having to live with all the consequences of over population, lack of courses, outrageous waiting times for transfers, delayed reports and parole hearings that seem to take forever to come around. There has also been a massive increase in recalls; all too often for trivial reasons that have nothing to do with risk. It is not surprising that prisoners in the middle of this mess seek advice from lawyers. Faced with a booming prison population, what does the Commission have on offer for those who need access to justice? It plans to ration the number of cases that a solicitor can take so that once the limit imposed is reached, your plea for help will have to be met with ‘sorry, we are not allowed to take on any more cases at the moment’. And it probably will not help to go to another solicitor as you’ll likely get the same answer. Travel to the prison to see you may well become a thing of the past because the Commission say they are not prepared to pay for this anymore. The Commission also propose to make it harder for prisoners to get legal help by changing the ‘sufficient benefit test’ (is

this case serious enough to justify legal aid) to there must be ‘a realistic prospect of a positive outcome that would be a real benefit’. No one seriously believes that this proposal is aimed at anything but cutting down legal aid in the type of prison case where it is now freely available. If used strictly, the new test could deny funding to a cat B prisoner on parole review for any advice or representation just because the Commission would not think that the prisoner is ready for open conditions. The Commission intends to abandon the system whereby lawyers get paid by the hour for the work they do. Instead, a system of standard or fixed fees is proposed. This type of system creates serious problems if the levels are set too low. Similar changes to legal aid for immigration law have meant that virtually all legally aided immigration firms have gone out of business, making it near impossible for people with low incomes to get good quality representation. The fees which have been suggested amount to a significant reduction in the current rates, which are already amongst the lowest paid for publicly funded work and have not been increased for 10 years. This in itself will drive many competent lawyers out of prison law and possibly out of business, because there will not be enough money to go round.

Prisoners are disadvantaged in their access to legal services already and unlike those outside of prison, they will usually have no option but to instruct lawyers under the legal aid schemes. There is a very real threat to access to quality legal services for prisoners. The Commission insists that it wants only lawyers with a good level of expert knowledge to advise prisoners. It is quite right that people advising prisoners should have the necessary experience and training, but the fact that this proposal is tacked onto a swingeing cost cutting exercise has led many practitioners to doubt whether the Commission is really interested in the quality of representation for prisoners. The Association of Prison Lawyers will argue with the Commission that first and foremost a quality standard of legal services for prisoners must be put in place and only then can proper judgments be made about the cost of legal work. If the Commission really are interested in quality of service and access to justice for prisoners, they will think twice before introducing plans which throw both principles overboard.

* The Association of Prison Lawyers (APL) was formed by a group of specialist prison lawyers in 2008 to represent the interests and views of practitioners in prison law.

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Legal Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

35

Categorisation of foreign nationals Barrister Matthew Stanbury and Prison Law Advisor Emma Burkinshaw emphasise the plight of many foreign national prisoners and how the prison service attempts to deal with the question of categorisation he government and the prison service have long struggled with the question of how to deal with the categorisation of foreign national prisoners. Recently, this has become more pronounced as the government seeks to release more prisoners early and attempts to encourage convicted foreign nationals to return to their country of origin.

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The new provisions of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 are intended to address the problem by introducing measures to encourage those who are content to return home to do so. However this has not addressed the problem of those who do not wish to return home, particularly those who are subject to deportation. The problem is all the more acute where the individual is from a country such as Zimbabwe, to which the government is currently not affecting returns. The present prison policy on the categorisation of foreign nationals was born in 2002 when Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 35/2002 removed the blanket ban on foreign nationals being allocated to Category ‘D’ prisons. The gist of the new policy was summarised at paragraph 3: “This policy change removes the blanket ban on the categorisation and allocation to open conditions of prisoners subject to enforcement action under the Immigration Act. These prisoners must now be risk assessed as to their suitability for categorisation and allocation to open conditions on an individual basis in the same way as all other prisoners. Deportation status will remain a major factor in the risk assessment process, but it may be taken into account only in so far as it might be indicative of the likelihood of abscond and not as a determinative factor precluding allocation to open conditions.”

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This was further developed by way of Prison Service Order (PSO) 4630 and has culminated with the introduction of PSI 16/2008, which provides that foreign nationals sentenced to less than 12 months should be dealt with under a streamlined procedure more in line with the ordinary criteria for categorisation contained in PSO 0900.

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However, whilst the recent policies have impacted upon those serving 12 months or less, those serving more than 12 months apparently remain subject to the criteria outlined in PSI 35/2002. To that extent, the decision-maker is directed to focus upon the question of risk of abscond as distinct from the risk of escape. This, of course, is the result of a fear that those who are the subject of a deportation order will seek to abscond in the hope of avoiding removal. Yet this fails to address the position in terms of those who will not be the subject of removal, therefore do not possess the same theoretical motive to abscond. To date the prison service, in certain cases at least, appears to take the view that such persons should be treated in the same way as those liable to be removed and thus are presumed to possess the same motive to abscond. In the recent case R v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] EWHC 3166 (Admin) it was reaffirmed that persons should not be detained at removal centres where there is no prospect of their being removed within a reasonable time. As in the case of those not subject to removal, there can be no presumption of an inherent risk of their absconding, since such individuals will be at large following their release in any event. In the circumstances there would seem to be little legitimate objection to their progressing to conditions of lower security, including open conditions, purely on the basis of their immigration status. It seems unlikely that the position will be formally recognised by way of prison policy; therefore it remains incumbent upon prisoners and their representatives to make proper representations to ensure that they are not the subject of needless discrimination. Matthew Stanbury is a Barrister at Bank House Chambers, Sheffield. Emma Burkinshaw is a Prison Law Advisor at Grayson Willis Bennett Solicitors in Sheffield.

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Legal Comment

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Adjudications Solicitor Harjit Chana draws attention to the adjudication process and says that departure from natural justice within the disciplinary process should be challenged ach year, approximately 100,000 inmates breach prison discipline and face subsequent adjudications which are carried out by either prison governors or independent adjudicators (both known as adjudicators). The procedure governing adjudications is contained in PSO 2000, which states that an adjudication has two stated purposes:-

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(a) To help maintain order, control, discipline and a safe environment by investigating offences and punishing those responsible; (b) To ensure that the use of authority in the establishment is lawful, reasonable and fair. The adjudication process is begun when a prisoner is placed on report and is served with a form F1127 (more commonly known as a “nicking sheet”). This must be issued within 48 hours of the alleged offence being discovered and at least two hours before the start of the adjudication. Perhaps surprisingly, the prisons often fall foul of this requirement and inmates should always be alert to the possibility of having a charge dismissed on the basis of late service. Once the nicking sheet is served, there is usually an early appearance before the governor who will decide whether or not the matter is serious enough to warrant a referral to the external adjudicator; a District Judge. External adjudicators usually hear matters alleging possession of mobile telephones, assaults on fellow inmates and possession of other prohibited articles, or items such as hooch.

Unlike prison governors, independent adjudicators have the power to award up to 42 additional day’s imprisonment for each finding of guilt. For lifer prisoners, adjudications are almost always determined by a governor in view of the limited impact additional days would have as a sentence. Before any adjudication, prisoners should ensure that sight is had of copies of all paperwork relating to the charge. If the inmate is represented, the representative will invariably request a copy direct from the prison. A refusal of such requests would be a breach of paragraph 2.20 of PSO 2000 and if not remedied by the adjudicator, together with a reasonable time period in which to prepare for the hearing (particularly where the hearing is contested), will invariably afford a ground of appeal. Paragraph 2.20 states: “if the accused or his legal representative asks before the hearing for a copy of all statements to be submitted in evidence so as to prepare a defence or mitigation, these must be supplied at public expense.” A record of the adjudication and all preliminary hearings is made. Adjudicators need to satisfy themselves that the prisoner understands the charge and the procedure to follow. Requests for adjournments at the first hearing for legal advice should be granted, and the adjudicator should accede to requests to adjourn for the calling of witnesses. Unreasonable refusals for adjournments to call witnesses and to seek

