This was developed as a ‘learning artifact’ as a part of a documentary method of using multimedia as curriculum. Following the auditor experiment with Drew Whitworth I started to use the audio recording as a tool for capturing a lesson and developing a researched learning resource for the world wide web. This has been made particularly easy by people like Fergus and Drew who are interested in sharing their knowledge.
When the author of this document was recalled to custody he realised that there was an untapped creativity among his peers. Men and women in prison with lots of time on their hands, and the age old prison issue of what to do when banged-up. He had always had an interest in writing stories and poetry and during his work as a peer-mentor at a local prison in Norfolk he started to pen his first novel. Read more…
Prison can raise many images in our minds. While you might not have given prisons a great deal of thought, I can assure you that when you hear about them on the news, or read about them in your newspaper an image or two appears in you mind. It might be that you see Ronnie Barker in Porridge, or you might have the media presented images of holiday centres, or places of continued rioting going through your mind. Read more…
Four years ago, I was invited to take part in a Ministry of Justice (MOJ) review designed to reform the long-discredited system of Independent Monitoring in our prisons.
I genuinely expected this vital review would finally bring the crucial ‘root and branch’ reform to prison monitoring that so many, myself included, had spent years calling for – looking back four years now, and at the new system of governance that as a result of the review that comes into effect today [1st Nov], I really should have known better. Read more…
“Prisoner (22) dies at Northern Ireland Jail” – This is a minor line in The Belfast Telegraph today: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/prisoner-22-dies-at-northern-ireland-jail-37266751.html
My first reaction is choking back the tears, sadness, revulsion and anger. Who’s my anger directed it and why should I care. The word ‘care’ is highly relevant here. The sanitised bog standard reply by the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is almost predictable as I’ve heard it so many times. Read more…
My name is Tabitha and I am the “Prison Rehabilitation Coordinator”. I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades, and have had many job roles over the years! I have taught young offenders, facilitated addiction groups, managed community order offenders and worked in bail hostels with prison leavers. Read more…
Rehabilitation, rehabilitation, rehabilitation. It’s the cry of so many in criminology and the criminal justice. When I first met Faith Spear it was her constant concern. Her comment in the film, Injustice haunts me: “so many wasted lives.” Read more…