20 Mr Cameron, 25 Formal complaints 35 In there ought to be more the ’ prerogative Permanently the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees old lags in Whitehall How to make a formal The politics of the IPP Plans to revolutionise complaint the right way sentence by Geir Madland a voice for prisoners 1990 - 2015 jails so prisoners leave by Paul Sullivan A ‘not for profit’ publication / ISSN 1743-7342 / Issue No. 198 / December 2015 / www.insidetime.org rehabilitated and ready for Seasons greetings to all our readers An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations work by Jonathan Aitken POA Gives NOMS 28 DAYS to put its House in Order

Eric McGraw TEN MOST OVERCROWDED at the end of October 2015 n a letter to Michael Spurr, Chief Prison Designed Actually Executive of the National Offender Man- to hold holds agement Service (NOMS), the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) has issued a Kennet 175 317 28-day notice requiring NOMS ‘to Leeds 669 1,166 Iaddress a number of unlawful and widespread Wandsworth 943 1,577 practices which exacerbate the parlous health and safety situation’ in prisons in and Swansea 271 442 . Failure to do so, they warn, will lead to Exeter 318 511 ‘appropriate legal action’. Durham 595 928 Leicester 214 331 The letter, dated November 11, 2015, states Preston 455 695 that the prison service does not have enough staff to operate safely. This, says the POA, has Brixton 528 802 been caused by a ‘disastrously miscalculated’ Lincoln 403 611 redundancy plan devised by the Government which has reduced the number of staff on the ‘mistaken assumption’ that prison numbers would fall: in fact, as everyone knows, they their ‘Certified Normal Accommodation’ by have risen. upwards of 30 per cent., and in some cases by a factor of almost 100 per cent.. In its attempt Glyn Travis, POA Press Officer, told Inside to fill the ‘yawning gap in staffing levels’, the Time that, based on the number of prison POA says that prison management is resorting places, there had been found to be a shortfall to the imposition of excessive overtime, leading of 2,800 prison officers - only eighteen months to officers working continuous shifts of as much after some 2,000 officers had been offered re- as thirty-six hours. There is also the practice of The Longford Lecture: 2015 dundancy! ‘Detached Duty’, whereby prison officers are Comedian, actor, author and television presenter Michal Palin CBE delivering sent to other establishments, away from their the 14th Longford Lecture in on November 17, 2015. An extract of his lecture, Overcrowding has resulted in most prisons families, to work in unfamiliar environments, ‘Collateral damage: The effects of prison sentences on offenders’ families’ is on pages 18-19. exceeding the number of prisoners specified in and entailing additional stress and risk. © David Sandison

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‘Best of luck Mr Gove’ ...... Star Letter insidetime SHANE WOODFORD - HMP HULL a voice for prisoners 1990 - 2015 the national newspaper for prisoners published by Oh, Mr Gove, what a beautiful, encouraging, idealistic speech you gave regarding prison and of the Month Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to prison reform at the Conservative Party Conference on the 5th of October. would love to be Congratulations and a £25 cash prize create links between the offender and the . able to have the chance to ‘change my life for the better’, to ‘provide for my family and give back for this month’s Star Letter. to the community’. I would love for prison to encourage me, teach me new skills and help build Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial content. Comments or complaints should be directed to the or maintain relationships with family, friends and prospective employers on the outside. I Managing Editor and not to New Bridge. welcome a system that allows me to serve my time and come out as an improved, rehabilitated and useful individual. To be able to find employment in a sector suited to my skills, interests a © and abilities. To be respected and forgiven by society. not Board of Directors profit I would love to be able to move forward without judgement of my past mistakes. To have self- publication4 respect and pride in who I am now. To be given opportunities by a penal system that believes in giving individuals another chance, responsibilities and the tools to improve. You are so right Mr Trevor Grove - Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, Journalist and Writer Gove, offenders do deserve another chance. But there are a few problems with your speech. Geoff Hughes - Former Governor, Belmarsh prison. The main problem being how are you going to achieve this utopian vision at a time when the Eric McGraw - Former Director, New Bridge (1986-2002) and founder of Inside Time in 1990. Prison and Probation Services are on their knees? Crippled by budget cuts, understaffed but Drug soaked books? John D Roberts - Former Company Chairman and working at near 100% capacity. A time of rife substance abuse and an inability to detect and ...... Managing Director employing ex-offenders. stop the latest scourge of ‘legal highs’. With a lack of trained and experienced staff, an increas- Louise Shorter - Former producer, BBC Rough ing prisoner population and a decaying prison estate. If the prison system was a patient it would MD SOUTER - HMP RYE HILL Justice programme. be on life support with its relatives gathered around the bedside to say their last goodbyes! Alistair H. E. Smith B.Sc F.C.A. - Chartered According to recent headlines the pages of Accountant, Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge To revive this patient would require massive injections of cash, the right people and serious books sent into prisons are being ‘impreg- Foundation.a © a © not not changes to a system that operates more like a storage company than a place of rehabilitation. nated with mind-bending drugs’. As a profit profit Here at HMP Hull the prison has a motto ‘Serving the community’, which always makes me cynical ex-journalist I know how to read 4 publication4 service smile. The only service this prison provides is one of containment. Don’t get me wrong, Hull isn’t beyond the bold type and explore the a ‘bad’ prison, the staff do the best they can with what little they have. But we could do so much substance (legal or otherwise) of this story. more. We could serve the community properly, with more money, staff and resources. So, best The Editorial Teama © of luck Mr Gove, you are going to need it. At first this tale appears to have some not profit credibility - ‘Inspectors alarmed!’ - we organisation4 Extra 15 months for Where are my books? read. I’m sure the Independent Monitoring ...... Board will be as concerned by that description of them as I am. Hard-working, attempted suicide! CRAIG LLOYD - HMP WEALSTUN ...... they undoubtedly are, but they are not ‘Inspectors’. They are rightly concerned TY JONES - HMP CARDIFF I was transferred from HMP Durham to HMP about legal highs and their widespread Haverigg in September 2014. Shortly after I availability in society, including prison. Rachel Billington OBE Eric McGraw I have never been to prison before, nor been arrived I received notice of a fine of £55.95. Novelist and Author and Managing in trouble with the police, but I was given 4 This was for 5 books that I had borrowed from Editor But, impregnated into books? Frankly Journalist years. A week prior to me being sentenced to the library at HMP Durham the night before I there would be no need, as the report prison my son died, which devastated me. was transferred. I did not know I was going to says, legal highs such as Spice and Black After a while I decided that I no longer wanted be transferred prior to borrowing the books, it Mamba are virtually undetectable, so, to live so I tried to commit suicide by setting came as a complete surprise to me. When it whilst I have never seen it myself I would my mattress alight. I sealed off the door and came to the transfer I left the library books in certainly know who to ask for if I wanted it. blocked all the windows so that the smoke my cell as I had no time to take them back to Buried at the bottom of the report is the would not escape and lay on my bed and the library. phrase that clinches it as nonsense to me waited to die. I wanted to kill myself via the I paid the fine and was told to write to the - ‘It is not believed that’ - this translates as John Roberts Noel Smith fumes and not hurt anyone else. Publisher and Director Author, writer and library every month to ask if the books had ‘there is no evidence’. former prisoner been returned by any other prisoner, if they The next thing I remember is waking up out on were then they would refund my money. My My man in the know points out that LSD is the landing around 10 o’clock at night. Prison Editorial Assistants letters to the library have been ignored, so I completely different to the substances staff had pulled me from the smoke-filled cell Lucy Forde - Former prisoner education mentor would like to send a message to your readers that are classed as legal highs but that it - Inside Information Compiler and then put the fire out. I was charged with Paul Sullivan in HMP Durham - remember to return your can be impregnated into books, but LSD is arson and had 15 months added to my Administration Assistant Sonia Miah library books because if not, it can be very not a popular prison drug, and most legal sentence for attempting to commit suicide. If expensive. And if you are a prisoner at Layout & Design Colin Matthews highs in prison are smoked not swallowed. I’d had the care and right medical help I do Durham and my books are propping up your not think it would have come to this. Do you bed or TV, please return them as I want my Correspondence In a prison world where security rules take think this is fair? money back! Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, precedence over everything else, could Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. this be the start of a campaign to try to Accounts & Admin: Inside Time, P.O.Box Janine Doolan ban books again? Something to ponder. 251, Hedge End, Hampshire SO30 4XJ. 01489 795945 Prison Law and Crime - LMJ Solicitors [email protected] www.insidetime.org Legal Aid for • Parole •Adjudications • Re-call If you wish to reproduce or publish any of the content from in Inside Time, you should first contact us for written permission. • Judicial Review • Appeals SCOTTISH CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAWYERS Full terms & conditions can be found on the website. Contact us for advice & representation: Subscribe Affordable Fixed Rates for  PAROLE HEARINGS Inside Time is distributed free of charge throughout the • Recatagorisation • HDC UK prison estate. It is available to other readers via a  CRIMINAL DEFENCE postal subscription service. • Pre-tariff Parole Reports  CRIMINAL APPEALS ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES £35 for single copies to UK addresses plus £10 p.a. for each 28a Albany Street, EH1 3QH additional copy to the same address. Instructions taken from all prisons Charities and Volunteers (UK only) £25 p.a. for a single copy 54 St James Street, , L1 0AB The Lodge, 53 Market Street, Galashiels TD1 3AF Overseas Subscriptions rates will be £48 p.a. for Europe 24 hour line: 0131 557 8020 or 01896 668 669 and £58 for the Rest of the World both plus £20 p.a. for Direct Dial 0151 321 0381 www.wsalawyers.com |  each additional copy going to the same overseas address. Mobile: 07842 996 400 Insidetime December 2015 If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number www.insidetime.org and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Mailbag 3

Where is my tax rebate? Problems with legal prison visits Contents ...... ROBERT BRADLEY - SOLICITOR - NAME SUPPLIED Mailbag ...... 2-9 HMP BUCKLEY HALL I write as a frustrated legal visitor. It is very concerning the impact current austerity measures ...... 10-17 are having in relation to prisoners accessing legal advice. Within only a few months, I have Diary ...... 18-19 I first wrote to the Tax Academy whilst at HMP attended at HMP Aylesbury spending almost 1 hour waiting to be taken through to the visitors’ Comment ...... 20-29 Wealstun in February 2015. After a lengthy hall owing to there not being enough staff to escort legal visitors. Legal visits only take place delay, which they apologised for, I received a there one day a week. Once within the legal visits hall, a had to collect each letter back from them three months later in individual prisoner one-by-one which resulted in my prearranged 2 hour legal visit being May 2015 which included the form 64-8 and reduced to 40 minutes. I recently had a prearranged legal visit with a prisoner at HMP Isis. When Authority for a Tax Refund form, both of which I attended at the prison, I was informed my visit had been cancelled. No explanation was given I signed straight away and sent back in the by the prison. I have attended at HMP Chelmsford, whilst having my visiting confirmation pre-paid envelope they had supplied. papers, upon arrival I was informed the prisoner’s details had not been added to the visits list and therefore I would not be able to see him! Then I was transferred here to HMP Buckley Whilst I have followed up my concerns with the head of the Prison Service it is worrying the difficulties Hall in August 2015. At the start of September © Fotolia.com 2015 I wrote to the Tax Academy to inform prisoners are experiencing accessing legal advice. As for the wasted costs that are being them that I had been moved and to ask them unnecessarily attributed to the legal aid budget, which we are constantly being told by the Witch hunts are very real by Alan Morris Government is too high, is it any surprise given the system we are constantly battling to do our job. what was going on with my tax refund...... 22 It is now November 2015 and I have heard When will it end? ‘The latest rumour…’ nothing from the Tax Academy to tell me what ...... is going on with my case. It has now been 9 months since I first wrote to them and 6 KEITH ROBINSON - HMP WEALSTUN N JORDAN - HMP/YOI LITTLEHEY months since they wrote back. I don’t know I was sentenced in 2008 to an IPP with a 6-year I am a serving prisoner at Littlehey and writing what is happening and wonder if Inside Time tariff. This is my first time in prison and I have to you to seek clarification on the latest rumour can find out as the company advertises in never had a nicking or an IEP warning and have doing the rounds. People are saying that the your pages. completed 23 courses. I have been Enhanced law is about to change and that from January for 6½ years. Also, I have been employed 2016 any prisoner on license will not be able to since I came into prison 7 years ago. Yet I still be recalled back to prison unless they have Paul from Russia to legalise prison beatings: could have not had a parole hearing. I came to prison committed a new criminal offence. Quite frankly, the Tax Academy the same happen here? by John O’Connor Writes when my daughter was only 2 months old and I do not believe this and I am writing to try and ...... 27 now she has just turned 7! On every visit she find out if anyone has heard anything definite A cheque was sent to HMP Wealstun directly says ‘Daddy, when are you coming home?’ or official about this? I look forward to hearing Education ...... 31-33 by HMRC in September 2015. Neither HMRC But I cannot tell her as I do not know myself. whether this is true and, if so, it is about time. Inside Justice ...... 34-35 nor we at that time were aware that Mr I know I speak for all IPP prisoners when I ask Editorial note: We have checked our sources where do we go from here, when will it end? Terry Waite Writes ...... 36 Bradley had changed prisons. I have since and can find no truth in this rumour. Though In Prison Permanently page 35 Short Story ...... 37 received a letter (early October 2015) stating it sounds like a good idea. he had changed prisons but no date was Robert Banks page 43 The Rule Book ...... 38 given. I am arranging for the cheque to be Christmas Messages ...... 39 reissued but this can take up to four weeks. Legal ...... 40-41 Legal Q&A ...... 42-43 Editorial note: When dealing with the Tax Reading Groups ...... 44 Academy it is advised that you inform them Wellbeing ...... 45 immediately if you are transferred. Inside Poetry ...... 46-47 We have also had a letter from Mohammed Jailbreak ...... 48-51 Karim at HMP Stoke Heath reporting that he National ...... 52 also has not received a cheque. Again he moved without informing the Tax Academy.

If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (concise and clear- emailaprisoner ly marked) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley The emailaprisoner service Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Please note letters for publica- enables family, friends, tion may be edited. solicitors and other organi- To avoid any possible misunderstanding, if sations to send messages you have a query and for whatever reason do to prisoners from any not wish your letter to be published in Inside Time or appear on the website, or yourself computer. It’s faster than to be identified, please make this clear. 1st class post and costs We advise that wherever possible, when less than a 2nd class stamp! sending original documents such as legal papers, you send photocopies as we are • Available in 98% of UK unable to accept liability if they are lost. prisons. We may need to forward your letter and/or documents to Prison Service HQ or another • Smartphone App coming appropriate body for comment or advice, Soon! therefore only send information you are willing to have forwarded on your behalf. If you would like to know more call: 03333 70 65 50 Views expressed in Inside Time are those of the authors and not necessarily repre- for further details or visit: sentative of those held by Inside Time or www.emailaprisoner.com the New Bridge Foundation. ›› Registered with EMAP ‹‹ If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number Insidetime December 2015 4 Mailbag and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. www.insidetime.org

‘A little balance’ ...... GRAHAM COUTTS - HMP WAKEFIELD

Thank you to P Johnson in the October issue for adding ‘a little balance’ in praise of HMP Wakefield’s swift response to his heart attack. In order to return the balance back in favour of the odd moan and groan, this is my experience of HMP Wakefield’s duty of care. TIMELINE FROM 17th OF OCTOBER 2013 Oceans away 08.20 - I informed wing staff that I was ...... © Fotolia.com experiencing severe chest pains. I was told to wait in the queue for the dispensing hatch. JACOB BARRETT - SANTA ROSA Cockroaches with vegetables! 08.30 - Saw a nurse who ‘diagnosed’ anxiety CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, ...... (despite my history of ischaemic heart disease). FLORIDA USA ANIYSAH ALI - HMP HOLLOWAY 08.40 - Saw the specialist cardiac nurse - given ECG and put on oxygen. As a prisoner in the UK how much freedom of I would like to say that I have been in HMP Holloway for the past 6 months and have never 09.11 - Cardiac nurse makes emergency call speech do you have? Can you pen a poem or encountered anything remarkable enough to write about. However all of that changed one for an ambulance. It is no overstatement to write an ode? Strum some strings or beat a recent Saturday afternoon. say that she saved my life. drum? As a prisoner who has spent more than 09.20 - Paramedics arrive at HMP Wakefield. 21 consecutive years in 18 US prisons in 5 I was giving a helping hand to the ladies who were serving dinner only to receive the most 09.30 - Paramedics reach my location. The different states I know from personal disgusting shock of my life. I found a dead cockroach mixed in with the vegetables which pain at this point was nauseating and had experience that freedom of speech is often a seemed to have been boiled with the veg. After our shock and nervous laughter we came radiated to my jaw and down my left shoulder matter of degrees depending on the hamster crashing back to reality as we realised that the food we receive is of awful quality and does not and arm. Despite the clear distress I was in cage they have us in at any given moment. really provide us with the nutrition that we genuinely need for our bodies. I am no food critic However, the prison walls do not form a and I realise that we are in prison so I am not asking for KFC box meals, but the food we receive and the cardiac nurse’s assessment of my condition as being serious, I was not allowed barrier between the prisoner and the world is incredibly unhealthy and almost all carbohydrate that tends to stick to the stomach. Why can where speech is concerned. we not have better quality ingredients as food does affect our health and well-being? onto the ambulance by the Dispatch Manager. 10.20 - Prison clothes arrived at my location In the solitude of prison a number of published and I was forced to change into them. works by authors have been realised: Pilgrims Does the law apply to us? ‘Staff here really 10.30 - Allowed into ambulance - hurrah! Progress by John Bunyon (1684), Papillion by ...... 10.40 - Ambulance leaves HMP Wakefield and Henri Charriere (1970), The Ransom of Red I am blue-lighted to hospital. DETAILS WITHHELD do go the extra mile’ Chief in Whirligigs, by O Henry (1910), Letters ...... from The Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther So, 2 hours and 20 minutes after first Having now spent several years in this prison King (1963) and The Ballad of Reading Jail, IAN SCOTT - HMP NOTTINGHAM informing staff of what was later diagnosed as and witnessed countless breaches of PSOs, Oscar Wilde (1898) to name a few. a heart attack I was finally on my way to PSIs and the law, I and many other prisoners I would like to thank all the staff, both hospital. Despite the Dispatch Manager As prisoners, freedom of speech rests in our are unhappy and would like to know - Do all healthcare and officers, for their help and claiming the delay was ‘no more than 10 palm. With the stroke of a pen I have the parts of the law apply inside prisons for dedication. prisoners? Such as the Health & Safety Act, minutes’, the Prisons Ombudsman upheld my power to reach across an ocean and touch complaint. As a result the Deputy Governor lands that my own ancestors walked only 150 Food Safety & Hygiene Act, the Workplace I came into prison and found myself in a very Health, Safety & Welfare regulations? And gave me a written apology. I have since years ago before they boarded leaky wooden dark, lonely and fearful environment, made does employment law apply to prisoners as brought a civil case against the MoJ which ships to set sail for distant shores. In the dank worse when coupled with my mental health we are employed by the prison? I only ask as they are (unbelievably) defending. recess of my supermax isolation cell I have issues and I cannot thank the staff enough for in the case of Leonard Cartell vs The Home the power to communicate with fellow their help. prisoners worlds away. Office (Claim No. 6DH02489) the judge ruled In case you are thinking that this must have that prison law cannot supersede English law, been a one-off, in September of this year I HMP Nottingham has recently been voted as As you sit in your cell reading this epistle I am all the above mentioned Acts are English law developed an irregular heartbeat (between the 3rd worst prison in England & Wales. several thousand miles away hunkered in a so cannot be superseded. These issues affect 40 and 200 beats per minute) so I pressed my There are budget cuts, staff shortages and cell in a country you may never have visited every UK prison. I would be grateful for any emergency bell at 7.10pm and did not get a increased pressure from the inmate popula- wondering what stories you may have to tell. I help in this matter. response for 15 minutes. It took a further 2 tion, which cannot be easy to work under, but say to you: write, write, write! Never stop hours before I was allowed in the ambulance. Editorial note: This query has been passed to I have found the staff here really do go the writing. Put your thoughts to poems, your Just another example of what I have experi- NOMS for a response. If there are any legal extra mile to help the residents. All of them do experiences to saga, and bring your dreams to enced at HMP Wakefield. minds or prisoners who have some experience a very difficult job and I would like to say the world’s front door. Touch a heart, touch a relevant to this query, letters would be welcome. ‘thank you’. mind, touch a soul. Let your words stretch out I trust the balance is now restored. across nations and be a legacy 22 years hence.