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legal advice should always be challenged by way of appeal. Adjudicators must always be seen to act fairly and justly. If there is apparent departure from reasonableness and fairness, such decisions risk being overturned if the adjudication is reviewed. Before an external adjudicator a prisoner is entitled, as of right, to have a legal representative present at the adjudication. The presence of a legal representative before a Governor is at the governor’s discretion and a ‘Tarrant’ application must be made. For guidance on how to do this, refer to Alan Burcombe’s article (of this firm) in the March 2009 issue of Inside Time. Where any appeal against an adjudication is contemplated, the writer would always suggest seeking legal representation. An appeal against a finding of guilt by a Governor is commenced by submitting a Form ADJ1 to the Governor or Director. The application for a review should be made within 3 months of the decision complained of. Once received, the form and details of the complaint will then be sent to the Briefing and Casework Unit or Directorate of High Security Prison’s Support Unit, as appropriate. The ADJ1, whether standing alone or in addition to any written submissions made by a legal representative, will then be considered by the Area Manager. Prisoners are entitled to obtain a copy of the written record of the hearing free of charge before making an appeal. Regrettably, prisoners cannot appeal against a finding of guilt where the adjudication was heard by an Independent Adjudicator. Appeals are restricted to a review of the punishment awarded; unless it is considered that a Judicial Review of the decision should be pursued. There is no set form governing a review of an independent adjudicator’s decision, and applications for review should be set out on a blank piece of paper or in the

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form of a letter. Any appeal must be made within 14 days of completion of the adjudication, and the basis of the appeal must be sent initially to the Governor or Director setting out detailed reasons. On receipt of the application, the Governor will send it to the Secretariat at the Chief Magistrates Office, City of Westminster Magistrates Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX with the ‘nicking sheet’, the record of the hearing, and any wing reports from the adjudication. Applications received out of time will only be considered if exceptional circumstances exist. The review will be conducted on the papers alone and will be considered by the Senior District Judge (or deputy). The reviewer may 1) uphold the punishment; 2) reduce the number of additional days; 3) substitute a less severe punishment; 4) quash the punishment entirely. If the punishment is upheld on appeal, it is then open to the prisoner to make a complaint to the Prisons Ombudsman within one month. Inmates who have been involved in the adjudication process within prison will know that the system is far from being without criticism. Prison discipline is central to the management of imprisonment; it is also central to the prisoner’s experience of imprisonment. The fairness of the disciplinary process (actual and perceived) is fundamental to its effectiveness and legitimacy. It is very much the writer’s view that any departure from fairness and natural justice within the disciplinary process should be challenged.

Harjit Chana is head of the Prison Law department at Wells Burcombe.

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Legal Advice

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Conspiracy Law Tactics & Strategy in Defending in Conspiracy Allegations

Aziz Rahman and Jonathan Lennon Definition of Conspiracy There are two types of conspiracy - statutory and common-law. Common law conspiracy is seen less frequently - though even with the dawn of a new statutory regime for fraud offences under the Fraud Act 2006, we still see the Crown using the common-law offence of conspiracy to defraud and cheating the revenue. However in this article we shall concentrate on what is by far and away the most common of conspiracy allegations; statutory conspiracy. Under section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 it is an offence … “if a person agrees with any other person or persons that a course of conduct shall be pursued which, if the agreement is carried out in accordance with their intentions …” results in the commission of an offence. This simply means that just as it is a criminal offence to rob or murder or steal, so it is a criminal offence for two or more persons to agree with one another to commit that offence. The essence of the offence of conspiracy is agreement.

The Law: ‘Agreement’ Judges will also remind juries that for the prosecution to prove an ‘agreement’ they do not have to produce a signed contract agreeing to commit an offence. Juries are invited to make common-sense inferences from the evidence for example a series of suspicious meetings, links to other coDefendants by telephone calls or taped conversations taken by a covertly placed bug or, more riskily for the police/customs/ SOCA, the use of an undercover officer in the alleged pre-offence discussions. Often the facts in such allegations are agreed but the inferences that can be drawn from these facts are not agreed. This is what lawyers call a ‘confess and avoid’ case. In a ‘confess and avoid’ case, it can be tempting just to let the Defendant do the explaining - i.e. the ‘avoiding’. That approach risks failing to see which parts of the evidence are the prosecution’s highlights and tackling them in the preparation stage as well as before the jury. Care and skill is required to identify these areas and consider how best to attack the prosecution’s case - e.g. crossexamining an officer about how many times he didn’t see the suspect, or establishing that a series of calls in isolation may look suspicious but against the background of the parties’ history is not so suspicious. The advantage of a conspiracy indictment for the prosecution is the lack of precision required. For example, where there is a large haul of drugs or guns, and more than one person has been arrested, the police will almost automatically charge this as a conspiracy to supply rather than a substantive offence of possession with intent to supply. That way, the Crown can make assertions about different Defendants’ roles but are not locked into proving that a particular act was committed by a particular Defendant on a particular day.

The Evidence: ‘Acts and Declarations’ In conspiracy cases there will often be significant areas of evidence which, on the face of it, seem damning but which in fact are not admissible against a particular Defendant. A basic rule of evidence is that, ordinarily, acts done or words uttered by ‘A’ cannot be evidence against ‘B’. But in conspiracy cases there is the so-called ‘acts and declarations’ rule. This provides that the acts or declarations of any conspirator or co-accused made in furtherance of the alleged common design may be admitted as part of the evidence against any other conspirator. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 preserves this rule - i.e. as an exception against the common-law exclusion of such evidence; s118(1). To be admissible against a coDefendant, the declaration in question must be in furtherance of the common design; it must “be demonstrated to be one forming an integral part of the machinery designed to give effect to the joint enterprise” - R v Reeves, unrep. 4 December 1998. Descriptions of past events etc. are not made

in furtherance of the common design and are therefore not admissible against anyone other than the maker. For example, say an undercover officer covertly records suspect X discussing the preparations for an offence where Y is mentioned. This could be admissible evidence against both X and Y in a conspiracy case. But the acts and declarations rule can, and very often should, be tested by the defence. In R v Gray and Liggins [1995] 2 Cr. App. R 100 the Appeal Court went back to basic principles by recalling that … “the basic reason for admitting the evidence of the acts or words of one against the other is that the combination or pre-concert to commit the crime is considered as implying an authority to act to or speak in furtherance of the common purpose on behalf of the others. From the nature of the case it can seldom happen that anything said by one which is no more than a narrative statement or account of some event that has already taken place ... can become admissible under this principle against his companions in the common enterprise.” Thus it may be that X’s comments can, in truth, be shown to be no more than ‘grandstanding’ or describing past events and even if that is not clear, there remains a discretion for the Judge to direct the jury not to hold X’s words against Y.

Preparation: Investigation & Disclosure The Crown may not have to pin their colours to the mast too firmly in a conspiracy case, however there must be a case – a theory of what role a suspect is said to play in the

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37

alleged conspiracy. The police will sometimes get it wrong and build a case against a suspect who has ‘appeared on the radar’ during their investigations; or it may be that the suspect is actually guilty of something entirely different to the plot being hatched by others. For example, say X is seen by police whilst they were keeping Y, a suspected major drug dealer, under surveillance; and X is frequently seen going to the channel ports. X is then arrested prior to Y’s arrest. X’s home is searched - nothing is found but phone contacts between him and Y are clearly established and all around times when X is going to or coming from the Continent. It is plain in the police interview however that the police are really at a loss about what to say X’s supposed role is. The two men are clearly close and the police are very suspicious. X says nothing in interview aside of that he is not guilty of any involvement in drugs offences and the police reluctantly release him. Y is then arrested and says in interview, ‘I am not a drug dealer, I get my money from bringing in cigarettes from the Continent and I get the cigarettes from X’. The police of course don’t believe that it is cigarettes that are being smuggled in and X is re-arrested and suddenly a positive case is put to him about his role as an importer of drugs. In those circumstances there could be scope for X at least to demand disclosure of at least some of the initial intelligence. It may be that the original police case started from an informant’s information that Y got his drugs from a source in London; i.e. not from the Continent. That could undermine the case against X and therefore could be disclosable under the disclosure rules. In preparation, care always needs to be taken to take the right approach to sensitive disclosure issues and, importantly, the drafting of the Defence Statement. This is even more so in conspiracy cases, as the very fluid nature of the charge means that the defence has to concentrate as hard as they can on what concrete ‘facts’ led the prosecution to their theory in the first place.

