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New monthly columnist “There’s a whole spectrum “An MC is like a gladiator; Frank Cotton tells a riveting of difference we can make, thrown into a sonic amphi- story of the ups and downs even if it is just giving people theatre provided by the DJ” the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees of a prison leaver’s journey worth and value.” Glam vicar Mr Gee a voice for prisoners since 1990 Jailbreak // page 45 Comment // page 25 Jailbreak // page 51 December 2018 / Issue No. 234 / www.insidetime.org / A ‘not for profit’ publication / ISSN 1743-7342 SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL OUR READERS 68 page issue including 2019 wall planner An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations PROGRESS CHECKED! From next year, HM Inspectorate of Prisons is to carry out the first Independent Review of Progress (IRP) of prisons where inspections have revealed ‘serious concerns’ Inside Time report independent view of progress Prisons that will receive an to ministers," they added. IRP include those that are subject to an Urgent Notifica- 15 The process of IRPs will be Earlier this year, the Justice tion Protocol - the mechanism Credit : Richard Lewisohn overseen by Peter Clarke, HM Select Committee said there by which the Inspectorate can Chief Inspector of Prisons. A should be greater ministerial instruct the Justice Secretary Charity and Hope in HMP Bronzefield spokesperson for the Inspec- accountability for ensuring to respond publicly, within 28 torate said that the new re- The Pimlico Opera production of Sweet Charity, starring Olivier Award-winning that the watchdog's recom- days, with plans to improve views will help to improve mendations are implemented. actor Laura Pitt-Pulford (above) as Charity Hope Valentine, plays to ‘enraptured’ conditions at a prison it has accountability to ministers Following a damning report audience - with prisoners in the Middlesex prison performing alongside profes- found to have significant about the progress prisons are showing little improvement of sional actors. problems in. A prison may making towards achieving conditions seen at HMP Liv- the inspectorate’s recommen- erpool in inspections two also be subject to a review if dations between inspections. years apart, MPs on the com- it is found to be unsafe be- "Low achievement by prisons mittee said ministers and HM cause of high levels of violence, against inspectorate recom- Prisons and Probation Ser- but falls short of the thresh- mendations has been a fea- vice were effectively ‘marking old for an urgent notification. ture at some of the prisons their own homework’ when it Clarke has issued four urgent that have caused HMIP most came to ensuring the inspec- notifications this year. concern, and the IRP process torate's recommendations is intended to give an early were enacted. ‘Still much to do’ page 12 NEWS FLASH! Drug and phone Hit Squads to target 100 jails 11 Credit: Vasele Neme 15 Santa comes early! Bicycles repaired and recycled by prisoners in HMP Parc received with glee by children in Lupeni children’s orphanage, Hunedoara, Romania. 2 Mailbag ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton SO30 2GB. Insidetime December 2018 PPI claims insidetime Positive thinking Mailbites a voice for prisoners since 1990 Alexander Akinyele - HMP Risley Alan Burgess - HMP Whatton Great article the national newspaper for prisoners published by As an avid reader of Inside Time, I have to say that there is a lot S B Parker - HMP Dartmoor Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of of negativity emitting from most of the letters sent in. Though The expiry for mis-sold PPI The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to I want to thank N Gully in HMP Parkhurst for I agree with many of the issues raised, because they are the claims is next year, and I have create links between the offender and the being the first correspondent in my life to reality of prison life, if we take a step back and look at life in read letters from prisoners community. inspire me to write to a newspaper. Gully’s our prisons through the microscopic lens of positivity you saying they could not claim piece, ‘Maintaining innocence’ in the Inside A not for profit publication. will realise that in the midst of constant bang-ups, below par because the company claim- Voices section was probably the most spot-on Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial food, lack of adequate care and attention from prison officers ing for it need you to have a no-nonsense description of the current state content. Comments or complaints should be and the prison establishment, etc., there lies a wisp of positivity. contactable phone number. directed