We are local to: HMYOI AYLESBURY & HMPs BULLINGDON, GRENDON, WOODHILL, READING and SPRINGHILL but Scott-Moncrieff & Associates Pickup & Scott Solicitors also cover many other prisons. Nationwide Prison Law Experts and Solicitors We cover all aspects of Prison Law • Life Sentences • IPPs • Parole Hearings • Recalls • Adjudications • VPs • Immigration issues Contact: Anna DPele Laas Me acroe,n Htaarclte:e na Johal-Basi, Simon GreMeanr ioar V Aillleaxraicnod oer Brown at: PICKPUICPKU &P &S SCCOOTTT S SOLOICLIITCORITSO RS 6 Bo6u Brobuornbo Snt Sretreete ~t ~ A Ayylleessburryy ~ ~ B Bucukcsk ~s H~P H20P 2R0R 2RR Call: 0207 841 1099 01296 397 794 01296 397 794 Members of the Association of Prison Lawyers Or write to: Scomo, 88 Kingsway, Holborn, London WC2B 6AA Insidetime December 2015 If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number www.insidetime.org and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Mailbag 5 Don’t make us homeless Good comparison ...... JOE BUTLER - HMP WANDSWORTH ROY BARCLAY - HMP CHELMSFORD

I am serving 6 months in HMP Wandsworth. I was fascinated to read the insightful article I was convicted of ABH, despite my solicitor - To rebel with a cause - by Owen Davies. His agreeing it was self-defence and that I would comparison of 19th century Dostoevsky with be found not guilty. As a single parent I am 21st century offending was thought provoking. lucky my daughter could stay at her grans, or I’d not thought about the victim of a crime in she would now be in care. Luckily for me, by terms of being a ‘symbol’, who might attract a law, I can claim housing benefit for 13 weeks particular criminal, until reading this. This so I won’t end up homeless on top of every- insight by Owen Davies deserves deeper thing else. investigation, it might even develop into a new branch of offender therapy. I read the story from the Howard League for Penal Reform saying that short prison sentences There is, indeed, much we might still learn destroy lives and are counterproductive, and I from the life and works of the Russian literary have to agree. My rent was sorted out by St great. Dostoevsky is typically equated with Mungo’s Trust and I am very grateful that I can our Charles Dickens, because both writers get help with housing benefit for 13 weeks if dedicated their talents to illuminating the plight convicted and 52 weeks whilst on . of the poor, the abused and the dispossessed. They tell me that it used to be 52 weeks when Although the Russian author wrote of scenes convicted but they changed it in order to save observed in his own country, he did have a money. See, I thought the idea of prison was not just to punish, but to rehabilitate people © Fotolia.com sojourn of wandering Dickensian London, so that they come out as productive members where he was impressed by the extent of of society? How does it help to rehabilitate if back-street squalor and general suffering. you end up losing your home while serving a Mince pies a security threat! prison sentence? ...... Ironically, all the leading intellectuals who ANDREW ROBERTS - HMP WYMOTT would instigate the Russian Revolution, came Anyone can find themselves doing a relatively to congregate in an inner-city area of the capital short sentence and being made homeless. Being in prison during Christmas isn’t the best place to be, although small things can add a little (London) whilst in exile from the Motherland. This does not ‘teach you a lesson’ but makes cheer to an otherwise miserable holiday. One small indulgence was being able to purchase a One would assume that with their war-cry of people bitter and does not help prevent small box of mince pies to enjoy on Christmas Day - but not for us at HMP Wymott this year. ‘equality’ and stated hatred of injustice, the reoffending. I feel that 52 weeks housing Bolsheviks would have embraced Dostoevsky benefit for all prisoners should be reintro- The DHL Christmas leaflet featuring the seasonal extras they are willing to sell us arrived this as a leading light, but come the revolution, on duced so that people have a chance to rebuild week and there was a big black cross through the mince pies. I enquired of a member of staff, the contrary; not only were his works their lives once released. who said there was a ‘shortage’ of mince pies in the UK this year and this was why none had blacklisted, but his name was blotted out of been allocated to prisoners! Russian history. The reason being that the I shall be writing to people regarding this great man had been one of the first to recognise matter when I am released. If it affects you Being a somewhat cynical individual I made my own enquiries to DHL workers on the wing and it the innate hypocrisy of the Bolsheviks, i.e. then feel free to get your families to write to transpired that our new governor has deemed mince pies a ‘security threat’. Apparently the their true nature was to replace a cruel, your MP, etc. as this is an important issue that governor believes that the foil pie cases can be used to smoke drugs and the fruit content can hostile, unjust ruling elite with another of the needs tackling. If you are on remand or be used to produce hooch! To add insult to injury it turns out that DHL will be selling mince pies same which only promised to be opposite. convicted with 3 months to serve fill in a form in every other prison who have passed them as no threat to security. for St Mungo’s Trust and they will help you. As an aside, our word ‘knackered’ has its So think of us here at Christmas with no mince pies and just the M&S advert to remind us of origin in the Russian for ; Michael Palin speaks page 18 what we are missing. Merry Christmas! ‘nakazeniye’ - punished to death.

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Do you need help in any “Mental Please contact: S&O Partnership can help Health Law” related matter, or transfers from prison to hospital? Kathryn Reece-Thomas Adaku Parker Contact us on Let our Specialist Solicitors help you & Chuma Oraedu . We can assist you under the [email protected] 0207 698 4468 legal aid scheme. If not eligible we can offer attractive fixed fee rates. or write to us at: [email protected] Mobile : 07535 744123 Other areas include: www.MTGsolicitors.com Over 15 years’ experience in the legal profession Central Court, • Criminal Commissioner for Oaths 25 Southampton • Prison Law For a Quick response contact us at: • Property Westgate House, Westgate www.sterlingcourtchambers.co.uk •Immigration () Buildings, London Road. Ealing W5 1YY • Family Sterling Court Chambers is regulated by the Bar Standards Board WC2A 1AL. • Personal Injury Tel: 020 3026 2547 If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number Insidetime December 2015 6 Mailbag and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. www.insidetime.org

Who have we offended? ...... RAY AMOS - HMP OAKWOOD

Can someone please explain to me the logic of what seems like pure victimisation for the sake of political correctness? My daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law came to visit me recently Who pays the postage? and were made to feel like they were in a foreign country. My son-in-law, who is from Tunisia, ...... was wearing a smart England top with no writing on it but just a small badge featuring the 3 BILAL ZAHEER AHMAD - lions. Reception staff made him turn it inside out and wear it like this in case it offended anyone HMP WAKEFIELD in the visits hall. It was this or not have the visit. A female member of staff agreed with my visitors that this was the most stupid thing she had Most prisoners assume that the onus of ever seen, but she was overruled by a senior officer. Now I could understand if his shirt con- paying postage costs when writing to the tained an offensive message or picture, or even if it had a logo for a football club, but it was a Left out in the cold Prisons & Probation Ombudsman is on them, national sports shirt that represented one thing - England. Last time I looked we are in England, ...... but that is not the case. so how could wearing a national shirt of the country you live in be ‘offensive’ to anyone inside RACHEL FLATLEY - A PRISONER’S one of that country’s prisons? Paragraph 18 of the Ombudsman’s terms of RELATIVE reference state - ‘Complainants will have My son-in-law loves England and normally wears his shirt with pride, so he was very embar- confidential access to the Ombudsman and rassed to be asked to hide it and be forced to wear it inside out in a hall full of visitors. So I My daughter is currently at HMP Low , no attempt should be made to prevent a would like to ask, in all sincerity, who have we offended? her home town is Bolton which is over 100 complainant from referring a complaint to the miles away, it takes 2-3 hours depending on Ombudsman. The cost of postage for written traffic to get there. This is longer than the complaints to the Ombudsman by prisoners, Closed Visits: security or punishment? actual visit itself. detainees and trainees will be met by the ...... relevant authority. Prisoners’ correspondence CM - HMP PRESTON On a family visit it is only her partner and to the Ombudsman will be treated as standard children who go in the prison, as he doesn’t second class mail if they wish the establish- As I write this I find myself going into the 19th month of Closed Visits. The prison authorities tell drive we take them up. We can’t be the only ment to pay for postage. If a prisoner requires me that Closed Visits is NOT a punishment but a ‘security precaution’. I understand that I was family in this situation but I would like to their correspondence to be sent by any put on Closed Visits because Security claim to have intel about a mobile phone, but can they know why the visits centres do not cater for method other than standard second class, i.e. honestly say that their intel is visit related? If I have not had an open visit in 19 months, and my families who have to do this? We have to recorded delivery, special delivery or first record shows I have never received an item on a visit then surely someone needs to ask the either go into town for 3 or 4 hours or sit and class, then the cost of the postage difference question - are HMP Preston telling the truth when they say they are not using the Closed Visits wait in the car. must be paid by the prisoner.’ system as a punishment? I did ask if it was possible to wait in the visits This is important as some people may be Am I being treated illegally? It is pointless using the Complaints system here as staff treat it like centre but was told no. Surely we are all deterred by postage costs. a joke. Staff laughingly encourage us to put in Complaint forms because they never answer supposed to work together to make a difficult them on time, they get ‘lost’ or we get replies that bear no relation to the subject. Since legal aid situation a little bit easier but it seems to me Editorial note: The Deputy Ombudsman was scrapped for prisoners they don’t seem to give a toss about our complaints. The staff are that obstacles are just put in the way and it confirms this correspondent is correct. experts in not helping and shutting us down so we are left with the impression that a COMP1A makes it harder to keep the family together. Formal complaints page 25 form is just a waste of our ink. Where, now, is the protection? Michael Palin speaks page 18

YOU’RE MEANT TO BE DOING TIME… ...NOT PERSONAL INJURY

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1864_advert_ConverseMag.indd 2 07/10/2014 12:19 Insidetime December 2015 If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number www.insidetime.org and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Mailbag 7

Mr Oates claims, unconvincingly, ‘Whilst I fully support the right of freedom of expres- sion’, his actions prove the opposite with the unspoken codicil of ‘except in cases or things that shock me and that I find to be deeply offensive to what I judge to be the common- weal’. Folks who do not care to read a history of might be self-advised not to read such books where each individual is free to make his or her adult choices within the law.

By his crude action against Fielding, he has denied others that freedom of choice concerning what information they might have or seek out. In a real way, pertaining to educational literature, Peter Oates has killed the voice of expression of the author ... something Inside Time has not done in giving him voice in his own letter with its cognitive flaws of unreasoning. History is not condoning of past events but a revealing exposition of them. Under the well-educated tutelage of Michael Gove I hope that NOMS turns down The sinking of the Titanic on the 14 April 1912 in the north Atlantic Ocean. Mr Oates damagingly censorus demands… bearing in mind that Mr Gove’s own book, ‘Sinking fast’ Unwarranted censorship ‘Celsius 7/7’ was put on the ‘banned list’ by ...... them in the recent past. of history books MR KENDALL - HMP LOWDHAM GRANGE People in prison do not want to kill them- ...... I am writing to let you know what is happening at HMP Titanic, also known as Lowdham Grange. selves because they have read a history book, This was once a prestigious prison, probably the best in the country, but that reputation is long DES NILSON - HMP FULL SUTTON it is because they are made tragically gone. In the 3 years I have been here never have I witnessed so much violence, daily and weekly, unhappy and depressed by the seemingly on prisoners and staff. Ambulances attend this prison regularly. The healthcare has a terrible I was amazed to read the ‘Star Letter’ in the hopeless circumstances of their and medical team who ignore our wellbeing. On average you will wait 8 weeks to see a nurse who October issue of Inside Time; submitted by within the bleak isolation of their wholly will then recommend an appointment for you to see a doctor! During this period you will not Peter Oates, stating and justifying ‘his’ alienating prison conditions which promote receive medication or treatment. The emergency dentist is a 4 month wait at least. decision to have the history book ‘Pierre- utter despair. point: A Family of Executioners’ removed from the library shelves of Hull prison as well as The once busy industries are now association areas as there is no work, no contracts and pay It’s not more Listeners they need, but more has been reduced based on the fact there is no work or money coming in. The only reason they exhorting NOMS to have it removed from ALL Hearers that are willing and able to help by prison libraries…as he judges it to be a send us to the workshops is to tick boxes for government targets for ‘out of cell hours’ and addressing the immediate and long term ‘purposeful activity’. There is a wait of 9 months plus for any job owing to under-staffing issues. dangerous publication and not conducive to miseries. the mental health of vulnerable prisoners. Gym has been cut because gym staff are deployed on escort duty. We are unable to get to recep- His text is replete with emotive language tion because of lack of staff. about the book but doesn’t say that he has actually read it: ‘Shocked’, ’morally wrong and Further response The food is absolutely terrible because a lot of it is stolen from the kitchens and sold on the deeply offensive’ at the prison abetting black market. Staff morale is the lowest I’ve ever seen and it seems like they have just given up. This jail is in dire need of a new captain and crew as we are sinking fast. So class this as us suicide by supplying ‘a manual on how to do it to ‘ book’ sending out an SOS. properly’ etc...... SOLOMAN BYGRAVES - In 2001, I wrote a 27 page ‘treatise’ on which included much testimony HMP WAYLAND DAVIES & JONES RODMAN PEARCE from the man’s own autobiography published SOLICITORS SOLICITORS in 1974, and updated this work by reading I am writing in response to the Star Letter in new information contained in Steve Fielding’s the October issue. I had seen the book, titled FIGHTING FOR YOU !!! excellent and meticulously researched history ‘Pierrepoint, a Family of Executioners’ by Specialising in Experienced representation in of the ‘artificers’ of capital punishment in the Steve Fielding, in the here at Criminal Defence and Criminal Defence, Prison Law 20th century with additional information from Wayland. I had a quick browse through the book and found it wrong on all levels. Prison Law and Immigration Matters records. It forms a concise 4 All Criminal Courts Proceedings & Appeals history of its subject and is to be commended O f f e r i n g I suffer from bipolar disorder and have 4 Parole Hearings 4 Contested Recall for advancing our knowledge on these period previously had issues with trying to commit N a t i o n w i d e S e r v i c e 4 Judicial Reviews 4 Sentence Calculation but tragic events which were promoted and suicide. If I was not stable on my medication honoured by Parliament, the law and the State. 4Lifer Panel and Adjudication Representation and going through a depressive phase, I • All Criminal Court Proceedings 4 Appeals Against Deportation would be able to borrow this book from the The Pierrepoint family operated within the 4Variations and Certificates of Inadequacy library and make an attempt to end my life. • Parole Applications (then) refined requirements of prison policy 4 When I saw the book I immediately alerted Revising Prosecution benefit calculations as were the regulations, rules, and tools of his • Licence Recall

our library staff and asked them to remove 4 Unlawful Detention/Bail Applications trade and procedures which put the will of the • Appeals 4 this book, and it has now been removed from 4 Confiscation, Asset State into effect and with overwhelming our library. support from the general public which • Adjudications Forfeiture & PoCA Experts approved of judicial killing as an answer to Because I have made attempts to end my life If you are injured in prison you can win thousands of pounds. capital crimes. Contact Prison injuries could be caused in the gym, scalding in the in the past, I know that even contemplating kitchen, falling from a bunk, slip on wet floor, stabbed by inmates, death is such a terrible and terrifying thing David Rees or Simon Palmer trip on broken tile, injury in workshop, injury on excercise, Britain’s hangmen plied their lethal trade until with lots of different emotions going through Davies & Jones assaulted by staff or other inmates. it was discontinued after a double execution your head at one time. I would not want -Nationwide Service- in 1964 and abolished entirely in 1969. All of someone to borrow this book so they could 32 The Parade, Roath, Barry Akilo or Muhammad Munir that is fact, history and reality…no matter how get help with ending their life. Cardiff, CF24 3AD distasteful it may seem to most people today. 01582 424234 or write to: Our history is filled with the stark reality of Would it be possible for a note to go out Tel: 029 2046 5296 such dark passages and we cannot wish them Rodman Pearce Solicitors Ltd alerting all prison libraries to remove this or 24 Hour Emergency Number: away by comfortable denial. morally offensive book from their shelves. 54 Wellington Street 079 7096 9357 Luton Bedfordshire LU1 2QH If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number Insidetime December 2015 8 Mailbag and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. www.insidetime.org

A warning about ‘legal highs’ ...... DOUGIE FRYER - HMP GUYS MARSH

This is a warning about legal highs and in particular NPS. I am a 43 year old prisoner, 4 years and 3 months into a 5 year sentence. I have struggled with drug addiction all of my life, but only in the past 3 years have I started smoking legal highs. Like most people I first thought that the word ‘legal’ meant these substances cannot be dangerous or addictive. The first couple of times I smoked it the effects were a lot more powerful than I expected but it helped me to forget my problems. That soon changed and I found myself addicted and even though I had several fits whilst under the influence I was buying larger and larger quantities, spending up to £200 a time.