Problems for the Prosecution The requirement for a proved agreement can raise other very thorny issues for the prosecution. What if, for example, A, B and C agree to import cannabis (still a Category C drug) where C provides a car but in fact A and B import cocaine (a Category A drug)? In that situation, C would in fact be acquitted (see R v Taylor [2002] Crim LR 205). But the point is made – there are many difficult scenarios. What is the situation, for example, where A and B agree to commit an offence abroad? What if A and B agree with C to commit an offence but C, in reality, had no intention to go through with it, or if B later changed his mind? What if A, B and C agreed with D, and then D turned out to be an undercover officer? What if A agreed with B but did not meet C or even know D? It would take a book to explain all the many variables of this offence. The essential thing to remember is that conspiracy really means agreement – the Crown must always show that an agreement of some sort has been reached and that a Defendant is a party to it - that is sometimes easier said than done.

Aziz Rahman is a partner at Rahman Ravelli Solicitors specialising in human rights, large scale conspiracy allegations and serious crime. Jonathan Lennon is a Barrister specialising in serious and complex criminal defence cases and Prison Law at 23 Essex Street Chambers in London. He is former coeditor of the Prison Law Reports.

38

Legal Q&A

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Inside Time Legal Forum Answers to readers’ legal queries are given on a strictly without liability basis. If you propose acting upon any of the opinions that appear, you must first take legal advice. Replies for the Legal Forum kindly provided by: ABM Solicitors; Chivers Solicitors; de Maids; Frank Brazell & Partners; Henry Hyams; Hine & Associates; Levys Solicitors; Morgans; Oliver & Co; Parlby Calder; Stephensons Solicitors LLP; Stevens Solicitors and Switalskis Solicitors - see individual advertisements for full details. Send your legal queries (concise and clearly marked ‘legal’) to our editorial assistant Lucy Forde at Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ. For a prompt response, readers are reminded to send their queries on white paper using black ink or typed if possible. Use a first or second class stamp. If correspondence is prohibited it can be destroyed by the prison service. A disposal schedule must be kept of all materials sent for destruction. This must catalogue the prisoners/ staff name, prison number/DPS/NI Number, period of time in custody/employment and destruction date, and must be kept for a minimum of 20 years after destruction of the original file. Without knowing the recorded reasons why the prison chose to destroy the article, I am unable to advise whether they have followed procedure correctly. Certain ‘stopped items’ of correspondence can be stored with a prisoner’s property. Whether the correspondent’s correspondence should have been stored in this way depends on the prison’s reasons for seizing the item in the first place.

............................................... JS - HMP Lewes Q Recently, Mr Justice

picture/attachment on the front - I was not allowed this and was told that it was unsuitable. They said that I had 14 days to have the card sent back or after 28 days they would destroy it. Surely they should have put the card in my personal effects for when I am released. Would I be entitled to any compensation for the card and are the prison actually allowed to destroy my correspondence?

Burton ruled on an unconnected case that ‘injury is sustained when it is caused’. I was sexually abused in the care system years ago; my solicitor is unable to get a legal aid certificate from the special cases unit. Could that ruling apply to me, because it is commonly known that survivors of abuse often show signs of stress and require counselling years later. Would I be right in saying that that is when injury is caused? What are the stages of appeal to the legal services commission to obtain a legal aid certificate?

A

A A plaintiff has three years to make a claim

LW - HMP Moorland Q My partner sent me a card that had a raised

Incoming correspondence is opened and examined for illicit enclosures as a matter of routine at all establishments. This is in accordance with PSO 4411 which deals with prisoner communications or correspondence. An illicit enclosure can take many forms, including anything which may threaten the good order or discipline of the prison. If an illicit enclosure is found, it must be removed and the prisoner informed of this. When correspondence is stopped the prisoner should be informed and a note should be made of the decision in the prisoner's record.

for personal injury. The three year time frame commences from the date of the injury or when the plaintiff first became aware of the injury. So it is possible to make a claim for the injury sustained many years after the actual incident which caused the injuries. For example, many men who were working with asbestos did not suffer from the effects, and appreciate they had injuries, until many years afterwards. The application for a legal aid certificate takes into account many factors, including an applicant’s

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financial means, the prospects of success for the claim they seek etc. I do not know why your claim was refused and am therefore unable to comment upon your prospects of success in appealing the decision. I am aware that legal aid is rarely available for personal injury claims. I would refer you back to your original solicitor to ask whether an appeal process even exists for this type of claim.

...............................................

AR - HMP Rye Hill Q I am five years post tariff, have completed all offending behaviour courses as directed on my sentence plan but am seeing other prisoners with longer tariffs released. This is now taking its toll on my health. I am concerned that my solicitor has stated she is able to represent me at my forthcoming parole hearing rather than instruct a barrister.

A Without knowing precise details of your case I am unable to comment upon why you have not been successful in previous Parole Board reviews. You must not give up hope and I remind you that recently we had news of the first IPP prisoner being released from category B conditions. It is not necessary that a prisoner is represented by a barrister at a parole hearing. Both barristers and solicitors have ‘rights of audience’ before a Parole Board, that is they are both entitled to appear before a Parole Board. A prisoner’s main concern should be that their representative is capable of presenting their case to the best of their ability. A prisoner is entitled to choose which solicitor he wishes to instruct, however it is for a solicitor to instruct a barrister on behalf of a prisoner. A prisoner cannot directly instruct a barrister.

...............................................

JS - HMP Woodhill Q A good few years ago I was arrested on my last day of licence and was not actually recalled. However, it was recorded on my record as a breach and I have been refused HDC a few times. As I was never recalled is there anyway I can change this to stop the knock backs?

A The writer was arrested on the last day of his licence period and this has been recorded as a breach of his licence. He is therefore considered as ineligible for release on Home Detention Curfew (HDC). He asks whether this can be challenged at all. The CJA03 sets out the criteria for release on HDC and refers to the prisoner being ineligible if he has been “recalled to prison”. It does not say that he is ineligible if he is alleged to have

breached his licence conditions. The PSO applicable to HDC (6700) also states that the prisoner is ineligible if recalled to custody. I advise that the writer submits a general application to the Governor for clarification of his eligibility now and if he is told he is ineligible, he should seek advice from a prison lawyer as to whether he can challenge this decision.

...............................................

NB - HMP Bullingdon Q I am seeking advice on appeal against my conviction for cultivating cannabis. I have been convicted following fingerprint evidence being found at the address where cannabis was found to be growing. I provided an explanation as to why my fingerprints were there but that was never checked.

A To establish grounds for appeal one needs to be able to raise new evidence or show that the Judge made an error when directing the jury. Every defendant is entitled to a formal Advice on Appeal from the barrister that dealt with the trial. The writer does not say whether he received that Advice or not. If he did not, he should contact his trial solicitors and ask for it. If he is not happy with the way his solicitors acted he can instruct another firm of solicitors to act on his behalf. I would suggest that he contact a firm of solicitors that advertise in Inside Time.

...............................................

BB - HMP Lowdham Grange Q Your correspondent writes on behalf of a friend who has been transferred to England to serve the remainder of a sentence where he breached the licence conditions by committing a new offence in Scotland. He asks whether his friend will have to serve until SED.

A I refer him to PSI 29/2008 which sets out the amendments following the introduction of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. Essentially, all recalled prisoners except for those sentenced prior to the CJA 1991 will be returned to prison until their SED. However, as with any recalled prisoner, he is entitled to submit written representations to the Parole Board as to why he should be considered for re-release. If that initial decision has already been made, and there is more than 13 months before the SED, he will be entitled to an annual review by the Parole Board. It is also possible to apply for a reconsideration of his case on papers if there is a significant change in circumstances that will affect his risk, such as successful completion of an offending behaviour course.

advice you’ll understand, honest.

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Legal Q&A

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Q

I wasn’t happy with my solicitors and I was sentenced to more than I had been told was the range. The solicitor advocate came to see me in the cells afterwards and said there was no appeal. I wrote to her and received no reply. I would like a second opinion from a barrister and not one from this area. How do I get one?

Banks on Sentence Answers by Robert Banks, a barrister who writes Banks on Sentence, the book the Judges use for sentencing more than any other.

www.banksr.com Q I am a solicitor. I was sentenced to 3

QI

am in a Thai prison and saw your recent answer about repatriation from Thailand. I was given some Yabaa pills and went to Thailand. The person I gave them to told the Thai police. I was given 30 years. Yabaa contains methamphetamine. The value of the drugs was £130. I have done 4 years and am due to be transferred back; however I can’t go back if my sentence is more than the maximum in England. I have built a website in prison and please look at it. I have three questions, can you help?

years for supplying 1 gramme of coke to a test purchase officer in a nightclub. I pleaded guilty and the judge said my age (39) and the fact I was a solicitor were aggravating factors. Is that right?

