Inside & Out
Prison is cushy; “It’s just too easy!” or so we are told. Every prison cell is equipped with Playstations, colour TVs and ensuite bathrooms according to national press. I don’t know what prison that reporter was visiting but it wasn’t one I have visited. Let me try to give you a bit of an insight into prison life and its effect on inmates.
Last week someone said to me “Prison has broken me”. That was not in reference to any harshness of the regime nor any poor treatment. No, he explained that his isolation from family was the greatest hardship. He was quite nervous of his release and how he would fair back in civilian life.
I met another guy at the prison gate on his release and took him to MacDonalds for lunch. He had been a gym orderly in prison and had the physique to match. Despite his impressive build, he was quiet and reserved in the restaurant. Later in the supermarket, he was very quickly stunned by the crowds, noise and bustle, stopping in the middle of the flow of people to exclaim:
“I can’t do this. There are too many people and they are walking too fast!”
The most common response when I ask a prisoner about how he feels about his release, is a feeling of fear and concern about how they will cope. Rehabilitation courses aim to combat concerns that prisoners may feel and equip them to make good decisions, but it is not easy. Let me explain a particularly difficult challenge:
Most prisoners do not have employment waiting for them on release and must therefore start again to find a job after prison. Some don’t have accommodation and Probation cannot always solve that, meaning that some are released into homelessness.
On release prisoners in England and Wales receive £46 release grant and a travel warrant to get them home. This is intended to support them until the first benefit payment is made 15 days after signing up to Universal JobMatch. Inevitably the newly-released prisoner* must attend probation on his day of release in or near his home town - or they will immediately be arrested and recalled to prison. Travelling home is covered by the travel warrant but that won’t cover costs of getting to probation - though it may be possible to reclaim it. By the time he/she has been to probation and spent an hour or two settling in at home, the day is gone and they may not have access to the internet to sign up to UJM. Some of his money will have already been spent and it will still be at least 15 days before receiving any further money to live on.
Try living on £46 for five days - let alone 15. Food, drink, travel, heating etc. Impossible!
Given such an epic challenge what might anyone do? Consider that prisoners were incarcerated for doing bad things, making stupid choices in the face of temptation and yet we give them such a crazy obstacle that pushes them to re-start their life of crime. Blame anyone you like but it is patently daft and a perfect example of upside-down thinking in government of all colours and points of view. Plain madness!
Society does not wish to see offenders repeat their crimes. We want them to learn and change the direction of their lives. We want them integrated into society where they can contribute and play their full part. We must therefore support their efforts with practical support that encourages them to live well within the law.