This all changed 2 weeks ago. I have no memory about what happened, apart from what staff and other prisoners tell me. I smoked a legal high called NPS which seemed to aggravate my mental health problems and I made a serious attempt on my own life. I was found hanging in my cell, I had no pulse and my heart had stopped, they say for between 5 and 10 minutes. If it wasn’t for two prisoners finding me I would now be dead. These two prisoners, Mario and Sheppard, saved my life. Also I have nothing but praise for the staff here at Guys Marsh who were very supportive of my family.

I have received continued support from prison and healthcare staff, but I am now left with no feeling in the right hand side of my face and neck and serious memory problems. I would like to thank everyone involved in my treatment and recovery. Please take this as a warning about © Fine Cell Work so-called legal highs. background. Fine Cell Work, thank you for the Butler Trust nominations time and effort you give to all of us. You have IPP ‘personality clash’ HMP Wymott: ...... helped change so many lives and in our TOMMY SMYTH - HMP FRANKLAND hearts you will always be winners. RICHARD KAVANAGH - ‘slave labour’ ...... I have just been reading the November issue IPP PRISONER Simon Shepherd - Director ROHEEZ KHAN - HMP WYMOTT of Inside Time when I came to Page 14 - Butler Butler Trust Could you please help me get an answer to my Trust: rating the nominations. Reading Writes question about how many IPPs are still in custody I have been working here in the commercial through the list of names shortlisted for the owing to a personality clash or breakdown in laundry workshop for around 11 months, and Award it comes as no surprise that my All of our nominations are reviewed by an their relationship with their offender manager? the working week comprises of 2x 9-hour nominations got nowhere. For 7 years now, independent panel, but as we receive over shifts, 2x 12-hour shifts and 2x 6-hour shifts, myself and other inmates that do the Fine Cell 300 of them each year, this means that we I have asked this question to the National on the weekend. We have a lot of commercial Work class here at HMP Frankland have sadly can’t give everyone an Award or Probation Service under the Freedom Of contracts and further contracts are being nominated the three ladies, Fo, Vicky and Commendation. Information Act, they have said they do not taken on all the time. However, we get no pay Linda for all their hard work over the years. rise to reflect our workload. have the answer to my question. I think the These ladies give their time up for free in However, our Awards are very much open to only way to find out this information would be order to give the lads here a chance to learn a volunteers and we are keen to make sure that We criticise the ‘sweatshops’ in 3rd world countries, to ask the question in your paper. new skill and earn some money to save for their important contributions are recognised. yet if you compare the conditions in which we release. Not only do they teach us how to sew For example, earlier this year, two of our ten work and what we get paid, the sweatshops I am serving an IPP sentence myself and was but they listen, and talk to us when we are top Awards went to volunteers - one to Paul & sound like a luxury workplace! Even according recalled incorrectly (for 1 year) due to a feeling down. Rita Conley for their volunteer work with older to the ever-increasing prices in the canteen, personality clash with my new OM, who was prisoners at HMP Wymott, and one to our living conditions are deteriorating rapidly. forced on me due to my SPO being sent to Fine Cell Work has changed my life for the bet- Elizabeth Shapland for her voluntary bereave- work for the private company CRC. This OM ter and I feel I owe these ladies so much, so ment counselling at HMP Bullingdon. lied in the recall report and the parom 1, my I recently did a full shift, 8.50-4.30 and asked by making the nominations it is our way of the instructor if I could go back to the wing as OM never completed the Part B-risk Manage- thanking them, but the people who win every Finally, it is absolutely true that making a ment plan at all. I was released quite correctly I had intense pain in my back and legs. This year seem to be the people who are paid to do request was granted but the next day I was nomination is a great way of saying ‘thank once I sat before the Parole Board and they their jobs. That is not saying that these people you’ to volunteers and staff. And each year, given an IEP warning for it by the same instructor. do not deserve recognition for the work they realised the facts of my case were not as the we make sure that we write to everyone who I was also told I was not required. When I did do, but it always seems to be those who are Offender Manager had reported in her written has been nominated - regardless of how far get back to work I found I had been downgraded unpaid and do voluntary work to help change reports that had led to my recall in the first they have got through the awards process - to place. I think that this is a serious problem to basic pay of £7.70 per week. Prisoners are the lives of prisoners who get forgotten. being blackmailed and threatened with IEPs congratulate them on their nomination. Being that NPS have. The cost of these IPPs staying nominated is a great achievement in itself in custody runs into millions of pounds. to keep working here. 90% of us want out and I hope the Butler Trust will read this letter and and really helps volunteers and staff to feel do not know how the prison, making a vast realise that it is not only prison staff, nurses, valued. We hope you’ll continue to send us In Prison Permanently page 35 profit from our labour, pay such a pittance in probation or social workers who change our your nominations. Robert Banks page 43 wages. There is slave labour at HMP Wymott. lives, but also the voluntary workers in the

Why use Parole Board Hearing? IPP, Lifer, Standard, Licence Recalls. Turn to Independent Adjudication? • Expert Prison Law Team shortlisted for the Sentence Wrongly Calculated? Northern Law Awards for their success in helping prisoners. Oral Hearing? - Tariff Reduction? Appeal against Sentence or Conviction? 145 High Street, Gosforth, • Michael Robinson, John Griffith (ex of Newcastle NE3 1HA Purdons Solicitors) and Clark Robinson have Second Appeal through the CCRC? 0191 284 6989 acted for thousands of clients in your position. The above issues are still covered under Legal Aid! So if you need help get it from dedicated London based Prison Lawyers, helping prisoners fight for their rights throughout England and Wales. 52 John Street, Sunderland SR1 1QN • Excellent track record in POCA/Forfeiture cases. Write to Manoj Sharda, Office 226, 4 Spring Road, Ealing, London W5 2AA 0191 567 6667 Don’t waste your next opportunity before the Parole Board CONTACT EMMERSONS NOW and let us Tel: 020 8123 3404 Registeredemmersons with -solicitors.co.uk get on with preparing your case in good time. Email: [email protected] www.prisonlawsolicitors.org.uk EMAP Parole Hearings • Adjudications • Recalls Prison Law Consultant at Duncan Lewis Solicitors Members of the Association of Prison Lawyers ADJUDICATION & PAROLE SPECIALISTS Insidetime December 2015 If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number www.insidetime.org and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Mailbag 9 The final word Smoking ban on J-Cloths ‘not thought out’ ...... RUSSELL IRELAND - RYAN JAMESON - HMP BURE HMP WOODHILL As a non-smoker I welcome the introduction I write in response to the recent controversy of a smoking ban in prisons. However, I do over the number of J-Cloths different prisons have concerns that this issue has not been are giving out. Whilst prisoners are occupied thought out properly. Here at HMP Bure we by this weighty matter the Russians are fighting are shortly introducing 2 wings that will an illegal war and pushing hundreds and become totally non-smoking in all areas. This thousands of refugees to flood into Europe. would leave space on other wings for There are record numbers of people living in smokers. But the rumour is that within the poverty, a social housing crisis threatening next 12 months HMP Bure will be going economic collapse and thousands of British forcibly smoke free. jobs are lost as our steel industry lays in ruins. The concern among a lot of people here is for the prisoners who are attending Offender © Synergy The Chinese are buying up our country and posturing on the world stage with a nuclear Behaviour Courses, which are hugely stressful in themselves. I am sure this is not the only Synergy Theatre’s ‘Girls Like That’ by Evan Placey was performed by a company of professional arsenal and no human rights. The Americans prison that has concerns about the forthcom- and ex-prisoner actors and toured across London schools and prisons in October 2014. are giving away free guns when you open a bank account and then wondering why so ing ban. And I am also sure it will provoke a lot many of their citizens get shot. The Americans of debate amongst the Inside Time readership How Synergy changed my life are also on the brink of an all-out race war. over the coming months as more prisons are ...... forced to be smoke free. FRANK PROSPER - EX PRISONER Isis are radicalising schoolchildren around the world. Home-grown terrorists are decapitating I served a 17 year sentence from 1992-2004. In 2006 I was recalled on licence on yet another servicemen on the streets of London and as NOTICE BOARD conspiracy to rob charge. While on remand in Brixton, a theatre company called Synergy Theatre we have seen in the news recently, murdering The latest issue of came to the prison to put on a production during Black History Month. It was a scorching summer innocent people on the streets of Paris. Travellers’ Times is that year and I would have done anything to get out of the oven hot . I chose to is alive and well and the world at now available. audition for a role in Synergy’s production of ‘Elmina’s Kitchen’ written by Kwame Kwei-Armah. large is watching it all on television with an I was cast in the lead role. I can’t say I was surprised, because I had been involved in acting and energy-saving lightbulb and a bag-for-life Simply drop us a line drama in prisons in the past. Pantomime shows in Blantyre House and Maidstone and cabaret under the mistaken impression that we are here at Inside Time shows in Standford Hill, which we performed in a women’s prison too, East Sutton Park. doing something to save the world. and the copy will be posted on to you. I was facing a ‘life’ sentence in 2006 and Esther Baker the theatre director came to court and But, let’s face it, all that pales in comparison spoke on my behalf. She offered me immediate employment on a theatre tour if released from to the lack of J-Cloths in our prisons. prison on bail while awaiting sentence. The judge agreed and the rest as they say is history. Just saying...

I was a prolific offender, I hadn’t stayed out of prison longer than 2 years since the age of 16. I was 45 years old in 2006. I am writing this because it’s gonna be a decade next year since I was released, the longest that I have stayed out of prison, and in that decade I have achieved so much because of Synergy Theatre projects.

I have appeared on a London theatre stage in plays, I have acted and appeared in red carpeted film premieres, music videos, tv and numerous adverts, I have attended the Cannes Film Festival and now I am currently in talks with major film and tv companies regarding the rights to my life story growing up in the Notting Hill area of London and what led me to a life of crime, in a film project called Saints and Sinners. I just wanted Inside Time readers to know how the Synergy Theatre changed my life for the best life I could ever dream of, and that there should be lots of other arts companies or charities allowed into prisons to change far more lives for the better.

The September issue of Inside Time was the Previous convictions first one I came across but I did not find one insurance company advertising in your paper. and insurance I really think this would be a lucrative market ...... for them, if they treat us fair, of course. What J McKIE - HMP LIVERPOOL are your thoughts on this?

My reason for writing is about insurance cover As the Asset Recovery, Confiscation and Restraint arm for prisoners on release, both home and car SIS Insurance insurance. Over the last few years I have Writes of Rahman Ravelli Solicitors, a leading nationwide niche noticed that one of the questions asked by Having worked closely with Inside Time for practice, ARC offers expertise, proactive and forceful insurers is - Do you have any convictions? Up over ten years and having helped many of representation together with a track record of success. until last year I did not have any, but then I their readers we understand the frustration found myself in trouble with the council and when a conviction is seemingly seen as an CONFISCATION RESTRAINT ORDERS CIVIL RECOVERY received a fine and 60 hours unpaid work. opportunity to raise premiums. Our unique approach has These can be crippling Expertise of dealing with Then, in January, I faced a POCA which I could helped our clients retain if not handled carefully - Property Freezing Orders not pay and I am now serving a prison We arrange business, home and motor assets worth tens of we have the required (PFOs) and Interim Reciev- sentence. insurance for reformed offenders and our millions of pounds. experience and expertise. ing Orders (IROs) etc. website has many testimonials from satisfied customers. We help serving prisoners as well I feel that most insurance companies are as those ROTL or full licence. using convictions to hike up the cost of Tel: 01422 346666 policies because they can! And we all need Our view is that people disclosing their www.rahmanravelli.co.uk ARC L AW insurance to be part of this country’s work- convictions are actually less likely to make or force. I am a welder and need transport for embellish claims and deserve fair treatment. ARC Law, Rahman Ravelli Solicitors, Roma House, 59 Pellon Lane, Halifax HX1 5BE. most of the jobs I go on. See advert page 36 Insidetime December 2015 10 Newsround www.insidetime.org

know if they were being treated equitably; l very large offender assessment system (OASys) backlogs hindered prisoners’ pro- THE INSPECTOR CALLS ... gression and compromised the manage- ment of their risk; Nick Hardwick - HM Chief Inspector of Prisons l although the prison felt calm, more pris - oners than at the last inspection said they did not feel safe; Inside Time highlights areas of good and bad practice, along with a l the rise in the availability and use of Spice summary of prisoner survey responses at HMPs Standford Hill and HMP Bullingdon was a serious threat, leading to debt and Male adult category C training and Bullingdon. These extracts are taken from the most recent Reports bullying and there was no effective prison- resettlement prison wide strategy to reduce the supply of drugs; published by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. Local Resettlement Prison Managed by HMPS l there had been five self-inflicted deaths HMP Standford Hill was previously man- CNA: 869 since 2012 and although prisoners at risk of aged as part of a cluster of Isle of Sheppey Population: 1,102 self-harm said they felt well cared for, not prisons but while some services continue to Announced Full Inspection: 15-26 June enough was being done to reduce the risk of be shared, the prison is now independent 2015 Published: 29 October 2015 further deaths and to implement the Pris- and has its own governor. The number of Last inspection: July 2012 ons and Probation Ombudsman’s recom- prisoners with indeterminate sentences for mendations; public protection had increased significant- SAFETY: Sufficiently good ly since the last inspection and nearly all RESPECT: Reasonably good l despite having enough places to meet the these men were now well beyond their tariff PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY: Not sufficiently needs of the population, attendance at edu- expiry date. good cation and training was just 50% and in- RESETTLEMENT: Poor spectors found more than a third of prisoners Inspectors say they found a ‘much improved locked in their cells during the working day; prison’: previously resettlement work was ‘Progress held back by staff shortages’ l the prison was on a restricted regime as a ‘fragmented and inconsistent’ but now they HMP Standford Hill (Sheppey result of staff shortages; and said it was the core of nearly everything that Cluster) Prisoners Survey happened at the prison. l there was no strategy that set out how the Category D resettlement prison for 24.4% Remand 24.2% Aged under 17 prison would tackle the rehabilitation of its adult males 9.3% Been in local authority care 42% Prisoners felt safe and levels of violence complex population, and offender manage- CNA: 464 Under 14 when last at school 11% Lost were low. The prison resolved most prob- ment processes were undermined by acute Population: 455 (June 2015) property on arrival Treated well in lems informally without recourse to disci- 67% staff shortages. Unannounced Full Inspection: 29 June- plinary measures. Support for vulnerable Reception 22% Boys on Basic IEP 61% 9 July 2015 Published: 03 November 2015 prisoners and those who self-harm is good Food is bad or very bad 73% Had an adju- In summing up the report Nick Hardwick Last inspection: December 2011 and problems with drugs and alcohol are dication 44% Been physically restrained said; ‘… at the time of the inspection overall ‘well managed’. outcomes were not good enough and the SAFETY: Good 62% Treated with respect by staff 41% Number who have felt unsafe 26% Vic- prison carried some significant risks.’ RESPECT: Reasonably good The living environment was, say Inspectors, timised by staff 14% Easy to get drugs PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY: Good ‘clean and decent’ although the condition of 16% Not engaged in any purposeful Recently published HMCIP Reports RESETTLEMENT: Good the Healthcare building is poor. Prisoner/ Aylesbury - October 2015, Brinsford - July staff relationships had improved and the activities 26% Don’t receive visits ‘A much improved resettlement 2015, Bullingdon - October 2015, Cookham newly re-launched Personal Officer Scheme Wood - September 2015, Dungavel IRC prison’ was having a positive impact although, In- - July 2015 , Highdown - June 2015, spectors commented that ‘some wing- The prison had been through a difficult pe- Humber - November 2015, Isle of Wight Prisoners Survey based staff remained too passive and dis- riod before this inspection. However, the es- - October 2015, Kirklevington Grange - 11% IPP/Life Prisoners 2% Number of tant in their interactions with prisoners, tablishment had begun to turn the corner, June 2015, Littlehey - July 2015, Lancaster foreign nationals 1% Prisoners on Recall which wasted a valuable opportunity to pro- although it was still getting to grips with its Farms - September 2015, Lowdhamn 73% Treated well in Reception 27% Had vide further support for the resettlement new resettlement function and progress Grange - November 2015, Liverpool - aims of individuals and the prison as a was held back by significant staff shortages legal letters opened 61% Food is bad or October 2015, New Hall - October 2015, whole.’ in a number of critical roles. very bad 17% Don’t know who IMB are Pentonville - June 2015, Standford Hill 76% Treated with respect by staff 14% (Sheppey) - November 2015, Stocken - In summing up Nick Hardwick, Chief In- Inspectors were concerned that: Number who have felt unsafe 23% Vic- November 2015, Stoke Heath - August spector of Prisons, said; ‘Standford Hill had l data on levels of violence was unreliable 2015, The Mount - August 2015, Wands- timised by staff 53% Difficult to see made significant progress since our last in- and could not be used effectively to plan worth - July 2015, Wetherby - June 2015, dentist 33% Easy to get drugs 20% Not spection against all of our healthy prison how to reduce violent incidents; Wetherby - Keppel Unit - August 2015 engaged in any purposeful activities 5% tests, most notably in putting resettlement Less than 4 hours out of cell 15% No work at the heart of the prison. The prison l outcomes for prisoners with protected Copies of the most recent report for your Sentence Plan was very well led, and we had confidence characteristics, such as disability, were not prison are available in the library. that it would continue to progress.’ monitored adequately and the prison did not

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Telephone Rahman Ravelli appoints Counsel, Queen’s Counsel and experts who have passed our vigorous vetting procedures. We routinely deal with large and high-profile cases, which we take to the highest possible 01422 domestic and international courts. 346666 Our speciality is defending cases involving large-scale police operations where authorities have been granted Also in Central London under the Regulations of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Such cases involve informants, covert sur- veillance, undercover officers and material that requires expertise in disclosure and public interest immunity 1 Fetter Lane matters. London EC4A 1BR Many clients come to us on the recommendation of others who benefitted from Rahman Ravelli providing them with a strong, informed and proactive defence against the allegations they faced. It is often the case Nationwide Service that other legal firms refer clients to us because we have the best chance of securing a favourable result for www.rahmanravelli.co.uk that person. [email protected] At Rahman Ravelli, we have helped shape the law. We have taken cases to the highest courts in the UK and Europe and are acknowledged experts in coordinating defence cases across international borders. Our legal teams are experienced at negotiating with all UK and international authorities.