A

Regarding age: The Sentencing Guidelines Council Guideline: Overarching principles includes in the list of “Factors indicating significantly lower culpability, “Youth or age, where it affects the responsibility of the individual defendant”. The practice is young people receive a discount and elderly defendants may receive a discount. I cannot see how your age can be an aggravating factor.

A

I was very interested in your website. Very well laid out and professional. Methamphetamine is the common name for methylamphetamine and is sometimes called crystal meth. In England if someone pointed out the different name the prosecution would ask for a new expert’s report. Methylamphetamine was a Class B drug until it was reclassified to Class A on 18 January 2007. Q1 In March 2005 what was the maximum for importing this drug? 14 years. Q2 What class is the drug today? Class A. Q3 Today what is the maximum for importing the drug? Life imprisonment.

If a solicitor steals from his/her clients then the aggravating feature is the breach of trust. I know of no case where the fact the defendant is a solicitor aggravates the offence. It may be part of the factual background for aggravating factors. When solicitors face serious charges, courts often recognise the loss of employment, reputation and income. Often this factor is offset by the breach of trust. Your problem is that the court will decide whether the sentence was manifestly excessive and will not reduce it just because a factor was wrongly taken into account.

CRIMINAL DEFENCE

A There are two ways. Firstly, if you were legally aided and have not received a written advice you can sack your solicitor and instruct a new one. They can instruct a new barrister and although you were on Crown Court legal aid, the new team will be paid for by the Court of Appeal. If the new barrister thinks you have grounds of appeal they will draft the advice and grounds for the Court of Appeal. This is possible because your legal aid covered advice on appeal. If you did not receive it in writing the advice has not been completed. However this type of work can be poorly paid on legal aid and often solicitors and barristers of appropriate quality are unwilling to take it on. If you, or a friend or family member, are able to pay privately this should ensure you much better advice. However you want to make sure you receive value for money. Unfortunately those with limited finance will be at a disadvantage. Good luck.

Q My son has been charged with reckless arson. He set fire to a local comprehen-

39

sive school. There was an evening class going on at the time and everyone had to be evacuated. He was with others and he is only 13. The damage caused is put at £5m. What sort of sentence is he looking at?

A

There are three types of arson: simple arson, arson when reckless whether life would be endangered, and arson when intending life would be endangered Usually the factors will 1) whether it remains at reckless arson, 2) the plea, 3) the degree of danger created, 4) his role in the offence, 5) the damage caused both financial and educational, 6) the character and behaviour of the defendant before and after the incident and 7) the reports (expect psychiatric, pre-sentence and educational). When sentencing the courts are obliged to consider the welfare of the child. Without knowing more than what is in your letter I would not be able to estimate the likely sentence. In 2007 the Court of Appeal considered the sentence for a 14 year old boy who with others set fire to a piece of paper for a “laugh” in a school building. Eighty firefighters took eight hours to put the fire out. Two floors of a drama block and all the students’ coursework was destroyed. A conservative estimate for the damage was £3m. Even at that age he had a bad criminal record. He was said to need structure and support. The Court increased the sentence to 4 years detention.

Please make sure questions relate to sentences and not conviction or release. Unless you say you don’t want your question and answer published it will be assumed you don’t have an objection to publication. No-one will have their identity revealed. Facts which indicate who you are will not be printed. It is usually not possible to determine whether a particular defendant has grounds of appeal without seeing all the paperwork. Going through all the paperwork is normally not an option. The column is designed for simple questions and answers. Please address your questions to Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire, SO30 4XJ (and mark the letter for Robert Banks).

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40

Book Reviews

Criminal by Caspar Walsh Inside Time’s Lucy Forde concludes that ‘education’ doesn’t always come best served at the hands of the authorities When I was given this book I thought ‘great, yet another missive about how an abused childhood turned me to a life of crime - the usual beating of breasts and the ultimate revelation that there is life after crime’. I admit that I put off picking it up, however, I was talking to my best friend and she began describing a book she had been recommended - it rang bells, and lo and behold it was ‘Criminal’. Nepotism rules Mr Walsh if you read this and a large drink for your father in law as it was he that recommended the book to my friend. I started reading it that night; it was so worth it, apart from the lack of sleep because I couldn’t put it down! It is indeed about a childhood that many kids growing up in the late sixties and early seventies will be relate to; mum and dad getting stoned and/or drunk, loose morals and no structure. However Caspar’s parents did it in style; they split up and he spends half his time with each of them. However, mum’s new boyfriend doesn’t want Caspar and mum is asked to choose; Caspar lost. He starts a wonderfully bohemian lifestyle with dad in a caravan on Wimbledon Common in London, living on the proceeds of dad’s criminal shenanigans. You will note throughout this book the awful mention of social services is conspicuous by its absence. Dad meets the glamorous Sam and they settle down - sort of to a lifestyle still supported by dad’s ability to rob, burgle and con, often with the help of a young Caspar. Needless to say, eventually dad gets caught bang to rights. This devastates the young Caspar and although realising that what his father is doing is wrong, the hero worship positively beams from this book.

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

The book is very easy to read and one could almost ‘feel’ the process of going through the visiting process, such is the mastery of description that Mr Walsh deploys. Another passage also relating to a visit (HMP Blundeston) had me in tears. I could just see this teenager travelling alone by train and taxi and pitching up outside the prison. Remember, this was not an era where kids were as ‘streetwise’ as they mostly are today. This visit was all the more awful because Caspar was harbouring the awful secret of his sexual education - not at the hands of an experienced older woman but at the hands of an older man. Caspar is not averse to resorting to crime either, especially when things become financially tight and he has to leave his boarding school and go to the local comprehensive. Needless to say, he also eventually ends up doing time, but fortunately for him he has what it takes to turn his life around and live happily ever after; although I’m not going to tell you everything …that would spoil the book’s enjoyment. As a parent, there were times when I wanted to throttle Caspar’s parents for the way they treated him, almost as an accessory; his father let him take drugs with him and I don’t mean the odd spliff. Yet however irresponsible his father was, he so obviously loved his son and in that respect he knocked many fathers into next week. We all maintain that education is important, but what this book shows is that it isn’t always best given by the education authorities. Caspar had natural history lessons on Wimbledon Common; geography lessons whilst driving through Europe to North Africa; maths lessons as a result of having to make do on very little … however I’ll gloss over human biology! However awful Caspar’s childhood was - no child should be subjected to a police raid - he has made it compelling reading and shown that it doesn’t have to make you a victim. If I was his parent I would be very proud of the way he has turned his life round despite the start I gave him - or maybe it was because of that. Criminal by Caspar Walsh is published by Headline ISBN 978-0-7553-1748-6 price £6.99

by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram Jane Andrews discovers a treasure of a book with innocence flowing from the pages ‘A child, who cannot read well, cannot learn’. This is a direct quote from an article that appeared recently in the Sunday Times, and some may say a little harsh. However, in examining the article further, it blames the school system for the inept way that children are prepared.

Educators have discovered that children who do best in school and in their future lives have one thing in common; they know far more words that the average person and can read easily, write clearly and talk fluently. The simple gift of words has most probably helped them achieve more than their peers since they entered the school system. All of these children had one thing in common, they all sat in the same classroom with other children, yet they got more out of their learning day… why? The reason, it has been found, is simply 'home reading'. Starting the earlier the better has shown to produce results long-term. Children learn words by reading or being read to, so no child is 'too young' to learn to read. So is it the throwaway, computerised society that we live in? Is it the recession that seems to get the blame for so much these days? Or is it the simple fact that there is never enough time

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comes in the form of a paperback book with DVD. The reason for me doing this review was I felt the fact that so many parents, men and women, are in prison away from their children doesn't have to stop them from doing something special for their children and if the restraints allow the individual, they could make a tape recording of them reading this sweet story. Or even something the parent could suggest a carer read to their child. The innocence that flows from the pages of this book is a true delight, and I challenge anyone who doesn't agree that even an adult would find it anything but endearing. A quote from children's author V S Lewis (1898-1963) reiterates what I have just written ...’All who love that kind of children's book that can be read and re-read by adults should take note that a

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But before this becomes too melancholy, I will move swiftly onto the book, which is very different and cannot be perceived as 'controversial' in any way. Well, one can only hope! Because as the direct quote from Salman Rushdie says: ‘I call upon the intellectual in this country and abroad to stand up for freedom of the imagination, an issue much larger than my book or indeed my life.’