to the publisher and not to New Bridge. of miscarriages of justice I’ve read so far. The system is rigged, beginning with the Blair/Jack Talking to many other inmates, I have noticed a common de- I experienced this myself and Straw designed edict - ‘believe the complain- Board of Directors nominator between them, which is low self-esteem. They be- solved it by writing to my ant’ (whether true or not), and Theresa May’s lieve they cannot amount to anything in life. The government personal banking adviser Trevor Grove Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, - ‘believe the victims at all costs’. Someone can and the Prison Service, in my view, should shoulder the asking him for a list of loans/ Journalist, Writer and former Magistrate. be sent to prison for a long time and be blame due to the fact that they fail to recognise that the psy- insurance/cards that may Dr Peter Bennett Trustee, New Bridge advised not to give evidence when there is no chological welfare and personal development of prisoners is have PPI attached. A couple Foundation and former Governor of HMP Grendon hard evidence against them. It is unjust. Thank Geoff Hughes Former Governor of HMP Belmarsh imperative in rehabilitation. of weeks later he sent me a you, N Gully. John D Roberts Former Company Chairman and list of these and highlighted Managing Director employing former prisoners There are some questions that you will need to ask yourself; the ones that he thought had Louise Shorter Former producer, BBC Rough Justice How do you see yourself? What do you think of yourself and PPI attached. Along with Blue screen blues Alistair H E Smith BSc FCA Chartered Accountant, your future? And do you see yourself through your failures? this list he enclosed a form Andre Bailey - HMP Pentonville Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation If you do, let me fill you in on something - failure is an event, for me to fill in to send to a it isn’t you. So, don’t let your past failures define who you are Every time it rains the televisions in Pentonville department of the same and what you can achieve. Make the most of negative situa- go to a blank blue screen. It has been a nice The Editorial Team bank that dealt with PPI tions and seize any glimmer of opportunity in prison to gain dry summer but when we did have a few drops claims, but I did not fill it qualifications or learn new skills. of rain the TV service was disrupted, and we out, thinking that it would were limited to NPR (National Prison Radio). If we take away the ordeal of prison from the life story of Nel- not be worth doing so. This has been going on since I came here in son Mandela I am afraid we will be left with not such a grand January, and when we had the cold weather life story. Same should apply to us. We should let our prison How wrong I was because known as ‘The Beast From The East’, we had experience transcend our setbacks or failures, as with the even though I never re- no TV for 4 days. We are a bit sick and tired of Erwin James John Roberts Rachel likes of Ricky Tomlinson, Noel Smith, Leroy Skeete, Erwin turned the form, I noticed a this as we pay a weekly fee to use the TVs, and Editor in Chief Publisher and Billington OBE James and many more out there. month or two later that my we are obviously not getting value for money. Director Associate Editor account statement showed a As the weather draws in we are worried as to My challenge to you is - keep your head up and start thinking credit of over £13,000. When how we will now spend our 23-hour-per-day Commercial positively about yourself and your future and endeavour to I queried it, I was told that it lock-up in our cells without the television Manager transmit that positive energy to others around you. Positive was my PPI rebate. I don’t service we are all paying for. David Roberts thinking can help you do everything better than negative know if all banks do this, Head of thinking will. It is my belief that we are all born with a tal- but Lloyds certainly came up Mail chaos at Berwyn Administration ent, with positive thinking you can find yours. trumps for me. Justine Best Scott Bott - HMP Berwyn Noel Smith Paul Sullivan Layout & Design The systems in place for processing outgoing Commissioning Reporter Colin Matthews Editor and incoming mail here are not fit for purpose. Website Design Governors won’t even acknowledge that a and Advertising MICHAEL PURDON SOLICITOR problem exists. Some officers refuse to collect Gary Bultitude the mail from the mail-room, some claim they Correspondence don’t have time and others simply say it is not General: Inside Time Botley Mills, Botley, SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED AN their job.

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