As you read this, you may wonder why you should choose Rahman Ravelli. Of course, we have an enviable reputation. Yes, we have a proven track record of success. We also have a team of solicitors with expertise in every of your case.

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“An exceptional firm with “A creative and innovative “They absolutely know what they’re exceptional people, Rahman Ravelli approach to case preparation” doing and have dedicated people Solicitors is the leader in the field” The Legal 500 with a real interest in the subject” The Legal 500 Chambers Legal Guide “Charismatic and indefatigable” “They are absolutely The Legal 500 “Driven by the pursuit of justice uncompromising in advancing the and fairness to all and this shines proper interests of the client” “Very tactically aware” through in every aspect” Chambers Legal Guide The Legal 500 Chambers Legal Guide Insidetime December 2015 12 Newsround www.insidetime.org

HMP Maghaberry The things people say… ‘unsafe and unstable’

A report has described ’s Maghaberry Prison as ‘unsafe and unstable for prisoners and staff’. The report stems from an unannounced inspection in May 2015 by Criminal Justice Inspections Northern Ireland and HM Inspectorate of Prisons who said; ‘What we found was a highly complex prison that was in crisis and it is our view that the leadership of the prison had failed to “Freedom of Information is ensure it was both safe and stable. We had misused by those who use it real concerns that if the issues identified in effectively as a research tool Potential sites for closure include Victorian jails in London such as Wormwood Scrubs, this report - which were brought to the to generate stories for the Pentonville and Wandsworth, where land values would make the sites particularly valuable attention of the prison leadership at a frank to housing developers. feedback session at the end of the inspection media. That isn’t acceptable” - were not addressed as a matter of urgency, serious disorder or loss of life could occur’. Chris Grayling MP (pictured) the Conserv- Nine prisons to be built to replace Victorian prisons ative leader of the House of Commons Of 93 recommendations made after the last and former Justice Secretary claiming The Government has announced that nine new prisons are to be built under plans to close inspection in 2012 only 16 had been achieved. that some journalists and others were Victorian jails and sell them for housing. The reforms, part of Chancellor George Osborne’s Staff morale within the prison was described misusing the Freedom of Information Act. Spending Review, would make the country’s prison system “fit for purpose in the 21st century”, as ‘low’ at the time of the inspection with some According to The SUN ‘Grayling was the the Treasury said. Around 10,000 prisoners will be transferred to new institutions, saving an staff members subject to credible threats. estimated £80m a year in reduced costs. Tories chief political attack dog and in 2009 more than 50 articles generated by Almost all areas of the prison were criticised Five new jails are expected to be opened by 2020, in addition to the new prison being built in Freedom of Information figures appeared and Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of with his quotes blasting Labour’. Wrexham and the expansions of HMP Stocken, a category C jail in Rutland and HMP Rye Hill, Prisons said; ‘This was a concerning inspec- a category B prison in Warwickshire run by G4S. tion of a prison which was as bad as any we The Freedom of Information Act was have seen in recent years.’ passed in 2000 to give journalists, More than 3,000 new homes could be built on the city centre sites of the old jails, such as Pen- campaigners and the public the right to tonville in Isington, north London, which was built in 1840 and has been tipped for closure. request information about the decisions Grade 2 listed HMP Reading, built in 1844 and closed in 2013, will be the first to be sold. And problems for and actions taken by civil servants, a Maghaberry wedding politicians and public bodies. The Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Michael Gove, made the announcement ahead of a visit to Brixton prison, a Victorian prison in south London. Mr Gove added: “This investment will The Act has become a lever to prise open A Maghaberry prisoner who wanted to marry mean we can replace ageing and ineffective Victorian prisons with new facilities fit for the doors behind which policy is often his partner of 10 years says that every im- modern world. We will be able to design out the dark corners which too often facilitate violence decided. If politicians like Chris Grayling pediment was put in their way. When, even- and drug-taking.” and senior civil servants are embar- tually, the wedding did go ahead they supplied rassed by what they say, these officials some CDs to be played, as is normal, but should remember that with authority prison management refused to play the comes responsibility. They should also songs by Ed Sheeran and Mumford and Sons remember who pays their salaries. for ‘security reasons’. His new wife said; ‘It’s a particularly difficult day for someone to get married in prison but the people in charge at FOI Act at work

Maghaberry seem to have gone out of their l Cracks at Hinkley Point nuclear power way to make it even more difficult.’ station Government nuclear inspectors had raised serious questions over the safety of Britain’s ageing atomic power stations. See l MP’s expenses scandal While the page 45 scandal broke open after the Telegraph obtained the full accounts, the story first surfaced when the Sunday Times and The THE PRISON Sunday Telegraph asked for details. PHOENIX TRUST Head doing you in? Stressed out? Can’t sleep?

Simple yoga and meditation practice, working with silence and the breath, might just transform your life in more ways than you think ... Interested?

Write to P.O. Box 328, Oxford, OX2 7HF. 90,000 fans at the England and France match at Wembley sing and cheer as players unite against Paris terror. Meanwhile Egypt’s top We’d love to hear from you anytime and have Muslim clerics condemned the Paris killing several free books and CDs, which could help as a ‘senseless and cowardly act’ and ‘a you build and maintain a daily practice. distorted interpretation of Islam’. Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Newsround 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tell me about it!

Kevin Nunn case ‘is moving forward’

The Criminal Cases Review Commission Bacon sandwich dangers. (CCRC) has confirmed it is to review the 2006 conviction of Kevin Nunn for the murder of his girlfriend, Dawn Walker. (Louise Shorter writes).

Forensic Science Service files and Crown Court files have been obtained, and the Com- mission is to consider new forensic testing following the recommendations of scientist Items grown and made by prisoners raises £2k Rosalyn Hammond who was brought on to the case by Inside Justice. Kevin Nunn has Janice Hodson (pictured) with some of the wooden objects made by Erlestoke prisoners which always protested his innocence. will be on display at Erlestoke House farm shop. The shop has raised more than £2,000 in five weeks since opening. The money that has been raised will be used to help the rehabilitation of ’s Private Secretary Post-conviction, Kevin Nunn’s solicitor asked prisoners at Erlestoke by paying for more materials and resources for the prisoners to use, breaks the news that George Osborne the police for access to crime scene exhibits for helping them to learn new transferable skills for when they are released. is to increase the State Pension for 13 new testing but Suffolk Constabulary refused million people by £3.35p a week each saying they should be preserved in case of Janice Hodson, who runs the shop, said: “We’ve had really good feedback from both prisoners - enough for them to buy one Costa scientific developments. It has since been and visitors, who can come and see that while their partner or family member is in prison, they Coffee and half a Blueberry Muffin. argued that that time has come but the force are doing something worthwhile. You can’t underestimate the value of that.” has shifted its position, now citing reasons of costs and concern for the victim’s family. Sci- entists believe new work could now establish Human Rights Act beyond all doubt who killed Dawn Walker. to be axed

“At last, after ten wasted years, Kevin’s case Plans to end the abuse of human rights laws is moving forward,” said solicitor James and stamp out the courtroom compensation Saunders. “It now isn’t a question of whether culture can be revealed after a draft of the there’ll be further scientific work, but what government’s blueprint to replace the forensic testing will be conducted. The CCRC Human Rights Act with a British bill of rights have exercised their legal powers to take the Wrongly convicted was leaked to the media. materials from Suffolk Police and, thank of a crime? heavens, Kevin’s fate is no longer in their gift.” In the most radical shake-up of human rights law in two decades, judges will be told they “It is so very difficult to sum up how our will not have to follow rulings of the European family are feeling right now after receiving the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg news from the CCRC,” Kevin Nunn’s sister slavishly. Instead they would be able to rely Brigitte told Inside Justice. “Our family have on the common law - the body of judicial spent ten long years trying to prove Kevin’s rulings built up in Britain over centuries - or Lost your appeal? innocence. Suffolk Police have been deliber- rulings by courts in other Commonwealth ately obstructive and continued to deny us countries such as Australia and Canada, access to the truth. We can now perhaps when making their judgments. allow ourselves to see at last a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.” Senior government sources say the “victim” Inside Justice page 34 culture that has led to the creation of a vast human rights industry will be tackled with What next? plans to “reduce the amount of compensation” Michael Gove announces that can be won by those claiming their human his choice as Chief rights have been infringed by public bodies. Inspector of Prisons A consultation document drawn up by Justice Secretary Michael Gove will make clear that Michael Gove has announced his preferred Britain will remain a signatory to the The CCRC can look again European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). candidate to take over from Nick Hardwick as If you think your conviction or sentence is wrong Chief Inspector of Prisons. He is Peter Clarke apply to the CCRC a retired senior police officer. He was Deputy It would mean that when judgments were Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan made in Strasbourg against the government • It won’t cost anything Police Service where he was Head of the An- - such as rulings against Britain’s ban on • Your sentence can’t be increased if you apply ti-Terrorist Branch and National Co-ordinator prisoners voting - it would be clear that MPs • You don't need a lawyer to apply, but a good one of Terrorist Investigations. He was also head in Westminster should decide how to respond. can help of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection De- partment and a non-executive Director for The consultation document is expected to be the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA). published in weeks. A three-month consul- You can get some more information and a copy of the CCRC's Easy Read application form by writing to us at Most recently he conducted the inquiry into tation will follow, with the draft bill of rights 5 St Philip’s Place, Birmingham, B3 2PW. or calling 0121 233 1473 Birmingham School ‘Trojan Horse’ affair and published next spring. is currently a member of the Board of the Prisoners in should contact; The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, 5th Floor, Charity Commission. He is also a trustee of The Human Rights Act v A Bill of Rights Portland House, 17 Renfield Street, , G2 5AH. Phone: 0141 270 7030 Email: [email protected] Crimestoppers. page 23 Insidetime December 2015 14 Newsround www.insidetime.org

Review paves way for scrapping of court charges The things people say…

Ministers are preparing to climb down and fundamentally reform the Government’s contro- versial “tax on justice” just six months after it was made law by former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

The Ministry of Justice has been inundated with complaints from magistrates, lawyers and © Fotolia.com campaigners about the charge. It is controversial as magistrates must impose a £150 flat court charge which is not means tested and can rise to £1,000 if someone pleads not guilty but loses their case in court. They have warned that some defendants are being encouraged to Three in four new plead guilty to crimes they did not commit to avoid the charge while the charge adds extra jobs go to migrants hardship for those whose crimes were motivated by poverty. Justice Secretary Michael Gove is overseeing a review of how the court charges are operating from EU countries with a view to either reforming the charge or scrapping it entirely. Pressure to address the unpopular charge increased as peers in the House of Lords condemned the policy in a debate A record 2.1 million European Union as “Ryanair justice”. nationals are working in Britain while hundreds of thousands arrived to seek work So far estimates suggest that less than £300,000 has been collected of £5m charges imposed. over the past year. As employment rose by There is recognition that piling debt on to people who already have very little money can be 448,000, three out of four of those jobs went counterproductive and could even lead them to commit further crimes. to migrant EU nationals. “I was not very good at statistics. It’s an occupational There were more than 300,000 additional EU nationals working in Britain compared with a Inexperienced police let the accused off lightly hazard of Chancellors” year ago, the largest annual increase since records began in 1997, according to figures People accused of crime could be escaping justice because a whole generation of police officers Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown from the Office for National Statistics. has never been to court and misunderstand their role in the trial process, Inspectors warn. speaking on November 11 2015.

Numbers have been rising for the past year Police are “increasingly distanced from the criminal justice system for which they are the As Chancellor for a decade, Gordon as the improving economy attracts workers gatekeepers”, a report by Inspectors for the Crown Prosecution Service and the police say, Brown signed off on every financial from other countries, including EU states because of the aim to cut bureaucracy and free them for work on the beat. decision taken by the British Govern- struggling because of problems in the ment. During his time in government Mr eurozone. This has led to police failing to understand their role in preparing case files for court and pre- Brown was repeatedly accused of senting evidence, the Inspectors say, risking wrong pleas, wrong sentences and failed prose- manipulating economic data and other Arrivals from South Africa dropped from cutions. The need to complete particular forms in preparing case files also does little to figures. In 2010, he was criticised by the 60,000 to 47,000 and those from the rest of improve understanding of the prosecution process, they add. Chairman of the UK Statistics Authority Africa fell from 194,000 to 192,000. There are for presenting statistics that were ‘not small falls in those coming from Australia The joint report looked at the quality of criminal case files prepared by police. Despite im- comparable’ to support his claim that and New Zealand and India but an increase provement since reviews in 2001 and 2013, Inspectors expressed concern that nearly one in immigration was falling. in those from Pakistan and Bangladesh. three summaries of evidence in police reports were assessed as inadequate.

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National Firm Strengthens Links with Barristers Chambers Parole Representation for all Lifer, Recall and IPP Clients National firm strengthens links with Barristers Chambers... Parole Representation for all Lifer, Recall and IPP clients... Our excellent former Tooks Chambers barristers continue to maintain a Obtain specialist advocacy at your parole hearing from our in house Tooks,close w theork iLondonng relati obasednship barristerswith Micha chambersel Purdon ofSo Michaellicitor, su Mansfieldpplementing aObtaindvoca cspecialisty team b aadvocacycked up baty hyourand pparoleicked phearingrison la fromw ba rourrist einrs house. We anda we Patrickalth of eRochexperie nhasce idevelopedn our spec ia liclosest tea mworkings acro srelationships all crimina withl and padvocacyrovide a nteamation backedal servic upe. by handpicked prison law barristers to Michaelprison la Purdonw areas Solicitor,. We also supplementing work closely w itheth C wealthentral Cofh experienceambers, a in Nenableew C rusow ton provideCourt a an nationwided Cold Ca sservice.e Reviews ourMan ‘inch ehouse’ster b aspecialistsed cham teamsbers. Tacrosshese r eallla tcriminalionships and brin prisong toge tlawher highly regarded lawyers with a passion for human rights. areas. WCrimee hav eand a p aColdrticul aCaser inter eReviews...st in clients facing further allegations where new evidence has come to light due to forensic science advances as Criminal Appeals, CCRC, SOPO & Judicial Review Challenges This relationship brings together two highly regarded organisations wWeel l haveas ne aw particular charges rinterestelating toin sclientserious facingviolen callegationse, sexual o relatingffences atond withWe haa vpassione succe forssf uhumanlly cha lrights.lenged the imposition of IPP sentences, led foldrau unsolvedd. Our ex poffencesert know especiallyledge of b othoseth cri mwheree and new pris oevidencen law pu thass us in a the way in the review of mandatory tariffs as well as being central to scometrong to p olightsitio ndue to ptoro forensictect clie nsciencets intere advances.sts both at court and at the Criminalthe develo pAppeals,ment of p rCCRCisoner candhalle Judicialngers to d Reviewelays in p challenges...rogression and Parole Board. We have represented clients in criminal Crown Court the timing of parole reviews. mFoundingatters as far members,afield as Che sservingter, Liverpo forol, P firstreston 3, C yearshelmsford, Birmingham, Guildford, Basildon, Cambridge and Ipswich. We have an arsenal of experienced counsel who have worked with us as Chair and Deputy Chair of for a number of years in High Court and Court of Appeal cases. We look forward to hearing from you. Supreme Court The Association of Prison Lawyers ToWe date pres weent lhavey hav successfullye permission challenged for challen gthees impositionin the Sup rofem IPPe C ourt Nationwide Service - Video Link also available sentences,relating to o ledral htheea rwayings in fo ther C areviewt A rev iofew mandatorys and also tariffsseeki nasg awell as Founding members, serving for first 3 years as beingreapp rcentralaisal o fto th thee re developmentstrictive aspe cofts prisoner of the c achallengesse of ‘Jam etos ’delays relatin gin NationwideChair and Deputy Chai r Serviceof progressionto whether f aandilur ethe to ptimingrovid eof c oparoleurses reviews.gives ris e to compensation. VideoThe As sLinkocia talsoion o favailable Prison Law yers Members of the Association of Prison Lawyers Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Newsround 15

A dry January does work Upping activity lowers cardio risk

Experts have long recommended that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily to promote general cardiovascular health. But new research suggests that to ward off heart disease, we need to exercise at least twice as long as that. The researchers reviewed studies that tracked 370,460 adults, who engaged in various levels of physical activity, over an average of 13 years. People who typically exercised for 30 minutes a day expe- rienced only “modest” reductions in their risk of heart failure. Doubling that, however, resulted in a 20% lower risk, regardless of the participants’ age, gender, or race, while those who exercised four times as much registered a 35% drop. The results offer some clarity for doctors. “For a long time, the dogma in cardiovascular medicine was that when people were sick with heart failure, they should have bed rest,” study author Dr Jarett D. Berry said. “But that com- monsensical approach turned out not to be true.” Bid to curb global Overweight children obesity failing