Some may say it is in fact glaringly obvious that the root of the problem comes earlier in the form of basic storybooks not being read to young children to broaden their minds into the literary world of fact and fiction. This simple pleasure seems to be a thing of the past in many circles these days.

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in the day? Or, as many reading this article will say, unfortunately many parents are away from their children and missing the formative years of their loved ones ... because extended families are victims as well.

Guess How Much I Love You

IF ANY OF THE ABOVE APPLY TO YOU YOU MUST ACT NOW! We can visit you, advise you and provide the representation you need. We are the experts in these fields of Prison Law and have successfullyhelped many inmates. Don’t delay - contact us today Emma Dolan or Gerry Blake

0208 567 7025

Drama and Film Review

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org new star has appeared in this constellation. To the trained eye some of the characters will seem almost mythopoeic.' You never know that 'inner child' skulking in all of us may appear if you read this story ... The illustrations of the two characters are wonderful, 'Big Nutbrown and Little Nutbrown Hare' and the DVD is narrated by Kevin Whately, famous for his character in the television series 'Inspector Morse', who beautifully interprets the animation in the way he speaks through the various characters.

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The innocence is evident throughout the pages, but there is a strong motto lying underneath the simple words, and what left a 'mark' with me was the simple paragraph ...Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, ‘I love you right up to the moon – and back’.

Jane Andrews is currently resident at HMP Send Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram is published by Walker ISBN-10: 1406-319-260 price £5.99

‘West Side Story’ at Wandsworth

Bronson

cenes from yet another hugely successful Pimlico Opera production - this time ‘West Side Story’ held at HMP Wandsworth.

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The popular musical, on this occasion a collaboration between professional actors and Wandsworth inmates, enthralled enthusiastic audiences throughout its run (27 February - 7

March). Pimlico Opera has been running productions in prisons for 17 years and this one fully lived up to expectations; with such ventures being perfectly summed up by journalist and author Libby Purves who wrote in the programme: “I have met and talked with men who, illiterate, learn Shakespeare lines off cassettes in their cells. I have seen women who never had a chance to respect themselves until they danced in Chicago; watched a young man conduct the finale of Guys and Dolls while his mother sat in the audience, able at last to hope he would change. I have talked over the years with inmates and ex-inmates who - let us not be sentimental here - certainly deserved their sentences, yet who have performed, composed, written, painted or even sewed their way clear of their narrow and angry hearts. I honour those who work with them.”

Get out of o jail and into into a job Are you Are you a highly highly motivated mo otivated individual with des sire ffor or a desire “new “ne ws start” tart” on rrelease? elease? e As a leading leading UK media company, com mpany, we’ll we’ll off offer er yyou ou cutting edge int internet ernet mar marketing keting and busines businesss training tr aining whilst whilst empl employed oyed w with ith us in prison, that ccould ould lead lead to to well well paid ccareer aree er opportunities aft after er rrelease. elease. F rom our media ccentre entre in H MP W olds yyou’ll ou’ll ttake ake From HMP Wolds rresponsibility esponsibility for for ccommunicating ommun nicating with clients e very day and managing the eir int ernet busines s. every their internet business. What are are yyou ou waiting ffor... orr.... ap apply! pply! Ov Over er 10 inmat inmates es now no ww work ork ffor or ffollowing olllowing rrelease. elease. To T o appl applyy yyou ou need: Cat C (W (Wolds), olds), At lleast east 18 months lleft eft tto o serv serve e bef before ore Cat D, Good lit literacy eracy and numeracy, numer acy, Basic ccomputer omputer skil skills, ls, Cl Clean ean MD MDT, T, T Total otal ccommitment. ommitment. www.summit.co.uk www.summit.c o.uk

Requestt an Reques a application application pack: Charlotte Br Charlotte Broughton-May, oughton n-May, Summit Media Ltd, HMP W Wolds, olds, Br Brough, ough, Eas Eastt Y Yorkshire, orkshire, HU15 2JZ

Searching for a sense of what makes Charles Bronson tick, actor Tom Hardy, who plays Bronson in the recently released film, went behind bars to meet the man himself before filming started.

the part. So he was, ‘what are you going to do about the press ups, Tom? What are you going to do about the moustache? And I was like, I don’t think I’m going to go with it Charlie. ‘You what? Cos this is the most notorious tache in the penal system!’ And I said, yes, but it’s a bit ‘Village People’ isn’t it, mate? And he goes, ‘Whoo YMCA! - Seriously though, what are you going to do about the tache?’ So, I grew a tache.

e was very pale, almost blue, with purple spectacles, big moustache, and I had a trayful of goodies for him - you’re allowed to spend some money on the prisoners for visits, very rarely they get their treats, and he came round the corner and he was very quaint - he looked like Mole, you know, out of Wind in the Willows, which was unusual and he was like - Tom Hardy, yeah, Bill Sykes, what a part, and he put his hand through the bars, and I shook it and sat down and he talked at me for two hours…

I think if you look at the choreography - and it’s quite stylized as well, the fighting - I think it’s necessary for the character. I think it’s an obvious choice to say, oh this is violent and glamorous, and it’s about this most dangerous criminal, monster and all this, and I think that’s wrong, you should watch it and take your girlfriend because I think it’s a film for everybody really.

I obviously had to put on the weight; he was concerned that I wasn’t heavy enough to play

Courtesy of Film 2009 with Jonathan Ross Broadcast on March 15 2009

“H

”

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If you would like to contribute to the Poetry section, please send your poems to ‘Poetry’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

Inside Poetry

As time goes by

STAR POEM OF THE MONTH

Ian Hall - HMP Manchester

Congratulations to Jason Smith – HMP Stafford - who wins our £25 prize for ‘Star Poem of the Month'.

From inside my little shoe box Behind all the doors full of locks I watch the outside world go by The grass on the ground and the clouds in the sky

Nostalgia Jason Smith - HMP Stafford I remember, I remember when I used to laugh with my heart The light that shone in my eyes was contagious And infected others with laughter Their symptoms materialised; shining smiles and shining eyes. I remember, I remember when saying pleased to meet you I really was pleased to meet you: I shook your hand and my heart was on my sleeve.

Now, when I smile, it’s just with my mouth, The light behind my eyes is darker – Now, the contagious is abrupt smiles and conversations Now, when I say pleased to meet you, I really don’t mean it …. I shake your hand, and my heart is not there. Now, when I tell you it was nice talking to you I think how, how boring. Now, I remember with nostalgia, The laughter in my eyes And the laughter in my heart I remember, I remember, with nostalgia.

Labels on the specimens Tracey Burt - HMP Downview From waking to sleeping I pop the pills, whatever my beliefs or theories I have to accept that I am ill Intrusions, taunting, foul words, temperaments almost perfectly restrained, could this really be my own conscience? Could all that I acknowledge truly be to a chemical imbalance in the brain? The intensity some suffer. I understand their pain, to be driven to such desperation, whilst being classed eccentric, mad, crazy or insane. ‘Labels on the specimens’ I’ve heard the doctors say, to be handled and put on the shelf, boxed and even locked away. We don’t want the loonies taking over, I totally agree. Though some have seen in their minds eye and are only striving to be free. To dance in a field, to swim in the sea, Whatever time of day can be that expression of liberty. There’s more help needed in aiding the good, which makes me thankful on this day. Within realms where few do but go, there are loving hearts to lead the way.

JF ‡ Parole Refusal

‡ Adjudications

‡ Cat A Reviews

‡ Categorisation ‡ Judicial Reviews ‡ Lifer Reviews

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t IPP’s

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As they both move silently as each day passes I watch all the hoards and the masses Go about their daily grind I’m inside but I don’t mind

Caught

I remember, I remember telling you it was very nice talking to you And it was, really nice talking to you.