Almost a billion people worldwide could be obese by 2025, owing to the spread of the Western diet, a leading health organisation has warned. At a summit in 2011, concern about levels of weight gain across the planet was such that the World Health Organisation © Fotolia.com was commissioned to set targets to slow the © Fotolia.com “epidemic”. It duly set a goal for 2025 of no Countless people gearing up for the Christmas party season will be pencilling in a dry, or increase in obesity or diabetes beyond the In some parts of England the majority of teetotal, January, in the hope it will undo some of the damage wrought by festive drinking. And levels of 2010 - when 11.5% of adults, or 565 children are overweight by the time they leave it could work, says a study at University College, London, which found that abstaining from million people, were obese. But by 2014 that primary school, official figures have shown. alcohol for four weeks heals the liver, and improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The had already risen to 13% (670 million). Now, Public Health England examined BMI readings researchers tracked 102 people who had all drunk heavily in December, then after the January the World Obesity Federation has warned taken annually from children in two age groups abstinence, their liver “stiffness” - an indication of damage - was reduced by 12.5%, on that if that rate of escalation doesn’t slow, - four to five, and ten to eleven - in various average; while resistance to insulin - a marker for diabetes risk - was down by 28%. The par- 17% of adults will be obese by 2025; and 170 areas of the country. Nationally, an average ticipants also typically lost 3kg in weight. Their blood pressure and cholesterol levels dropped, million of them will have a BMI of over 35 - of one in three children in the older group and many said they were finding it easier to sleep and to concentrate. The study is a larger which would mean they required urgent was found to be overweight or obese, in the version of one involving ten journalists at New Scientist magazine, which had similar results medical intervention. Much of the recent three years from 2011. But when the re- earlier this year. However, neither study established how long the effects last if (or when) growth is accounted for by soaring rates of searchers broke they were able to identify abstainers return to their former drinking levels. obesity in developing countries, as people nine areas where the rate was far higher. The abandon their traditional diets and eat more list was headed by the Town and Pier area of processed foods and sugary snacks while ex- Dover, Kent, where 56.4% of 11 year-olds were The best place to die Air pollution ‘stunts ercising less. Between 2010 and 2014, the either overweight or obese. Other areas with countries with the highest rises in adult a rate of 50% or more included North Lynn, in The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked end lung growth’ obesity rates were Burma (29%), Uganda King’s Lynn, Norfolk, and Hackney Wick, in of life palliative care in 80 countries around (26.7%) and Cambodia (26.1%). Obesity rates east London. And in one part of Redcar, North the world. Here’s a sampling of the results. in wealthy nations in North America and Yorkshire, more than a quarter of children Europe, however, are levelling off. were obese when they started school. UK / Number 1 Bacon classified as a carcinogen

US / Number 9

Japan / Number 14 © Fotolia.com

High levels of air pollution in urban areas can stunt the growth of children’s lungs, new research suggests. Over a six-year period, a Israel / Number 25 team analysed the lung function of 2,400 eight and nine year-old children at schools in a range of locations across east London. They also tested their urine for levels of heavy metals - produced by car exhausts. Cuba / Number 36 The researchers found a direct correlation between exposure to high levels of particu- lates and nitrogen oxide and reduced lung growth. Children living in the areas with the © Fotolia.com highest pollution levels had 5-10% less lung capacity than usual - which they may never Evidence of a link between processed meat and cancer has been growing for years - and now Russia / Number 48 get back. This could put them at increased the World Health Organisation has reviewed 800 studies, and declared that it is sufficiently risk of a range of diseases, including asthma convinced of the dangers to rank bacon, sausages and salami in its “Group 1” list of carcino- and bronchitis. Some of the children involved gens. It has also concluded that red meat is “probably carcinogenic” to humans. The WHO were from an area close to the Blackwall found that eating 50g of processed meat a day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

Source: Time Magazine October 2015 Tunnel and the A12, where pollution levels However, it stressed that meat also has health benefits. Cancer Research UK said that the are 25 times the national average. news was reason to cut down on, rather than give up, red and processed meats. Insidetime December 2015 16 Newsround www.insidetime.org

UK POPULATION Quote of the Month NEWS IN BRIEF ‘My spiritual President’ Dominic Lawson The Sunday 12.4 million Times 15 Nov Lord Coe has been for the past Children under 15, up a million from now. three months the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and was for the News that the Chilcot Inquiry into the previous eight years deputy to Lamine nations role in the Iraq Waris now to be The UK population will rise by Diack, whom he described as “my spiritual published next summercomes as no President” and who has now been arrested surprise to two news reporters. almost 10 million over the for alleged corruption. next 25 years as numbers When this newspaper, in association with grow five times faster than in the German broadcaster ARD/WDR, shone a the rest of Europe. Two thirds light three months ago on the extent of doping in top-level athletics, Coe’s reaction of the population increase will was to denounce the whistleblowers be owing to migrants and (whose number included courageous their children according to the 74.3 million Russian athletes who had fled the country). Office for National Statistics. Total projected UK population over the He fulminated: “It is a declaration of war on next 25 years. my sport. I take pretty grave exception to There are suspicions that the World that. There is nothing in our history of Archery Championships may have competence and integrity in drug testing ordered the wrong umbrellas. that warrants this kind of attack.”

Even a couple of days before the World Anti-Doping Agency released its shattering report, Coe foolishly asserted (without having seen it) that he was opposed to issuing sanctions against the Russian athletics authorities. Finally, he has grasped the seriousness of the state-sponsored contami- nation of the sport he loves and once graced 16.5 million with a sublime combination of power and elegance. In so doing, perhaps he might also apologise to this newspaper and 9.7 million Pensioners up from 12.4 million now over After the last tube strike a scheme is the whistleblowers whom the next 25 years. launched to increase the number of bike Projected population increase between hitherto he has ostracised as racks. 2014 and 2039 (Equal to 40 cities the size mere troublemakers. of Southampton).

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l The way we watch television has led to £50 million - Estimated net worth of Bryan Ferry, whom Jerry Hall dated in the 1970’s. ‘binge-watch’ being named Word of the Year 2015. A survey found that 92% of viewers £225 million - Estimated net worth of Mick admitted to binge-watching - which means Jagger, whom Jerry Hall dated from 1970’s viewing more than three episodes of a series to 1990’s. in one day. £8.35 billion - Estimated net worth of l The first words ever spoken by Mickey Rupert Murdock, whom Jerry Hall is dating Mouse on film were “hot dogs” in The now. Karnival Kid in 1929 - although he had made his debut a year earlier in Steamboat Willie. l Long before Children In Need, the BBC’s And since making his bow, he has worn 175 first ever broadcast appeal for children was outfits, albeit never too far away from gloves a five-minute radio broadcast on Christmas and red shorts. Day in 1927. The response was phenomenal and it raised £1,143 18s 3d which was split l The International Space Station flies at an between four children’s charities. David Cameron sets out his average altitude of 248 miles above Earth plans to reform the European Union. and circles the globe every 90 minutes at a l One of the enduring Sherlock Holmes speed of about 17,500 mph. mysteries is where his apartment, 221B There was no mention in the renegotiation requirements soon to start with the Baker Street, actually is. When the stories European Union of the fact that for 21 years running the European Court of Auditors l Just 1% of the private data - such as emails were written, Baker Street addresses did has failed to give the EU budget a clean bill of health and that last year 133.6 billion and digital transactions - requested by gov- not go as high as 221, and Conan Doyle Euros of EU budget payments were ‘affected by material error’. ernment agencies relates to terrorism. refused to divulge the building’s inspiration.

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believe there is only one starting before the case has even come to court. point when considering the efficacy of a prison sentence and that is how The trial period can be particularly unsettling Month by Month successful it can be in combining for both families and the accused. The process punishment with prevention from re- of justice is intimidating and often difficult to by Rachel Billington offending. One of the most follow. One mother, Paula, made one powerful important elements in this equation point: “everyone I met on my journey to court This month Rachel highlights Michael Palin’s speech is the family of the offender. This was - police officer, custody sergeant, duty Iacknowledged by Lord Woolf in his report solicitor, prosecuting barrister, my barrister, at the Longford Lecture titled: ‘Collateral Damage: after the Strangeways Riot of 1990, when one the judges. All male”. Some, especially those The effect of prison sentences on offenders’ families’, of his central recommendations was that with children in school, find it physically there should be better prospects for prisoners impossible to attend court every day. One and hails this year’s Longford Prize-winners. to retain their links with families. It was reiter- woman who wasn’t present to see her partner ated by Charles Clarke when he was Home sentenced was not informed by anyone about Secretary. Addressing the question of suc- the verdict. These things may seem incredible cessful resettlement, he noted “We need to to those of us who can get ourselves organised remember the vital role of family, friends and but many family members are vulnerable, community”, and it was underlined more with mental and physical health problems. recently in a review from the Inspectorate of Confused, shunned by friends, their confi- Prisons which recognised “the central impor- dence eroded during the long remand process, tance of an offenders family and friends to these are the people who need help from their successful rehabilitation”. within the criminal justice system but so often find that they are left to sink or swim. “Did The influence of the family relationship on the anyone ever ask about how your family will mental and physical state of the offender is be affected?”, I asked Paula. “No”, she told profound. It can be damaging, or it can be me ‘they were just interested in the process, powerfully beneficial. One thing it can’t be, is and enforcing the penalty”. ignored. Once the accused becomes the convicted a Yet my own feeling, backed up by reports, different set of pressures comes to bear on conversations and a wealth of anecdotal the families. The possibility of innocence, or evidence is that this is precisely what families wrongful arrest, is no longer a sustaining of offenders feel is happening. hope. They must now live with the reality of incarceration and a criminal record. Just when From the moment an arrest is made, the the going gets tougher the state and society family is intimately involved. Sometimes quite turn their backs. Justice has been done. A Michael Palin addresses 700 people at the Longford brutally so. Doors can be broken open and sentence must be served. Lecture including the Justice Secretary, Michael Gove. rooms searched, personal belongings seized, © David Sandison parents handcuffed and hauled away in front But why should the families themselves have of their children, brothers and sisters in front to be punished? Committing an offence does Gove reiterated his much stated and welcome of their siblings. If not present at the time of not mean that feelings of love and affection view that ‘Prisoners should be used as poten- the arrest, family members will often find it hard are suddenly negated, and it is not the families tial assets’ and that ’All should have access to to glean information about the reason for the who have been incarcerated. Depriving them education or to work’ and that ‘There’s a arrest, the location to which their arrested of contact or just making contact difficult is treasure in the heart of every mind…’ He was relative has been taken and what access, if penalising the innocent as well as the guilty. listened to by a capacity audience of over sev- any, they will be allowed. An arrest warrant does en hundred, including Cardinal Cormac Mur- not come with any description of their legal The story of one young man shows the cruel phy-O’Connor, previous speakers, Bianca Jag- rights. The marginalization of the family begins price the innocent can pay. Jacob lived with ger and Nils Oberg, Head of the Swedish from the very first moment of detention. his younger brother and his mother, a care Prison and Probation Service, outgoing Chief worker who had looked after children on a Inspector of UK Prisons, Nick Hardwick, Di- Even if the person detained is eventually troubled estate, for 15 years. Her work had rector of the , Juliet Lyon proven guilty in court, there can be no excuse been judged outstanding by Ofsted. One and many of the ex-prisoner university stu- for adding lack of information to the emotional night he had gone to the help of his friend in dents supported by scholarships from the shock already imposed. a pub, and had thrown a punch and knocked Longford Trust. a man to the floor. A month later police came “My partner had nothing to do with it, my round to the house and arrested him. The children had nothing to do with it, it’s just that man he had punched had hit his head on the The details of the awards and their citations their lives have been thrown into a tornado by floor and later died. are on the adjoining page. The Lifetime what I’d done” was one testimony I heard. Achievement Award was won by the retiring The guilt is there on both sides and stigma by Jacob was put on bail. Because he had just editor of Inside Time, Eric McGraw. The paper association is a theme reiterated by almost all turned 18 years, the nature of his alleged was Eric’s inspiration and I can remember very the family members I talked to. They have crime was deemed to be confidential. For two clearly that day in December 1990 when it committed no crime, but they are made to weeks, as evidence was being gathered, his Michael Palin © David Sandison was launched from a committee room in the feel as if they are accomplices just because own mother was not allowed to be told what House of Commons. I’m pretty certain no- they’re related. her son was accused of. To make matters one thought it would grow as it has or last so worse Ofsted suspended her from her job, on he 14th Longford Lecture held in long. Generations of prisoners have turned to After the arrest and before trial comes the the grounds that she had failed to inform London on November 17th was its pages for information and encouragement. remand stage, a judicial limbo-land which can them that she had allowed a man facing a an illustrious affair. Chairman Jon I can’t imagine a more well-deserved award. last weeks or even months, adding the extra criminal charge to live in her house. Now, with Snow had flown in from Paris The second award went to PACT, an organisa- burden of uncertainty to the feelings of guilt her income cut off, she not only had to deal where he’d been reporting for tion which is well known to many of our read- and shame that are already present, along with a son waiting to be taken to court, but a ChannelT 4 on the Paris killings and was leav- with loss of earnings and, in some cases media mortgage to pay and Jacob’s younger brother ers and whose CEO Andy Keen-Downs has ing next morning for Bangladesh for a docu- contributed to the paper. It was a particularly intrusion, local press revelations and the to be put through school. Though Jacob mentary report. Speaker Michael Palin is one resulting strain on friendships and social life. received the minimum sentence for man- of the most admired comedians, writers and appropriate award this year given the subject of Michael Palin’s talk. As no formal charge of wrongdoing has been slaughter, his mother had to face local media documentary makers in England. However proven, one would expect this to be a time reports branding her son a killer, the taunting few know of his interest in prisons spreading when the family were able to keep in contact, of his younger brother and, as she didn’t over many years. Before he could talk on his In an ideal world I would produce all 5,000 words of Palin’s well-argued and passionate but many report being kept in the dark as to drive, and was no longer able to work at her chosen subject of ‘Collateral Damage: The ef- where their family member is being held, and old job, and the unaffordable expense of advocacy for the family being made far more fect of prison sentences on offenders’ fami- what rights of access they might have to them. visiting her son in a prison many miles from central to our justice system for prisoners. lies’, Minister of State for Justice Michael home. All this tipped her, once so good at Those of you who are not behind bars can Gove came on the stage to answer a few Making communication difficult at this early sorting out other family’s problems, into a read it online on the Longford Trust website. questions from Snow and also present this stage only strengthens the suspicion that downward spiral of alcohol-related depres- Meanwhile there follows an edited version: years Longford Awards. both individual and collective guilt is assumed sion. By the time Jacob came out of prison he Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Diary 19 had begun to turn his life around, but it was it’s closed-lip kisses only. too late to save his mother. His attempts to impress the social services and his local GP of Besides these physical restrictions are the the seriousness of his mother’s illness were often much less tolerable emotional stresses, NPR is here for you ignored until it was too late. as the combination of separation, guilt and shame begins to take its toll. Often these “She was proud of the way I turned my life stresses become too great for people to bear, round”, he told me. But the stigma of the and prison visits dry up, and the offender is on Christmas Day sentence had been too much for his mother to left to find their place in a new family. The bear. Jacob, a convicted criminal, was able to family of fellow prisoners. Some take refuge sort himself out in prison, and is now studying in their new family because they can’t face hristmas can be a difficult time NPR is taking part in the Reading Ahead to be a criminologist. His mother, blameless of the old one. A probation officer I talked to when you’re inside, but NPR is challenge, and this month there’s loads more any crime, suffered and died, feeling herself saw many fathers unable to deal with the with you to help make things go a great programmes to enjoy. to be the failure. feeling that they had failed their family. They bit more smoothly. can sometimes barely recognise their own C We’re taking the multi award winning poet After conviction families have to get used to children, and certainly can’t remember their Christmas Day begins at 7am with a bit of Mr Gee to meet prisoners at HMYOI Deerbolt significantly changed circumstances. The four birthdays, I was told. Instead they fall back on fun as the NPR presenters battle it out on (1st December). visits a week which they were allowed during the reassurance of prison routine, the removal our Porridge Quiz of the Year. The carol the remand stage are reduced to one a month. of all the intolerable pressures that drove service from the chapel in Brixton follows at We’ll bring together a reading group inside The prison may well be many miles away from them to commit crimes in the first place. They 8am, then it’s two hours of the famous NPR and outside HMP Drake Hall to discuss the the family home, requiring considerable embrace a world of order, routine and the Rock Show. moving memoir ‘The Last Act of Love’ with expense to get there and back, particularly for relief of knowing exactly where the limits are. its writer Cathy Rentzenbrink (8th multiple family members. The conditions on l At midday we’ll be featuring the story of a December). The state may have done its work, and the the visits can be deeply depressing. Prisons group of women from HMP Styal who set court passed down its verdict. The offender are not intended to be welcoming. Doors are up their own choir. Philosopher and self-help writer Roman may have been removed from the streets, but unlocked and then locked again behind the Krznaric will be at HMP Erlestoke to explain for those left behind there is no such thing as visitor. Two or three times in some cases. If l At 1pm we’ve got a very special Request why empathy can be an incredibly powerful a comfortable conclusion. A mother has been there have been drugs involved in the crime Show which will feature messages and tool (15th December). removed from her children. Fathers find then children and adults have to run the requests from people’s loved ones on the themselves unable to cope, children of 10 or gauntlet of body searches and sniffer dogs. outside. That’s repeated at 7pm in case you And we’ll hear how multicultural Leicester 11 become the ones who have to run the As one family visitor I talked to, put it, “as miss it. has inspired the books of Bali Rai when he household. Wives and mothers and husbands soon as you walk through those doors, you and partners find that they are ostracised, meets prisoners at HMYOI Glen Parva (22nd feel you’re being judged. You feel like you’re a l At 3pm we’ve got the Hot 20 - the unable to keep their jobs because of their December). prisoner yourself”. Once inside they meet countdown of the best-selling tracks in the association with a lawbreaker. The children their convicted family member in a large open UK. Then at 5pm join the team at Coldingley are bullied at school, or in trying to compen- You can hear Reading Ahead every Tuesday interview room, under the watchful eye of for a special Christmas edition of NPR Friday. sate for the shame of what has happened, at midday and 6pm - so don’t forget to tune uniformed prison staff, who will make sure in! And if you miss any of our Reading Ahead become the bullies themselves. Plus we’ll have special editions of all your that a child cannot run towards his father or shows, they will be repeated from 28th favourite music shows, including Bob and mother for a hug, or vice versa. For partners * This is an extract of the Lecture. The full text December. too, where greetings or farewells are allowed, Beyond, NPR Urban, the Love Bug and can be seen on the Longford Trust website. Classics on NPR throughout the festive Plus on 24th December you can hear a period. Check the back page of Inside Time special takeover day from HMP Pentonville, Eric McGraw receiving his Lifetime Andy Keen-Downs Chief Executive of PACT for more details. where an amazing number of prisoners have Achievement Award completed Reading Ahead. National Prison Radio’s If you’re interested in taking part in Reading Request Show goes Ahead, just head to your library. LARGE for New Year Reading Ahead - every Tuesday on National National Prison Radio will be seeing in 2016 Prison Radio at midday and 6pm. with a supersized five hour Request Show. © David Sandison © David Sandison It begins at 7pm on New Year’s Eve and will NPR Takeover Days for be presented from each of the NPR bases in December Longford Time. The judges’ citation read: vision into practice.” Brixton, Coldingley and Styal. Twice a month, National Prison Radio goes Prize 2015 “It is hard to think of another The winner of the second It all builds up to midnight, where we reveal on the road to feature a different prison on individual in recent times Longford Prize went to PACT which NPR listener has been selected for the National Prison Radio in our NPR Takeover who has had more of a direct - the Prison Advice and Care final request of 2015. Days. The judges of The Longford and sustained impact on the Trust. The judges’ citation read: Trust include chairman John everyday life of prisoners in After the bongs of Big Ben we’ll be going Podmore, Lord Ramsbotham For an entire day, the main programmes this country than Eric “Good research and good into the early hours with special mixes from and Juliet Lyon. Jon Snow come exclusively from that prison. McGraw. In 1990, he set up practice have both long the NPR presenters. announced that this year’s Inside Time as a newspaper shown that maintaining nominations for the Long- l 2 December - HMYOI Warren Hill Day that gave prisoners a voice. strong family ties is one of We need you to send in your requests for ford Prize, as reported by the l 16 December - HMYOI Glen Parva Day Under his inspired leader- the key factors in offenders’ NPR’s biggest show of the year. judges, contained many eye- ship, it has grown from a rehabilitation and avoidance catching examples of innova- If you think your prison deserves an NPR small quarterly publication, of reoffending. And for that Write to: National Prison Radio, HMP tive practice and extraordi- Takeover Day, please write to us and tell us initially viewed with suspi- reason the judges want this Brixton, London SW2 5XF. nary individuals who are cion by the prison service, to year to celebrate the out- why. Write to: National Prison Radio, HMP making a real difference. The become a 56-page, self-fi- standing work of PACT and Brixton, London SW2 5XF. judges were particularly im- nancing monthly, with a tru- the thoughtful and wide- NPR continues its Reading pressed by two nominees - ly national circulation of ranging support it provides Ahead tour of prisons one well-established and one 60,000 - lively, challenging, for the parents, siblings and of more recent origin, in the entertaining and respected children of prisoners, who National Prison Radio has been visiting prisons Thames Valley Partnership by everyone with anything are often the hidden victims and In 2 Change. up and down the country as part of our to do with prisons. Its indis- of crime.” special series of Reading Ahead programmes. pensability is a testament But finally they decided to make not just to the brilliance of Eric McGraw and Andy two awards. The first Long- Reading Ahead used to be called the Six Eric’s founding vision, but Keen-Downs, Chief Execu- Book Challenge and it’s a great way to ford Prize of 2015 is a Life- also to the 25 years of hard tive of PACT received their time Achievement Award and develop your reading skills. It’s run by the and sustained work he has prize and a cheque from the charity The Reading Agency. went to Eric McGraw of Inside given unstintingly to put that Secretary of State. Insidetime December 2015 20 Comment www.insidetime.org