‡ Tariff Settings

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

John Fuller

AND PARTNERS F O R M E R LY P I C TO N S

Criminal & Prison Law Specialists

Contact John Fuller or Collette Blake at: 3 The Waterhouse Waterhouse Street Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP1 1ES

01442 233856

I like it here it’s the place for me I don’t have to worry about my breakfast, dinner or tea, It’s nice and cosy, warm and secure I’ve even got my own front door

Paul Doran – HMP Kennet Gat’s guns balaclavas Fed at the door you’re in ya pyjamas A kilo in the shed And ten grand under the bed Keeping it at my gaff What was going through my head

I do not want to go out there again For me it holds nothing but anguish and pain I have done everything that I wanted to do I can rest in here without feeling blue

I see the flashing lights I’m quick to my toes Oh f##k too late Down comes the front door

I have all my books to keep me company And a very nice silver 14” TV That and gym is all I need to survive Believe me at last I really feel alive

Get on the ground about ten men shout With my hands in the air Wow wow wow what’s this about

I do not have any fear About living the rest of my days in here Life is quiet, life is good And I’m living it just the way I should

You have the right to remain silent With my hands up my back Let me out these cuffs I’ll kill you, you twat

The Tear Wendy Bury - HMP Low Newton

With my face to the ground And the Fed all around They came into the room With all they had found

A single, solitary tear, Like a drop Of rain, Running down a pane Of glass. A tear, Coursing its way Down a lived-in Furrowed face, Down a craggy neck, To its final resting place.

A bag full of cash And a kilo from my stash My heads up my arse Oh no I’m f####d I’m mashed

NIKOLICH & CAR TER •

S

O

L I

C

I

T

O

R

S

•

Assistance with all Prison Law issues, in particular CCRC Applications, Adjudications and Parole Board Hearings Specialists in all aspects of Criminal Law with particular expertise in Serious Crime and Fraud Cases and Confiscation Proceedings

For a prompt service please contact

Gareth Martin or Sarah Bull 19 Ralli Courts West Riverside Manchester M3 5FT 0161 831 5535

approved member of the Serious Fraud Panel

ZMS SOLICITORS SERVING TIME IN THE EAST MIDLANDS? NEED LEGAL HELP? Want to challenge an unfair decision? Independent adjudication? Recalled to Prison and don’t know what to do? Missed out on recategorisation again? Parole hearing coming up? Don’t wait...! Contact Simon Mears 6 yrs PQE experience Prison Law Specialist 11 Bowling Green St, Leicester LE1 6AS

0116 247 0790

Free advice & representation under legal aid

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

If you would like to contribute to the Poetry section, please send your poems to ‘Poetry’, Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ.

A life for a life

Nightfall

Cole Metcalfe - HMP Preston

Brian Franklin Thames – Centinela State Prison CA

You sit behind your door, Doesn’t seem like it’s real, Bare walls, cold floor, three inch of steel. The only escape is to climb into a dream, Roller skate with monkeys to let off some steam. Instead it’s like a narcissist nightmare back from the dead, I’m like a caged lion that’s never been fed. I need to find a way to channel this aggression. Reduce the boredom and swerve the depression Twelve years until I end this incarceration, The day consists of switching from TV station to station and masturbation. Missing the simplest things you become accustomed to, KFC, Facebook and PS3 to name a few. It’s not about this prison shit I’m 26 and still in my prime, I wish I could turn back time and not commit that terrible crime. Of course I feel remorse for his parents, His children and his wife, So stupid to carry that knife and I totally agree A life for a life.

A prisoner’s sad lament - at mail call today Mr Farrell - HMP Littlehey At mail call today love Your last letter came I just stood there smiling, As they called my name But as I read it over My heart turned to clay For my world was ended At mail call today Whatever happened To the love we once knew When I sailed away love You said you’d be true But now that it’s over What more can I say My world was ended At mail call today

A letter to say … David Holland - HMP Manchester All I want is a letter Handwritten and sent from you To make me feel happy And remove my prison blues To say you still think of me The way I think of you To say that you’re missing me The way that I miss you To say you still care for me The way I care for you To say without me you’re weak But when I’m there you’re strong To say without me you’ll go insane To say that you love me And you’re not playing games All I want is a letter Handwritten and sent from you To make me feel happy And remove my prison blues

COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE We specialise in helping adults who were abused as children in the care system. If you suffered abuse in care and want our team to help you achieve justice call David Greenwood or Michael Thomas confidentially on 0800 542 3586 or write to:-

T h e G r a i n s t o r e , Wo o l pa c k s Ya r d , Wa k e f i e l d W F 1 2 S G

You are poetry to me But not the good kind, Every line upon line Every beat Every pentameter Each feet Walk upon and crush me Melodically – I knew that you were the sea So I rode your waves To fantastic heights, until You unexpectedly dipped me Unmercifully, Poetically, You knew I was thirsty as hell So you offered to me Pseudo unselfishly A stinking drink From you to me – oh please! Your personality is like the sun, Except You knew that I needed suntan lotion Or some other potion To protect me From the blistering heat Of you Since living in your world Means that night is the true luxury That never falls So, now I lay me down to sleep Your strongest point Is that you’re weak And if Poetry calls Guess what I’ll do? I probably won’t answer Because it might be You.

Inside Poetry

43

Dark Cloud Chris MacMahon - HMP Manchester It’s a cloud above of complete darkness

The thunder it brings crashes violently It pours cold, callous rain that is endless As vicious lightening strikes silently It blocks the sun’s powerful rays with ease Causing darkening ideas of death It breaths chaos in an aggressive breeze Carrying pure evil on its damp breath It leaks poison in every drop of rain The storm so sinister and satanic The cloudburst so cruel, brings only pain Each time it arrives it instils panic It’s an excruciating existence Even when the cloud is at a distance

We will award a prize of £25 to the entry selected as our 'Star Poem of the Month'. To qualify for a prize, poems should not have won a prize in any other competition or been published previously. Send entries to: Inside Time ‘Poetry’ PO Box 251 Hedge End Hampshire SO30 4XJ. By submitting your poems to Inside Time for publication you are agreeing that they can be published in any of Inside Time’s ‘not for profit’ links, including the website, supplements and books. We will not permit any other publication to reproduce your contribution without first seeking your written permission. Please put your name, number and prison on the same sheet of paper as your poem. If you win we can’t send your money if we don’t know who or where you are!

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Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Jailbreak P R O V E R B S A N D S AY I N G S Q U I Z

Match the proverbs to the meanings - for example: Meaning: You say this when you are away from someone you love. Proverb or saying: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Meaning: It's difficult to understand why somebody likes a person that you don't like at all. Proverb or saying: There's no accounting for taste.

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NOW SEE HOW YOU GET ON WITH THESE Bad methods of doing something are acceptable if the result of that action is good or positive. Clue: End A person's home is a place where they can be private and safe and do as they like. Clue: Englishman When you think that something should not continue any longer. Clue: Enough

The dangers of internet dating

just4 fun

Punish someone by doing to them what they have done to you or someone else. Clue: Eye

In some situations any type of behaviour is acceptable to get what you want. Clue: Fair Knowing someone very well may cause you to lose admiration and respect for them. Clue: Familiarity

Things have been successful until now and you hope they will continue to be so but you know the task etc is not finished yet. Clue: Far A son's character or behaviour is similar to that of his father. Clue: Father

F-R-E-E-D-O-M

Anyone who finds something has the right to keep it. Clue: Finders

The fact that something has not happened before does not mean that it will not happen again. Clue: First You should not be afraid of showing other people how attractive you are. Clue: Flaunt If you know about problems or dangers before they happen you can be better prepared for them. Clue: Forewarn

Have you ever served in the Armed Forces? Do you or your partner need help? If the answer is yes, you may be entitled to assistance from The Royal British Legion and SSAFA Forces Help - two charities assisting the Service and ex-Service community, working together to reach all those eligible for assistance. Whether you are still serving your sentence or are due for release, we may be able to provide financial support to you and your family. · · · · · · · · ·

Household goods Clothing Rent deposits Education and training courses, including distance learning Equipment and/or Work Tools Relocation Costs Advice and Guidance on getting a job or learning a trade Advice and Guidance on applying for a war pension Assistance for your partner and family

Regretfully we cannot make cash grants. Nor can we offer legal or appeals advice. If you would like further information, or a visit from one of our caseworkers to discuss assistance please write to: Freepost TRBL/SSAFA Forces Help 199 Borough High Street London SE1 1AA

Or tell your partner to telephone Legionline on 08457 725 725 or SSAFA Forces Help on 020 7403 8783 or they can log on to w w w. b r i t i s h l e g i o n . o r g . u k o r w w w. s s a f a . o r g . u k

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01952 204242 Emergency: 07976 851926

Contact the Prison Law Team ‡Simon Rollason ‡ Sarah Cooper ‡ Norman McDermott

45

Jailbreak

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

THE MOVIES WORDSEARCH

TWENTY QUESTIONS TO TO TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 1. The dessert Tiramisu is traditionally made using which Italian cheese?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

2. Who was president of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980?

3. What name is given to the flat biscuit with currants in the middle, popularly known as 'squashed fly biscuit'? 4. On a right-angle triangle, by what name is the side opposite the right angle better known? 5. In music, what name is given to the highest female singing voice?