86,000. For the Gove-Cameron agenda to succeed, a rehabilitation revolution will have Mr Cameron, there ought to to be matched by a sentencing revolution. This is where compassionate Conservatism and judicial conservatism are likely to meet. Gove made a summer recess visit to Texas (a be more old lags in Whitehall state better known for its high execution rate than its low reoffending rate) and has returned with some back-of-the-envelope ideas about The Prime Minister plans to revolutionise jails so prisoners leave specialist courts that might pass massively rehabilitated and ready for work. But there are many obstacles, fewer prison sentences. This blue-sky thinking is unlikely to gain including the government’s own reluctance to employ former popular acceptance unless a completely new consensus on judicial arises from offenders, writes Jonathan Aitken an improbable coalition of opinion shapers ranging from the lord chief justice to the editor of the Daily Mail.

So dream on . . . unless there emerges (as it Jonathan Aitken just might) a completely new level of political Former MP and prisoner commitment to penal reform of a kind that has never been applied by a prime minister to ichael Gove is making waves this unfashionable backwater of government. as justice secretary with his I know that Cameron is sincere in his promises of the most radical endeavour. But like most prime ministers he overhaul of the prison system will not have time for detail — and that is in more than half a century. where the devils abound in our penal system. MEnthusiastically backed by the prime minister and the Tory conference, whose mindset has The highest single priority in the rehabilitation made a U-turn since the days when Edwina of ex-offenders is helping them find jobs. Currie was cheered to the rafters for brandish- Nacro, the crime prevention charity of which I ing a pair of handcuffs, the prospects for a am a trustee, is making a study of the obstacles rehabilitation revolution sound hopeful. to such employment. Guess which big employer is the worst discriminator when it Yet hope has to be mixed with scepticism. comes to rejecting job applications, without an Bridging the gap between rhetoric and reality interview, from those who disclose they have may be challenging in the face of cost-cutting a criminal record? Answer: Her Majesty’s gov- by the chancellor and traditional sentencing ernment, often by its own human resources from the judiciary. departments but almost as a matter of routine by its legion of subcontractors. The image of prison officers may be stuck in the era of Porridge, with and Take, for example, the prime minister’s pledge: Fulton Mackay, but the best officers know the system is broken and are willing to change it “When prisoners are in jail, let’s treat their A small administrative change on job applica- problems, educate them, put them to work.” tion forms requiring them to comply with the Gove went further, promising that prisons 25% on top of the 30% reduction in the last Armley. Tired of being turnkeys, they now best non-discriminatory employment practices would be freed from drugs and turned into parliament. mentor young men on their wings at HMP of the likes of Boots, Virgin, Sainsbury’s and places of “hard work and rigorous education”. Leeds who want to go straight. the law firm Freshfields could bring at least Three cheers for such ministerial idealism! But New healthcare services will be costly. At 5,000 more ex-offenders a year into employ- the old blocking mechanisms on the wings, on present at least a third of prison inmates have Then they approach businesses in the Leeds- ment. Such small details need attention by our the bench and in the Treasury may be obstacles untreated mental health problems. There is at Bradford-Halifax area and persuade compassionate Conservative leaders as well as to the new brooms of compassionate Con- present no funding at all in jails for the employers, sometimes with Geoffrey Boycott- the big policy sweeps of prison reform. servatism. treatment of alcoholism, which affects 65% of style bluntness, to give their lads a second inmates and is linked to 45% of violent crime. chance. In one year Steve and Val have found The reformers might have to settle for a “Aitken, stop weeding so fast,” was my first Drug abuse programmes have been cut by 40 jobs for their offenders on release. Tempus change in the culture by evolution rather than reprimand as a prisoner. It was an indication of 40% in recent years. So have many other Novo’s reoffending rate is a stunningly low revolution. Chris Grayling’s underestimated the bleak truth that work in most jails is a therapy programmes, from anger manage- 14%. It is being cheered on by local employers, community rehabilitation companies are phoney exercise in time filling. In HMP ment courses to art classes. Such negatives councils, police commissioners and by Andrew worth developing. So are the localised initia- Standford Hill, where I served much of my abound, justifying the chief inspector’s gloomy Selous, the prisons minister, who wants to tives of the best community charities. sentence, the 2½-hour lunch break, the four conclusion that prisons are in their “worst launch the scheme nationally. 30-minute tea breaks and the three 20-minute [state] for 10 years”. So where are the Turning around a broken penal system will smoking breaks (granted equally to non- positives that might make the Cameron-Gove David Cameron made an interesting reference take more time, more public money and more smokers) created a “down tools” atmosphere rehabilitation revolution happen? in his conference speech to the cost savings attention to detail than Gove’s speeches have worthy of Peter Sellers in I’m All Right Jack. that could be achieved by greater use of elec- suggested. But he has made a good start. The first priority is to get prison officers firmly tronic tagging. He is right. Yielding to this typical culture of institutional behind the reforms. Difficult but doable. The Jonathan Aitken is an author, broadcaster, indolence the Prison Service long ago prison service’s image may be stuck with In January 2000 I was one of Britain’s earliest columnist, lecturer and campaigner for prison abandoned its own underwhelming target for Porridge but its record has been progressive in taggees. My 60 days as an electronically reform. He is a former Cabinet Minister, inmates to do three hours a day of so-called delivering new practices such as economic monitored home detention curfew prisoner Member of Parliament, and a former prisoner. “purposeful activity”. The last annual report benchmarking. The Prison Officers’ Associa- cost less than £4,000. My previous 150 days of Her Majesty’s chief inspector of prisons tion leadership is becoming more moderate as an incarcerated prisoner cost about This article first appeared in The Sunday gave a “dismal” picture of inadequate facili- and more professional. The best officers know £45,000. So the scope for cost savings led by Times on 18 October 2015. Mr Aitken has ties for prison work and education. These the system is broken and some are willing to electronically monitored non-custodial kindly given his permission for Inside Time outcomes for 2014-15 were the worst in a work innovatively to change it. sentences is considerable. to reproduce it. decade with 20% of inmates spending less than two hours of their cells. Of all the prison charities I try to help, the one So also are the financial and employment that fills me with greatest hope is Tempus results that might be achieved by Gove’s idea Late News Novo - founded and run by two Yorkshire of offering earned early release to prisoners Creating new industrial workshops or new It’s almost 40 years since the doors prison officers to work in rehabilitation on who achieve educational or vocational qualifi- classrooms and teachers to fulfil the Gove slammed on Norman Stanley Fletcher, but both sides of the prison walls. Steve Freer and cations. vision of prison academies will be prohibitively the BBC is to revive it’s classic comedy Val Wawrosz between them have 50 years of expensive in a period when the offender man- Porridge. Ronnie Barker privately regarded uniformed service as prison officers, most of it However, these tweaks to the system will agement service’s budget faces cuts of another Porridge as his best work. in tough nicks such as Wormwood Scrubs and barely dent today’s prison population of Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Comment 21 ‘Treasure in the heart of every man’ In the autumn of a varied professional life I have just passed another milestone. At the end of September after a decade as a member of the Parole Board my time came to an end.

treasure in the heart of every man, if only you might well unlock the possibility of transform- By John Samuels can find it’. ative positive change for those offenders too. Former member of the Parole Board the continuing If we saw it introduced I would - with modesty Like so many of the prisoners I encountered - regard it as a very satisfying personal legacy. during my time on the Parole Board, and oversight“ of a sentence before that as a Crown Court judge, I drifted With the passage of time, so much spent into a life of crime by accident. As a barrister I by the original waiting in the Gate Lodges of so many of Her was destined for anything but crime, focusing Majesty’s prisons, it is perhaps inevitable that I COMPENSAonT aI OmultitudeN Fof OspecialismsR and even sentencer can help have also formed a view of how most effec- changing the law on Sunday Trading. (That tively we might tackle what by common campaign lasted 12 years, and taught me that determine whether or consent are the other serious problems still VICTIMS OF CnoH changeIL Dhappens A quicklyBU in Sthis country).E faced by the prison system. My own shopping not the objectives list of remedies would certainly include: Helping victims plan for the fWhenutur Ie first an dbecame ach iea full-timeve jus judge,tice the last Our specialist team are committed to helpithingng vic It iexpectedms of abu tose bean dwas are a ecriminalxperts i nspecialist. anticipated at the A radical reduction in the overall bringing action against local authorities, suYet,ch a bys s owhatcial sIe regardrvices, asan dhappy resid egoodntial fortune, I spent the last 12 years of my judicial career time of sentence have 1numbers of those who must necessarily institutions, such as cexclusivelyhildren’s ho inm ethes. Crown Court and was privi- be detained in custody. Our dedicated team of male and female lawlegedyers toha vchaire a p therove Criminaln track r eCommitteecord with of the been realised sexual, physical and emoCounciltional a bofu sCircuite claim Judges.s. This was at a critical Exploring the extent to which, where a time, which saw among other developments custodial sentence is inevitable, the Child abuse can take a long time to come to terms with and it can be difficult for ” 2 the introduction of the IPP sentence. (This was prisoner should have certainty in relation to victims to speak out about their traumatic exdespiteperienc eours. Rgraveegard -le andss o fsadly how lallon gtoo ag oaccurate yet devised in persuading and assisting desist- his release date. Uncertainty as to whether the abuse took place, you may s-t ilwarningsl be able toof m whatake a the cla imconsequences. would ance from crime. and, if so, when release will occur merely Anything you say to us will be handled withbe). the utmost levels of professionalism, undermines all efforts to rehabilitate. A growing awareness of the benefits which © Prisoners Educationsensiti vTrustity and understanding. I also saw the introduction of the drug this ‘sentencer supervision’ could achieve (The careful reader will have noted my Child abuse claims are often eligible for pubic funding and Jordans are recognised by treatment and testing order (DTTO) which inspired me to investigate successful drug reference to the prisoner above as subsequently became the drug rehabilitation 3 the legauringl ser vrecentices co myearsmiss ioI nhad as obeenne of the few specialist providers of legal aid for courts overseas. This led to visits not only to ‘him’. Save in exceptional circumstances requirement of the community order. The sitting up to three thdaysis ty peache of w ork in the UK. the United States and Canada but to Norway, women should not be detained in a power regularly to review those subject to a Belgium, Ireland and Scotland. Fifteen years week and have lost count of the custodial establishment at all.) numbers of prisoners - virtually DTTO was a revelation to me. A most on from that discovery, I am now convinced all lifers - I interviewed. It must fortunate meeting with a senior member of that a similar approach could successfully be Increased dialogue between a prisoner, have been well in excess of 600. What stands the Center for Court Innovation in New York applied to those serving custodial sentences D a prisoner’s legal representative and out are the life stories of so many I met and led to my discovery of the transformative here, as well as those being supervised in the 4 those responsible for the management of the combinationCall of C circumstanceshristine S awhichnds led an tod thpowere tea ofm periodic on 01 reviews924 8 6by8 9a 1judicial1 officer. community. A figure of authority, willing the offender to the prisoner while in custody, from the their offending. I haveE mdevelopedail abus eantea [email protected] whelming certainty, as Winston Churchill put succeed in overcoming an addiction, is as I am not suggesting that the role of the prison moment when sentence is passed. it so aptlyWrit eover to aN centuryeil Jor dago,an Hthatou ‘therese, W ise lal ingusefulton R aso aanyd, Doffendingewsbu rbehavioury, WF13 programme 1HL or probation officer should be supplanted by that of the judge or magistrate. However, the Improving the opportunities for sen- continuing oversight of a sentence by the 5tencers routinely to engage with the original sentencer can help determine whether progress of those whom they have or not the objectives anticipated at the time of sentenced and, perhaps, reducing the need COMPENSATION FOR sentence have been realised. Incidentally too, for so lengthy a custodial term in the light it often encourages an offender to make the of good progress. VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE effort to alter his behaviour precisely because he recognises that by so doing it might result Enhancing the opportunity for prisoners Helping victims plan for the future and achieve justice in a positive modification of his sentence plan. 6who are to be returned to the Our specialist team have already helped victims at the following places; community after lengthy periods of Such a change might well transform the way absence in closed conditions to experience the judiciary and the magistracy relate to In Foster Care a progressively normal environment, offenders in this country. More important, it Leeds Care Homes including opportunities for work, family engagement, vocational training and struc- Wales Care Homes tured education in locations which are, as North East Care Homes far as possible, much more like normal everyday life than a remote . Manchester Care Homes St Williams, East Yorkshire Facilitating the growth of restorative 7justice within a custodial environment, Medomsley Detention Centre, County Durham and enabling a genuinely successful restor- ative justice meeting to affect the length of If you have suffered sexual abuse in any institution or whilst in the prisoner’s sentence. the care of your local authority we may be able to help.