6. Which children's TV puppet had the catchphrase 'Izzy whizzy let's get busy!'?

7. Which society for the brainy, founded in Oxford in 1946, uses intelligence tests as the qualification for membership? 8. How many balls in total are there on a snooker table when a player breaks at the start of a new frame? 9. Actor Kevin Costner played Lieutenant John Dunbar in which 1990 Oscar-winning film? 10. Which Scottish city has a fruit cake named after it?

11. With which sport is the name Aaron Lennon most associated?

12. Born in 1770, which German composer continued to write music even after he had lost his hearing? 13. Which religious movement was started in the nineteenth century by Joseph Smith and Brigham Young? 14. Eggplant is another name for which vegetable?

W O V E R H E R D E A D B O D Y W A F C

M A T H E B U C K E T L I S T G G E H T

C N N S S S H O O T E M U P D H H A A I

Q I E T N D G T T A K E N F E K R F N M

U A B E E A F R T F B D B F W L W A C E

A M J G T D M H E O C O N A I R E I O C

N L X A D R E T D M J E F E L E G L C O

T E I C M R I Y I K L T W G D A P A K P

U G R E H E O H N H N I N Y C E S R C S

M E T E F F S A T I L A N E H I I T R E

O N A S L U B B O S M D S S I V L S E N

F D M I T E H P O N N I R F L O O U P O

S E E F H K E N O N F A T G D M V A M J

O S E T J G S R R G D N E S P E E D U A

L D F C A W I H T S O H G C E E Y N J N

A M U T A M I T L U E N R U O B O T G A

C M N R R U O F D R A H E I D K U R D I

E A V K T E E R T S G N I K W A L L E D

V E X M E N J K E Y E E L G A E L B F N

K N E R U S A E R T L A N O I T A N E I

FIND THE HIDDEN WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVIES

17. In which country was the reggae singer-songwriter Bob Marley born?

AUSTRALIA - BEE MOVIE - BODY OF LIES - BOURNE ULTIMATUM - CHARLIE WILSONS WAR - CONAIR - DIE HARD FOUR - EAGLE EYE - GHOST - GREMLINS HANCOCK -HITMAN - I AM LEGEND - INDIANA JONES - IRON MAN - JAMES BOND JUMPER - JUNO - KING STREET - LEATHER HEADS - MATRIX - NATIONAL TREASURE - OCEANS THIRTEEN - OVER HER DEAD BODY - PS I LOVE YOU - QUANTUM OF SOLACE - SHOOT EM UP - SPEED - TAKE N - THE BANK JOB - THE BUCKET LIST TIMECOP - VANTAGE POINT - WALL E - WANTED - WILD CHILD - XMEN

18. With which animal is the job of a farrier most closely associated?

CHECK FORWARD, BACKWARD AND DIAGONALLY, THEY ARE ALL THERE!

19. In 1906, which US president, nicknamed 'Teddy' won the Nobel Peace prize?

£5 is on its way to John Stubbs HMP PARC for compiling this

20. What name is given to a column rising from the floor of a cave, formed of calcium salts deposited by dripping water?

IF YOU FANCY COMPILING ONE FOR US PLEASE JUST SEND IT IN MAX 20 X 20 GRID & COMPLETE WITH ANSWERS SHOWN ON GRID IF WE USE IT WE WILL SEND YOU £5 AS A THANK YOU!

15. By which informal name is the famous London teaching hospital, St Bartholomew's, better known? 16. In 2006, which female TV presenter took over from Kelly Brook as the co-presenter of TV's Love Island?

wordsearch for us - many thanks.

ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON THE BACK PAGE PAGE

Classic Quotes “On my first day in New York a guy asked me if I knew where Central Park was.” When I told him I didn’t he said, “Do you mind if I mug you here?” Paul Merton “I prefer my people to be loyal out of fear rather than conviction. Convictions can change but fear remains.” “ Those who cast votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything” MW HMP DOVEGATE

max owen solicitors

We can look again

The Criminal Cases Review Commission is the independent public body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For an information pack and application form, please phone us on 0121 633 1800 or write to Criminal Cases Review Commission, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TT. www.ccrc.gov.uk

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Please contact Patricia Okenwa, Judy Kelman or Maya Lal at: Lawrence & Co Solicitors 404 Harrow Road London W9 2HU Tel 020 7266 4333 Fax 0207 289 3161

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46

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Jailbreak P HIP HO JAZZ

Gema Music Quiz Identify the following pop groups or artists from these anagrams and picture clues:

TRY POP

R&B INDIE

SOUL ROCK

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CAPTION C OMPETITION

COUN

Music & Computer Games

Gema, sponsors of Jailbreak, Suppliers of

1. SONYIAWMEUHE

At the 81st Academy Awards ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ won a total of eight Oscars. Pictured here is Danny Boyle as he kisses the Oscar presented to him for ‘Best Director’. The seven other awards were for best: Film Cinematography - Film Editing Sound Mixing - Original Score Original Song and Adapted Screenplay.

Music CD’s and Computer Games, both new & pre-owned. Catalogues cost £2

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(postal order payable to ‘Gema’) but this is r e f u n d e d w i t h f i r s t o r d e r.

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4. NZGANEASUVE 5. WTHAFNIRIWGUSUR 6. GITOARHZLR

OK so we won eight, now which jealous git put super glue on this thing?

Gema PO Box 54, Reading RG1 3SD PROBABLY PROBABLY THE UK’s UK’s LARGEST MUSIC BACK CAT CATALOGUE

CAPTION COMPETITION WINNER

LAST MONTH’S INSIDE KNOWLEDGE WINNERS

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8. LADRUNFELTOY

Michael Smith

Our three £25 Prize

9. UAAIMTBRNILGAEIL

HMP/YOI Norwich

winners are:

10. MGRUMSEBAINC

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11. FRUPTREAPOBS

12. TNAHUEIMCLEHHCEC

See below for details of how to enter. The first three names to be drawn with all correct answers (or nearest) will each receive a £15 Gema Record Voucher and a free catalogue. The answers to last month’s quiz are on the back page

GEMA MUSIC QUIZ WINNERS + UCHER £15 VO logue ta free ca

Lofton Peart HMP Lewes

Ashley Elliott HMYOI Glen Parva Alan Littler HMYOI Aylesbury

Well done Michael, your £25 prize is in the post.

Michael Cater HMP Bullingdon Mandy Mulcahy HMP/YOI Styal

ANOTHER £25 PRIZE IS ON OFFER FOR THE BEST CAPTION TO THIS MONTH’S PICTURE. What do you think is being thought or said here?

Barack Obama speaks to 10 orbiting astronauts.

Stephen Kimber HMP Kingston

They described to President Obama the benefits that will come from the international space station's new solar wings. He wanted to know how they installed the solar panels and what the impact of that power would bring.

plus our £5 Consolation prizes go to: Dawn Herdman HMP Send Colin Trueman HMP Wealstun

Inside K nowledge

The p rize q uiz w here w e g ive y ou t he Q uestions a nd t he A nswers ! A ll t he a nswers a re w ithin this issue o f I nside T ime - a ll y ou h ave t o d o i s f ind t hem ! ! 1. Who gets letters from parents thanking him for turning their kids away from crime?

11. How many prisoners are serving an IPP sentence in England & Wales?

2. Who has been running productions in prisons for 17 years?

12. Which prison raised £130 for 'Red Nose Day' by putting on comedy sketches?

3. Who remembers when he used to 'laugh with his heart'?

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4. Who starts a Bohemian lifestyle in a caravan on Wimbledon Common?