If all, or indeed just some, of these were to be secured in the near future we could have within our grasp a very different criminal ›› Registered with EMAP ‹‹ justice world from that which I first discov- ered, more than half a century ago. Call Christine Sands and the team on 01924 868911 Email [email protected] His Honour Judge John Samuels QC is Write to Neil Jordan House, Wellington Road, Dewsbury, WF13 1HL Chairman of the Criminal Justice Alliance Insidetime December 2015 22 Comment www.insidetime.org Witch hunts are very real Alan Morris explores the reality of the effect of bad legislation

© Fotolia.com

olicitor Peter Garsden asserts that and fall down in convulsions. every level of American society. Universities, In France, in the wake of the revolution, a the analogy between the Salem unions, entertainment, the arts - no one was country (renowned for its literary giants, its witch hunts and current historic sex No further evidence, beyond multiple allega- safe; anyone could be accused and ruined, no scientists and philosophers) became prey to abuse cases is ‘clearly wrong’ and tions, was required for a conviction, which matter how successful, no matter how ‘The Terror’, a campaign in which tens of concludes that ‘In a civilised country usually led to the execution of the accused. valuable or well-loved. An accusation was thousands of innocents went to the guillotine, withS all the rules of evidence there are…a Zealous prosecutors would trawl the settle- enough to destroy anyone. And such were the denounced because they were not sufficiently witch hunt by the police clearly could not ments encouraging ‘victims’ of witchcraft to fates of nuclear physicist Edward Teller and in tune with the revolution, not sufficiently happen ‘ (‘Another trial by media’ - October come forward. Those accused were often sad the singer Paul Robeson. committed to the quest for ‘civic virtue’. The issue). I beg to differ. old women or those in the community who slaughter was driven by Robespierre but were in any way a little unusual or different; Mister Garsden’s confident assertion that enthusiastically assisted by similarly possessed Witch hunts scarred the histories of Europe and then there were those against whom ‘clearly’ a witch hunt couldn’t happen these zealots across the land. Once again, a mere and the New Territories in North America in someone bore a grudge or whose demise days is glib. It happened in 1950s America, it allegation made out of spite or in hope of the 17th and 18th centuries. Typically, as at would yield the accuser financial gain. happened in Chairman Mao’s China (when financial reward, was sufficient to lose anyone Salem in the eastern colonies of North under the Cultural Revolution the academic their head. America, a teenage girl would accuse In the 1950s the American playwright, Arthur and professional class was culled); it happened somebody in the community of putting a spell Miller, wrote his play ‘The Crucible’, depicting similarly in Pol Pot’s Cambodia, it happened in In many ways ‘The Terror’ in 1790s France on her. The accusation would usually be a typical visitation of a puritan community by Nazi Germany and in Stalinist Russia, it makes a better comparison with the current accompanied by lurid sexual detail. The first a zealous witch hunter. Miller wrote the play happened in the 1790s in France in the wake pursuit of sex abuse allegations than the Salem accusation would lead to many more girls in order to hold up a mirror to a society almost of the revolution. Whenever a society becomes witch hunts, because, while aristocratic abuses coming forward to testify to demonic sexual paralysed by fear of communism, in which deeply troubled or insecure the scapegoating did occur in pre-revolutionary France, most experiences. During these testimonies the girls Senator McCarthy had set himself the task of phenomenon erupts as a mechanism to rational people would agree that witches (as would become hysterical, foam at the mouth rooting out communist sympathisers from express and satisfy communal anxiety. understood in the 17th and 18th centuries) do not exist. The Bourbon monarchy of Louis XVI had to end; the old order had to be reformed; but the noble revolutionary ideals of ‘liberty, Parole? Recall? equality and brotherhood’ gave way to a Life Sentence? bloody obsession in which the equally noble Specialists in Family ideals of justice and truth were forgotten. OLLIERS SOLICITORS & Financial Disputes • Confiscation Proceedings The eradication of the all too real phenome- CAN HELP • Matrimonial Proceedings non of sexual abuse in the UK is a noble goal, • Cohabitee disputes but, increasingly, many social commentators IPP, MANDATORY, DISCRETIONARY, AUTOMATIC Life Sentences • Property disputes are beginning to believe that future genera- tions will look back on this moment in our LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS - ORAL & WRITTEN REPRESENTATION • Child maintenance disputes history and judge that the equally noble • Care Proceedings pursuits of justice and truth were abandoned PAROLE BOARD REPRESENTATION Recall • Children Disputes in our society’s anxiety over the national loss Offices in Barking, Romford, Grays and Kentish Town of sexual chastity. CONTACT: JEREMY PINSON In the first instance please contact us at: FREEPOST NEA 13621, 102 - 106 South Street, Romford, ESSEX RM1 1RX MANCHESTER M3 9ZL Alan Morris is currently resident at HMP 0161 834 1515 Tel: 01708 766155 Wymott Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Comment 23 The Human Rights Act v A Bill of Rights

(possibly) implied repeal. An entrenched Bill of by Michael Downey Rights would secure individual’s rights and freedoms and create rights which would be less vulnerable to legislation that can take t is well established that the Conserva- away rights, similar to that of the Charter of tive Party is making argument to repeal Fundamental Rights created by the European the Human Rights Act 1998 and replace Union, which incidentally, the UK opted out it with a UK Bill of Rights. Some of the from. If the UK opted out of the HRA, concern most important principles upon which is that, Article 6(2) of the Treaty on the Ihuman rights law is based are expressed and European Union provides that the EU members given legal recognition such as, the ‘Magna shall respect fundamental rights, as guaran- Carta’ in 1215 (chapter 29, of which is still in teed by the ECHR, as general principles of force), the Bill of Rights 1688, which contains Community law. Under Article 7 of the TEU the famous ban on ‘cruel and unusual punish- the Council could decide to suspend the rights ments’ were used by the Council of Europe of Member States under the Treaty, including when drafting the European Convention on voting rights in the Council if a Member State Human Rights. When the ECHR afforded breaches the values referred in Article 2. The further effect in domestic law by the Human ECJ in Nold v Commission (case 26/69) [1969] Rights Act 1998, it represented a minimum ECR 419 acknowledges the importance of guarantee of fundamental rights in the UK fundamental rights within the legal order, and Member States and can be relied on by paragraph 13 and its influence lives on today any person, non-governmental organisation in Article 6(3). or group of individuals. Under the convention member states of the Council of Europe agree Doubt and criticism about human rights is to secure for everyone in their territories the concerned that human rights law narrow the rights and freedoms listed in the convention scope for society to debate and decide issues and agree to abide by the judgements of the in democratic and participative ways. Propo- ECHR, a court created by the Council. The nents of this view support the idea of human absolute rights are those provided for in Article rights but doubt whether legal judicial mecha- 2, 4, 7 and 14. All the others are subject to nisms are the best way forward. limitations. In particular, the rights provided under Article 8, 9, 10 and 11 are subject to Around 800 million citizens and 47 Member legal restriction. States are protected by the convention rights. The great philosopher Spinoza once said that Public authorities have been greatly affected law was the mathematics of freedom. This has by the inception of the HRA due to the © Fotolia.com been calculated by professors such as professor requirements of s.6. Under s.6, it is unlawful A V Dicey in the ‘rule of law’ which has been universally accepted and, to which ‘the con- for a public authority to act in a way that is UK’s obligations under the European Conven- could be seen as unnecessary, as the range of vention draws its inspiration’ (Engel v The incompatible with a convention right. The tion on Human Rights by containing a more remedies available under the HRA is the same Netherlands (No 1) (1976) 1 EHRR 647. 672, strength of the convention system lies in the extensive list of rights, including social and as in any ordinary UK court case (apart from para, 69). right of individual applications by which indi- economic rights. Justice would no longer be criminal sanctions), which includes injunctions vidual victims of a violation of convention discretionary and inconsistent but guaranteed and specific performance. To repeal the HRA (as intended), or create a rights can take their own government to court. by a Bill of Rights without interference. new Bill of Rights would undermine the However, some key rights were missing from Opponents see s.3 of the HRA as undermining The choice of the HRA as the enforcement existing principle of the rule of law affirmed by the ECHR (in contrast to EU law, there is no other forms of political participation and dem- mechanism for the ECHR means that the con- s.1 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and express right to enter another country either ocratic decision taking, as words can be read vention is incorporated into domestic law. It widely recognised in laws of other countries to take up residence or to seek asylum) and into a parliamentary statue, by the judiciary, in could be removed by simple method of repeal, around the world, of much of its virtue. some of the existing rights are weak (e.g. Art order to achieve convention compliance, and as argued for currently by the Conservative 14 has no protection from discrimination of if it is found to be impossible a court of suffi- Party. Entrenchment of the HRA was rejected sexual orientation or disability). Also, some cient seniority can issue a declaration of in order to maintain parliamentary sover- rights under the ECHR are not absolute. incompatibility under s.4. eignty; under this doctrine, a purported Bill of Michael Downey is currently resident at Where a state finds itself unable to comply Rights would in fact have the same status in HMP Wymott with specific articles, it is possible under Art 15 Statues in a new Bill of Rights would be drafted that it would be vulnerable to express and for it to ‘derogate’ from them (with exception with a set of fundamental principles which UK to Art 2, 3, 4(1) and 7). courts could uphold against official decisions that infringe liberties in mind and award A new Bill of Rights could build on all of the damages where appropriate. However, this

fisher Our Prison Law Department can assist prisoners under Legal Aid for a number of issues including: meredith Members of the Association of Prison Lawyers • Recall (IPP/Lifer and Determinate) Award winning firm offering specialist advice on prisoners’ rights • Parole (IPP/Lifer and Determinate) • Independent Adjudications • Lifer panels • Inquest We assist prisoners throughout England and Wales offering competitive fixed fees on all other • Adjudications • Judicial review • Parole review and early • Human rights General Prison Law matters including Re-Categorisation and Sentence Planning. release • Compassionate release For further information or assistance please contact Contact solicitor Andrew Arthur Matthew Smith or Nicola Maynard Fisher Meredith LLP, 7th Floor, 322 High Holborn, Reeds Solicitors Freepost RTSX–ETXE–SUKX London, WC1V 7PB 1 Cambridge Terrace Oxford OX1 1RR Telephone: 020 7091 2700 Fax: 020 7091 2800 01865 260 230 Or visit our website www.fishermeredith.co.uk www.reeds.co.uk Insidetime December 2015 24 Comment www.insidetime.org

my saved pension cash”. for those of us who remember the golden days, the fascinating media explosion had dis- The first Christmas No1 I remember was Emile appeared. Last Christmas Ben Haenow was Jonathan King writes Ford and “What Do You Want To Make No1 - who remembers him, let alone the X Those Eyes At Me For?” 1959, I was a child. Factor song? Appreciating the good things about being alive Of course the era of my generation really be- Who will be No1 at Christmas 2015? Sadly gan in 1963 when The Beatles had the Christ- the majority answer would be “Who cares?” mas No1 with “I Want To Hold Your Hand”. I miss the excitement of that time. But every- thing must change. More people than ever Tom Jones was No1 in 1966 with “The Green buy music these days but they pay less and Green Grass of Home”. I hated that. care very little. That time of cherished copies, frayed around the edges, packed with memo- I think the most famous ever Christmas chart ries of the girl or boy of the moment, of the topper was 1971’s “Ernie” by Benny Hill, a taste and smells of our youth, of the dreams delightful comedy smash although I suspect, and hopes for the future - gone. In superficial in 2015, Benny might not be battling Two Ton world 2015, when society is governed by slo- Ted in Teddington. gans and headlines, where satisfaction is sim- ple and short, our species has altered. Freddie Mercury was top in 1975 (Bohemian Rhapsody) but the rot set in with Band Aid’s Which voice will dominate our seasonal ears? ghastly Christmas hit (1984) - because it was Probably Bing Crosby dreaming of a “White for charity. The era of Christmas hits selling Christmas”. From 1942. on quality (even if not my particular taste in quality) was over. It became a marketing ploy. Seeing how well it worked for Bob Geldof and charity, big corporations began using it to promote their priorities - sometimes decent artistes but often simply the girlfriend or boy- friend of the Label Boss.

s we come up for the biggest out on vinyl singles but many bought them And with the advent of downloads, the era of moment in the Music Industry for relations too and a huge quantity of al- buying music as a present disappeared. Gran- Calendar - Christmas - I thought bums sold - to people who entered the shops ny didn’t have iTunes so there was little point we should look at the changes in and saw those wonderful old twelve inch in buying her a song. A few still managed to the saga of the Christmas Num- sleeves in the bins. grab the prize - Cliff Richard’s “Mistletoe and berA One. Wine” in 1988 for example - but the magic “Oh, Granny loves Jim Reeves”, punks would had gone by the 90s. In days gone by, when I was a young lad, this say, and would splash out some of their mea- was a major event because it got loads of me- gre pay packet. Or “little Arthur the Skin The Spice Girls era was followed by The X dia coverage during the traditional great pe- Head (is that what they call them?) loves reg- Factor era and even the Anti-X Factor era but riod of music sales. Not only did people splash gae (or is it Reggie?). I’d better buy that with

Just another baby?

We do not know how many babies have been born since Jesus’ birth over 2000 years ago! (Apparently, there will have been more than 135 million births in 2015.) However, we can be sure that Jesus was not just another baby and not like any other man. We can be certain of that by the very fact that His birth is still celebrated more than 2000 years later. Sadly, many people fail to recog- nise that it is the birth of Jesus we commemorate at Christmas.

Clearly, Jesus was someone very special and His birth must be one of the most momentous events in the whole of history. Perhaps the most momentous?

But today, more than 2000 years later, the most crucial question for us is, ‘Who was Jesus?’ or, indeed, ‘Who is Jesus?’, for Christians believe that He rose from the dead after being cruci ed and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.

‘What do Christians believe?’ and ‘What is the point of life?’ are questions which are too important to be ignored. These, and several others, are considered in the booklet, ‘Good Question’. Please contact us for a copy.

BeaconLight Trust PO Box 91, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 9BA. Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Comment 25

failure by the prison or staff, bullying, equality, regime issues, visits, food, exercise etc. There should be no intimidation of prisoners making Formal complaints the complaints or ‘revenge’ actions. Should you feel discriminated against because of your complaint then place another complaint to that effect.

Sample complaint prisoners’ prerogative “On 5th August 2015 officers searched my cell whilst I was at Education, without telling me, and not providing me with an opportu- Inside Time’s Paul Sullivan looks at the Prison Complaints system nity to safeguard my legal privileged paperwork. This is against the Prison Rules wishes to sue NOMS or a member of staff in and Prison Service Instructions. I want an the Small Claims Court they must follow the explanation as to why this happened, internal procedure first or the Court is likely to assurance that my privileged paperwork was strike it out. not read and an undertaking that there will not be a recurrence.” Referrals to the Prisons Ombudsman must be done quickly and copies of all relevant When asked by prison inspectors, of those paperwork, copies of complaint forms and any who had made a complaint, if they thought it other evidence must be included. Prisoners was dealt with fairly, a sample of 12 recent can write to the Ombudsman under Confi- inspections (below) showed that an average of dential Access in a sealed envelope and do not only about 17% of prisoners considered their need to affix a stamp. complaints were dealt with fairly by the prison.

Writing the complaint Altcourse 16% The complaint should start with a short description of what is being complained about Belmarsh 15% including dates, times, location and any Glen Parva 21% witnesses. Explain what happened and why Hollesley Bay 20% you think this is wrong (quote any prison rules Long Lartin 22% you are aware of). If your complaint is about North Sea Camp 21% loss of property get copies of your Prop card Northumberland 17% © prisonimage.org to use as evidence. Be concise and polite, just Oakwood 18% state facts and not your opinion or feelings. Pentonville 9% Finish by explaining what you want done Thameside 17% any Prison Inspection reports an application asking to speak to a ‘senior about what you are complaining about. pick up on the fact that very governor’ about a problem. If the response is Wakefield 22% few prisoners have any faith negative then that application response can Complaints can be about actual occurrences, Wormwood Scrubs 12% in the formal complaints become part of the evidence for a formal procedure, with complaints complaint to show that the prisoner has tried Meither going missing or getting inappropriate to resolve the problem informally - very useful responses. The Prison Service itself says; ‘An if the matter goes all the way to the effective system for dealing with prisoner Ombudsman. complaints underpins much of prison life. It helps to ensure that the Prison Service meets Complaint forms (COMP1) must be freely its obligation of dealing fairly, openly and available and boxes for completed forms humanely with prisoners. It also helps staff by placed in prominent positions (but not outside instilling in prisoners greater confidence that wing offices). Prisoners who have problems their needs and welfare are being looked after, submitting a written complaint must be given CHILD reducing tension and promoting better relations.’ assistance which might include recording the complaint on cassette. Prisoners may submit a Prisons dislike complaints because not only complaint in their own first language and does it take time and effort to investigate them leaflets explaining the procedure are available and apply proper responses but they also per- in 19 languages. Complaints must be submitted manently register a problem which can’t be within three months of an incident. If a ABUSE hidden from the Prison Inspectors, Independent complaint is about the conduct of an officer Helping victims rebuild their lives since 1994. Monitoring Board or the Prisons Ombudsman. then it can be submitted as ‘Confidential Access’ and should only be read by a governor Helping you achieve justice for the abuse Our dedicated team of specialist, legal experts PSI 2012-02 which deals with the complaints or senior staff. you suffered. have a proven track record in handling system acknowledges that answering com- We have been helping abuse victims claim child abuse claims and can help you if you plaints properly and fairly actually reduces the If a prison thinks a prisoner is submitting too their legal rights for over 15 years. have been the victim of sexual, physical or emotional abuse in childhood. number of complaints and helps maintain a many complaints it can limit them to one a The law allows people to make claims ‘prison’s equilibrium’. day but cannot bar a prisoner from making for compensation even if the abuse they In 2013 we secured nearly three quarters of a complaints. suffered took place many years ago. million pounds in compensation for our clients. In order to get a proper resolution it is We also deal with cases against children’s Speak to one of our specialist male or female important that the prisoner not only follows Responses must address the issues raised. If a homes, other institutions and social services solicitors in complete confidence. the correct protocols but also ensures his/her complaint is not upheld the prisoner must be for lack of care. • Prison visits • Legal Aid available complaint is legitimate and clearly explained given the full reasons why. Where a prisoner • Complete confidentiality with evidence. has moved after an incident it is their current prison who must answer the complaint. In 2012 the system was changed to a two QualitySolicitors stage system and the old three day target for If a prisoner is unhappy with a response the Abney Garsden a response to the first stage was abolished first line of action is to place an appeal (which although a prisoner must get an interim reply must be answered by a member of staff at a within five days if a full answer hasn’t been higher level than the original respondent), Changing the way you see lawyers. provided in that time. followed by either a discussion with the Inde- 0845 604 7075 [email protected] pendent Monitoring Board or by referring the 37 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, SK8 5AF It is always best if a prisoner tries to resolve an complaint to the Prisons and Probation issue by speaking to staff or by submitting a Ombudsman. If the complaint concerns loss www.abuselaw.co.uk wing application. The prisoner could submit of or damage to property and/or the prisoner Insidetime December 2015 26 Comment www.insidetime.org