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13. At what age can you play the National Lottery?

14. Who was caught recently with a mobile phone during a cell search? 5. Independent adjudicators have the power to award up to how many additional days imprisonment for each finding of guilt? 15. If it hadn’t been for which firm’s advert in Inside Time, who would be looking at serving his 27th year in prison for a murder he didn’t commit? 6. A person does not have to be a member of MENSA to understand the correct use of what? 7. Who had begun to suspect that he was upsetting psychology?

Answers to Last Month’s Inside Knowledge Prize Quiz

8. Who are refusing to testify to the Joint Committee on Human Rights? 9. Who has been wandering the landings for 29 years?

10. Who has made out of court settlements totalling $25.5 million with the families of boys who accused him of child abuse?

1. Martin House 2. 20 March 2009 3. Guy Fawkes and his crew 4. Liza Minnelli 5. Tarrant 6. 5 April 2005 7. Stephen Shaw 8. Andy Thackwray 9. 3 June 2010 10. A chaotic lifestyle 11. Alison Henderson 12. David Wells 13. Terry Wogan 14. Anthony Turner 15. Aldington and The Weare

TO ENTER ANY OF THE ABOVE PRIZE COMPETITIONS PLEASE DO NOT CUT OUT ANY OF THESE PANELS. JUST SEND YOUR ENTRY TO ONE OR ALL OF THESE COMPETITIONS ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER. MAKE SURE YOUR NAME, NUMBER AND PRISON IS ON ALL SHEETS. POST YOUR ENTRY TO: INSIDE TIME P O BOX 251 HEDGE END HAMPSHIRE SO30 4XJ.

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CLOSING DATE FOR . ALL IS 28/04/2009

YOU CAN USE ONE ENVELOPE TO ENTER MORE THAN ONE COMPETITION JUST MARK IT ‘JAILBREAK’. A 1st OR 2nd CLASS STAMP IS REQUIRED ON YOUR ENVELOPE.

EP D

CRIMINAL DEFENCE & PRISON LAW SPECIALISTS

ERICA PEAT & DIABLE N AT I O N W I D E A D V I C E & R E P R E S E N TAT I O N O N SOLICITORS A L L A S P E C T S O F P R I S O N L AW I N C L U D I N G : For a fast, experienced and professional service ‡ Adjudications ‡ Judicial Review ‡ Categorisation ‡ Parole Review ‡ Licence Recalls ‡ Tarrif/Minimum Term Reviews please contact: ‡ Criminal Appeals & CCRC Cases ‡ HDC Applications

Simon Diable 020 8533 7999 SERIOUS CRIME SPECIALISTS WITH A TRACK 24hr Emergency RECORD OF SUCCESS IN CASES INCLUDING: 07968 358 509 write to:Erica Peat & Diable Solicitors 314 Mare Street Hackney London E8 1HA

‡ Murder/Attempted Murder ‡ Rape/Serious Sexual Assault ‡ Serious Fraud ‡ Drugs Importation & All Drugs Offences ‡ Blackmail ‡ False Imprisonment ‡ Armed Robbery

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PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS

Dedicated Prison Law department with experienced solicitors able to assist in the following areas:

• Disciplinary Hearings/Adjudications Parole Board Hearings Home Detention Curfew (HDC) Release on Licence Recall Recategorisation Prisoners Rights and Complaints Judicial Review For more details contact

Avril Stone

BSB Solicitors 5 -7 Euston Road London NW1 2SA

0207 837 3456

Edward Leonards Solicitors

Immediate Visit, Proactive, Representation In all aspects of prison law ‡ HDC Conditions and Breaches ‡ Re-categorisation & Cat A Review ‡ Allocation and Transfer Issues ‡ Criminal Cases & Confiscations ‡ Appeals & CCRC applications ‡ Complaints about Maltreatment ‡ Tariff Setting & Written Representations ‡ Adjudications ‡ Licence Revocation and Recalls ‡ Parole Board Hearings

Criminal Defence Service

For Immediate help & assistance, call Mr. Edward Obioha 245 Walworth Road, London SE17 1WT

020 7252 7676

Jailbreak

Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Comedy C orner The following jokes have been sent in by Lee who was once a familiar face on TV and residing at HMP Stocken .

47

Sad b ut t rue

A woman says to her husband “ I’ve got some good news and some bad news dear. “I’d better have the good news first”, he replies. His wife says “ Well, the airbags on your new Mercedes work brilliantly”.

What do you call a beautiful woman sitting next to a ginger bloke? A hostage!

A man is in court for a Double Murder and the judge says “you are charged with beating your wife with a hammer”. A voice from the back of the court shouts out “you bastard”. The judge stops proceedings and says “stop that or you will be in contempt of court”. The judge continues, “ you are aslo charged with killing your mother in law with a hammer”. “You damned bastard” shouts the man from the back. The judge says to the man shouting “what exactly is the problem?” The man replies “I lived next door to this man for 17 years and he told me he didn’t have a hammer.” Jack Straw was out jogging one morning when he slipped and fell into the river. Three boys were playing nearby and without a second thought they jumped in the water and dragged him out. Straw said, “you boys have saved my life and deserve a reward - you name it and you shall have it.” The first boy said, “I’d like an MP3 player please”. “Then that’s what you shall have”, said Straw. The second boy piped up saying, “ I want to go to Disneyland.” “Then you shall go”, said Straw. The third boy said, “I’d like an electric wheelchair.” Straw replied saying, “Why do you want one of those, you aren’t disabled are you?” “No” said the boy, “ but my Dad’s in prison serving an IPP sentence and when he finds out I saved you I’ll be needing it.” Do you have any jokes (printable) that you would like to share with our readers? If so, send them in to: Inside Time (Jokes) PO Box 251 Hedge End Hampshire SO30 4XJ

Multi-millionaire footballer Wayne Rooney splashed out £5 million on his wedding in Italy. Amongst the sixty-four guests were many wealthy sports stars such as Ricky Hatton, Steven Gerrard, John O'Shea, Michael Carrick, Wes Brown, and Rooney's former Everton team-mate, Duncan Ferguson. Wayne and Coleen made the generous suggestion to their guests that, instead of buying wedding gifts, which would have been difficult for a couple who have everything, they instead donate the money they would have spent to The Claire House Hospice in the Wirrall. This hospice was chosen because it is where Mrs Rooney’s teenage sister receives regular respite care. It is now eighteen months since the wedding and so far the cash strapped Hospice has only received a total of £2000 donated by four of the guests. This is just 0.1% of the £2 million it was mistakenly rumoured to already have received and had been relying on.

If you do not want your name or prison to appear please make it clear.

You will receive £5 for every one we print so don’t forget to include your details even if you don’t want them printed.

CRIMINAL & PRISON LAW EXPERTS Serving the South East

All aspects of prison law covered Please contact Catherine Bond 16 Mill Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6XT Tel: 01622 678341 [email protected]

Experts in your interest

www.gullands.com

NOBLE SOLICITORS Specialising in Criminal Defence and all aspects of Prison Law Offering advice and assistance covering:‡ Appeals against Sentence & Conviction ‡ Adjudications ‡ Lifer panel Representation ‡ Licence Recall & Parole Reviews ‡ Request and Complaints For an immediate visit, advice and Representation call:-

Noble Solicitors 21 High Street Shefford Bedfordshire SG17 5DD 01462 814055

(This report appeared recently in the Daily Mail)

Twell & Co Advice and assistance in relation to all aspects of prison law. Contact Robert Twell or Shevette Adams - Rose

Twell & Co 3rd Floor, 48 Lugley Street Newport Isle of Wight PO30 5HD

01983 539 999

7

14

LIKE TV’s ‘Catchphrase’

BAD

Just say What you see! 1

15

8

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9

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STAND I

CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD HEAD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD

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TOP TOP TOP TOP TOP

TOP TOP TOP TOP TOP

S T A I R S

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SCISSORS SCISSORS

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General Knowledge Crossword

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A N S W E R S O N T H E E D G E O F T H I S PA G E > > > > > > > >

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Insidetime April 2009 www.insidetime.org

Jailbreak

Catchphrase answers.......Catchphrase answers........Catchphrase answers........Catchphrase answers.....1. Horseback 2. Wake Up 3. I Understand

48

> NEXT ISSUE Week commencing 4th May 2009

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