places, including some states in America, Canada Secretary of State would be expected to recon- and New Zealand have managed to ban sider his decision in accordance with the law.” smoking - without realising the prison service’s vision of Armageddon and pandemonium. Implementation of the smoking ban was and is never going to be easy. Prison governors No Smoking Recent riots in Melbourne which reportedly and unions have warned repeatedly that a ban involved 300 inmates were supposedly in could trigger serious control problems apart protest over a soon to be enforced smoking from addiction, as tobacco is the main currency Former prisoner Kirk Brown says the ban across the state of Victoria. This type of among inmates. They fail to mention that tins report stokes the fears of the ministry and of tuna are also common currency in prison. smoking ban is necessary prison officials, as 80% of UK inmates smoke. was also clear, I did not want it happening They fear it will bring instability in an already Thanks to this court case Michael Gove, the while I was still serving at Her Majesty’s smoke fractured prison system. new Minister for Justice, has for the first time filled pleasure. I am a non-smoker. However, I on behalf of a government, announced a pilot do know that if you want to make a prisoner In Thameside, I did the numbers on my own scheme that will begin in early 2016. It will hellfire cranky, you take away his tobacco. wing. There, around 95% of offenders were include eight prisons, starting with Parc in smokers. In fact, Thameside is almost exclu- Bridgend, Wales (G4S) where Paul Black’s I only served fourteen months, but I could sively double bunks, but the fast track to being case originated. Whatever fears ministry always see it was going to be a significant in a room on your own is being a non-smoker. officials, staff and prisoners have about the short-term problem. I preferred to put up with ban there are two things that will mitigate all second hand smoke rather than be around The MoJ conducted an analysis of the health the predicted horribleness. whenever the government finally got around effects of smoking in prisons. The MoJ has to enforcing the ban. For that matter, most declined to release that 2007 report - First, the problem is only short-term. If the ban staff smoke, and cannot be bothered to requested under the Freedom of Information works, most smokers will be through the worst enforce a ban. Ministry and HMP officials Act. They declined on the basis that it, “could of nicotine withdrawal in a matter of months. often make statements like: “Prisoners can’t lead to an inaccurate impression, causing People will simply adapt, as hard as that might smoke in communal areas - only in their cells damage to staff (HMP) morale, which would be at first. This problem will be over in rela- and outside in the exercise yards.” Those likely prejudice the maintenance and security tively short order. It is true many prisoners will statements, as with most MoJ statements, and good order of prisons.” It does make one pick up the gauntlet and stop smoking for bear little relation to what actually happens in wonder what could be in that report that their own benefit. That brings us to the second prison. In similar fashion, the hysteria and would have such a detrimental effect on staff problem: not everyone will stop smoking. media hype created by these same people - morale. the warnings of prison riots and instability - is It is foolhardy to think that a ban will simply never likely to materialise either. Successive ministers have delayed or only paid stop smoking in prison. Since the MoJ and © Fotolia.com lip service to implementation plans, however a HMPs can’t stop heroine, steroids, marijuana, Ever since Big Tobacco and governments stopped recent court case has now forced the issue. hash, Tramadol, Valium, etc. from getting into recent court ruling has brought lying about the risks associated with smoking, The government must finally act. The judge in prisons, how the hell are they ever going to the prison “Smoking Ban” in the Western world has been both progressive his decision said, “As I have already said in my stop cigarettes from getting in? It will just England and Wales back into the and unrelenting in banning it. There is no judgement, the secretary of state (at that time become one more part of a black market that spotlight. I always said that the question that smoking should have been Chris Grayling) proceeded on an understanding no government, minister or HMP has ever Aban was good and necessary. I properly banned in UK prisons years ago. Other of the law which is wrong. Accordingly, the come to grips with. rmnj solicitors Recalled? ... let us fight for your freedom Give our experienced Prison Law Team a call on 0151 200 4071 - we can help you.

Email: [email protected] Web: www.rmnj.co.uk 63 Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 5JF Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Comment 27 Russia to legalise prison beatings: could the same happen here?

make their beds properly, or an undone by John O’Connor button, for example”, said Lyudmila Alexeyeva, the head of the Moscow-Helsinki Group of human rights campaigners. Stories of torture ussia is on its way to legalising the by prison and police officials are common in beating and torture of prisoners. Russia, reports . According to a Supported by MPs from President human rights website, at least 169 people Putin’s ruling United Russia party, have died in police holding cells since the start the second reading of this proposed of this year. Foul play is suspected in many of legislationR was passed recently in the Duma these cases. (Parliament) by an overwhelming 240 votes to 59 against. With such enormous support This year an inmate of a Moscow prison died amongst parliamentarians (at least in Russia), after boiling water was poured down his could similar legislation in this country appeal throat by another prisoner, allegedly on the to the “hang ‘em and flog ‘em” brigade of orders of prison staff. An inquiry was ordered MPs within David Cameron’s government? six months after his death, when journalists brought it to public attention. In the meantime It seems that various aspects of Russia’s totali- Russia’s prison authorities have sought to tarian rule of law already appeal to the British calm fears. Activists say the proposed legisla- government, so the attractions of this latest tion violates European law on prisoners rights. initiative by Russia’s rulers shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. Presently the British government This itself is cause for more concern in the is proposing new laws to allow the tracking of light of attempts by the British government to everyone’s web and social media use in a way replace the Human Rights Act 1998 with a Bill currently only legal in Russia. Already the of Rights which may leave prisoners vulnera- police in this country have lost all credibility in Liverpool Echo, Gary Murphy is among ex- received advice from the Crown Prosecution ble to officially sanctioned abuse. The govern- their use and abuse of existing powers to prisoners who have spoken out following a Service, which is that there is sufficient ment’s present position regarding reform snoop on people’s right to privacy when damning report in which prison inspectors told evidence to charge 25 prison officers with remains ambivalent. On the one hand Michael “making enquiries” under the Regulation of of a “concerning” practice regarding the use offences relating to assault on prisoners.” Gove, the Justice Minister, says Britain is to Investigative Powers Act (RIPA). And under of balaclavas. In November an independent Most of the allegations relating to a period remain signed-up to the controversial European the government’s proposed Investigatory inspection team revealed how they saw prison from January 1997 to May 1998. Court of Human Rights. But on the other Powers Bill many of the features already officers wearing balaclavas enter a different, hand will no longer slavishly abide by the enshrined in Russian law will be mirrored in unknown, inmate’s cell and restrain him The Prison Service has also settled a further 32 rulings of Strasbourg judges. Under the new British legislation. before leaving him naked. cases without admitting prisoners’ claims of British Bill of Rights, the UK’s own courts violence were true. It has paid out £1.7m so would have the final say where there is a clash So having confirmed the extent to which But there’s nothing new in reports of prisoners far - although this figure could become much between the Government and Europe. Russian law already attracts Britain’s lawmakers, being subjected to beatings and often what higher. Wormwood Scrubs has been dogged would they go as far as to legalise the beating amounts to torture. In September of this year by allegations of brutality for years, but only Instead of the extension of democracy, the and torture of inmates in Britain jails? The The Independent reported that 25 prison one case had been proved - until the admis- rule of law and order and human rights being more cynical of prisoners and ex-prisoners officers from Wormwood Scrubs are to be sions now revealed. The documents show that promoted by those countries which most would say there’s no need for any such law for charged with offences linked to assaults on prison officers tried to cover up assaults by embody these principles (including Britain), it presently beating and torture happen daily inmates after the biggest criminal investiga- bringing false disciplinary charges against now seems our politicians may be tempted to throughout the 135 jails in England and Wales. tion at a jail. Forty-three serving and former inmates. The Prison Service has also admitted adopt the values of totalitarian regimes Not that such inhuman behaviour is part of officers were under investigation during the senior officials in the jail and in management notorious for their abuse of human rights, official Prison Service policy. Far from it. But Scotland Yard inquiry earlier this year. Fifteen failed to investigate assaults properly. especially in the treatment of its prisoners. undoubtedly it occurs everyday in a variety of officers were suspended, including a junior forms and degrees of seriousness, sometimes governor, when the allegations came to light. If legislation being proposed in Russia becomes John O’Connor is a former prisoner and so severe it allegedly results in death. law, could this Russian initiative foretell what London representative of Restore Support The charges follow allegations of beatings and could also happen in England and Wales? “If Network, a registered charity which As recently as last October a former Walton mistreatment by inmates at the west London this bill becomes law in its current form, it will mentors/befriends older ex-prisoners prison inmate claimed officers wearing bala- prison. A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said : mean prison staff will be able to beat a prisoner ([email protected]) clavas beat him in his cell. According to the “We can now confirm that we have today for the most minor of violations. A failure to

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certificates. It covers medical treatment, living In most cases prisoners must therefore be in an acquired gender role, and location in the located according to their gender as recog- estate, as well as other issues. nised under UK law. Where there are issues to be resolved, a case conference must be Living in role So far as medical treatment is concerned, the convened and a multi-disciplinary risk assess- starting point is that establishments must ment should be completed to determine how provide prisoners who have been diagnosed best to manage a transsexual prisoner’s The treatment of transsexual people in prison has with gender dysphoria with the same quality location. A male to female transsexual person of care (including counselling, pre-operative with a gender recognition certificate may be been in the news recently. But it’s not a new issue and post-operative care and continued access refused location in the female estate only on and there is very detailed policy from NOMS about it. to hormone treatment) that they would expect security grounds - in other words, only when it to receive from the NHS if they had not been can be demonstrated that other women with It can’t deal with every individual’s personal sent to prison. Whether treatment has started an equivalent security profile would also be before coming to prison, or is requested after held in the male estate. A female to male situation, but the principles are clear reception, the prison must consult with a spe- transsexual person with a gender recognition cialist clinician, and consider referral to a certificate may not be refused location in the ing to see that statement of principle reas- forensic psychiatrist. male estate. This is because there are no PRISON serted near the beginning of the detailed security grounds that can prevent location in REFORM Peter Dawson Prison Service Instruction (PSI 7/2011), which In regard to “living in role”, when a prisoner the male estate. deals with a wide range of issues affecting proposes to undergo, is undergoing or has TRUST Deputy Director transsexual prisoners. undergone a process (or part of a process) for But even where there is no gender recognition the purpose of reassigning their sex by certificate, if a person requests transfer to a ’m holding the fort this month, following The PSI starts with definitions. It says that a changing physiological or other attributes of prison in the opposite estate their request Francesca Cooney’s departure from transsexual person is someone who lives or sex, the prisoner is considered to have the must be considered and referred outside the PRT. Her successor, Ryan Harman, proposes to live in the gender opposite to the protected characteristic of gender reassign- establishment for a decision. starts in December, and I’m delighted one assigned at birth. The gender in which the ment for the purposes of the Equality Act that Inside Time have agreed that we transsexual person lives or proposes to live is 2010 and must not be discriminated against or There is much more detailed information shouldI continue this column. known as that person’s acquired gender. A harassed because of this. An establishment contained in the PSI and if you are affected by transsexual person may or may not have been must permit prisoners who have demonstrated these issues it is crucial that you and prison The first job I did which involved prisons was diagnosed with gender dysphoria. that they wish to begin gender reassignment staff are aware of it. The PRT advice line has over 25 years ago, in what was then the Prison to live permanently in their acquired gender. helped a number of people in this situation Department of the Home Office. I remember The Gender Recognition Act 2004 provides Where a young person under 18 is concerned, over the years, and we are pleased to be being taken aback when one of the first issues for transsexual people to apply to the Gender the establishment must be satisfied that this is contacted if you need us. that crossed my desk was about how to look Recognition Panel for legal recognition of their consistent with its duty to promote the young after transsexual prisoners. It was the first of acquired gender through the issue of a gender person’s wellbeing. You can write to the Prison Reform Trust’s many reminders that prisons are whole com- recognition certificate (GRC). advice team at FREEPOST ND6125 London munities, and that people in prison retain all It was the issue of location which hit the EC1B 1PN. Our free information line is open civil rights that are not taken away “expressly This PSI contains guidance on the care, man- headlines recently. The PSI is clear. Prison Rule Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 3.30-5.30. or by implication”. Things have moved on a agement and treatment of transsexual prisoners 12(1) provides that women prisoners should The number is 0808 802 0060 and does not good deal since those days, but it’s encourag- - both with and without gender recognition normally be kept separate from male prisoners. need to be put on your pin. BITTER PILLS YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO SWALLOW

Clinical negligence is as unacceptable inside repercussions far into the future which is why you If you feel you’ve been badly treated, prison as it is out. need expert, experienced advice to secure the misdiagnosed or kept waiting for an unacceptable compensation which is due to YOU. amount of time contact us now and we will get the The reported cases of clinical and dental negligence compensation you deserve. during confinement is on the increase. Whether it is As one of the countries leading personal injury due to a lack of resources or inept practitioning there lawyers Michael Jefferies have been successfully is no excuse if your health has suffered physically representing prisoners in cases of clinical and or mentally, as a result you could be due 1000’s of dental negligence for many years. We have won pounds in compensation. Negligence may not just compensation from 100’s to 1000’s of pounds all on affect you now it could have painful or expensive a NO WIN NO FEE basis.

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I O M N Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Comment 29

prison chain-gangs to America). Prison Night a success, There was a very good response from Inside Time readers and excerpts from prisoner’s letters were displayed on the screen through- out the programme, though with names and thanks to your contributions! details blanked out. It may come as no surprise to learn that the prisoner’s favourite film contains both a successful and a con giving it to the parole board straight and then being released after many years - The Noel Smith Shawshank Redemption.

Other films that made the top ten include; n Saturday the 7th of 1 Bronson, Midnight Express, The Green Mile, November, in a unique Scum, The Great Escape, Cool Hand Luke, Stir countdown, ’s ‘Prison Crazy, Escape From Alcatraz and that old BBC Night’ revealed the number favourite Porridge (two films were made one prison movie, as voted for based on the programme). No real surprises by British inmates, and explored the truth O there, but I found it surprising that some behind the world’s most memorable prison classic British prison films did not make the films. Prisoners voted for their favourite films final cut. For example, I and many others, after the production company placed an have long cherished the 1979 biopic ‘McVicar’, advert in the pages of Inside Time. based on the autobiography of London robber and prison escapee John ‘Mr Muscles’ Several ex-prisoners appeared on the show, McVicar. It depicts a pretty accurate picture of including Inside Time’s Noel Smith, Shaun life in British prisons in the 1960s and features Attwood (who spent time in Sherriff Joe a nail-biting escape from HMP Durham’s Arpaio’s infamous Arizona jail), William ‘Billy’ The Shawshank Redemption Hayes (on whom the film Midnight Express special security unit. Also missing from the was based) and the egregious Sherriff Joe line-up was a more recent that himself even made an appearance. As most of reveals the harsh reality of modern day British the ex-prisoners confirmed, prison is a violent jails - Starred Up. and brutal place where the food is ‘rank’ and 3 prisoners cherish any little victory they win On the whole it was good to see a national over the system. Sherriff Joe, on the other television channel put the spotlight on prisons, hand, advised - ‘If you let them treat the place if only for the sake of entertainment. Well like a goddamn hotel, then it’s obvious they’ll 2 done to everyone who took the trouble to be back’ (this is the man who reintroduced The Green Mile Dead Man Walking write in and vote.

Canter Levin & Berg 1 Temple Square, 24 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 5RL Only in China? Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Education 31 Want to be self employed or increase your employability? This adds up... A pilot project, provided with OLASS funding from Weston College, in partnership with Sage UK, the software giant in Newcastle, entitled ‘Computerised Accounting for Business’ is successfully running in Dartmoor Prison.

his pioneering project was tai- than the purchases and overheads to create a lored for use within the prison profit). education department, with fun- to-do case studies, examples, ac- Learners comment about the course, ‘As pris- tivities and quizzes which take oners we have concerns over employment theT pain out of ‘bookkeeping’ - traditionally upon release, and this course will give us the seen as dull, boring and difficult. confidence to be self-employed and become a self-sufficient member of the community. Fiona Bradley, lead consultant for Sage on the The skills gained are invaluable and actually project, worked closely with Vickie Keast, helps our future prospects. We learn the im- Team Leader from Weston College, at Dart- portance of financial management, how to moor to ensure the learning materials were manage business accounts and data using the easy to use and suitable for delivery within industry standard SAGE accounting software, prisons. Fiona commented about the project which we also get to use upon release’. after her visits to Dartmoor saying ‘I was struck by the enthusiasm of the learners un- Sage UK are immensely proud of being able dertaking the qualifications, how supportive to work with the Weston College and their they were of one another and how keen they learners on this project and would like to ex- were to progress. One learner even said that tend their thanks to Dartmoor Prison, its staff he would not proceed with his planned trans- Dartmoor prison: learners hard at and enthusiastic learners who are just a pleas- fer nearer to home, if he could stay at Dart- work on the next level of their course ure to work with. moor to take the next level of the course.’ release and who may want to employ others. workbooks supplied by Sage UK whilst also This highly practical course, which replaced the learning the underpinning knowledge of how For more information about the Sage UK Business Course, starts at Level One and gently Every learner is provided with their own copy the software is processing the information. business courses and the partnership that progresses through to Level Two and if re- of Sage 50 Accounts Professional Software Simply put, this moves the learner compre- Sage enjoys with awarding bodies using quired to a diploma at Level Three. There is also (which is time limited) and the course can also hensively through the administration of a OLASS funding, talk to your education de- a similar payroll course available, for those in- be provisioned using a Sage Educational site business to understanding the formation of partment and ask them to contact Fiona terested in running their own business upon licence. The students progress through the accounts (and how income must be greater Bradley - [email protected]

Get hands-on experience with Sage Accounts software Increase your and increase your employment prospects by taking a Computerised Accounting for Business course and gain a Sage UK Accredited qualification. employability in partnership with QCF awarding bodies. Contact us, [email protected] for more information. To sign up for the course, submit an application (prison service only) Insidetime December 2015 32 Education www.insidetime.org Inside Time, the prisoners’ newspaper: 25 years of news and views behind bars Last month, the Founder and Editor of Inside Time, Eric McGraw gave PET’s Annual Lecture. The lecture, on Monday 2 November 2015, was followed by a discussion with a panel and audience question and answer session.

And finally - as many have said - I believe courts should use women’s centres in the community, not prisons. Eight in every ten women entering prison under an immediate custodial sentence had committed non-violent offences. Women’s centres are known to be much more effective than prison in helping women change their lives and reduce reoff- ending.

In bringing my remarks to a conclusion may I relate the story of a young boy who was on holiday in Ayrshire, Scotland. hen I look back to the birth He found himself one day walking across and early development of some rough farmland and ended up mired to Inside Time - coming as it his waist in a bog. did just after the Strange- ways Prison riots - in 1990 He was so terrified that he started to shout it is a story of good news and bad news. W and scream for help. Fortunately for him a farmer from a nearby smallholding heard the The good news was that we had the full and boy and rescued him from what could have enthusiastic support of the Prison Service. And been a slow and terrifying death. so the Newspaper was launched in December 1990 assisted by BBC Breakfast Time from The next morning the boy’s father went to Grendon Prison. thank the farmer for saving his son’s life. He met the farmer’s son and was immediately The bad news was that the then Governor of struck by their poverty. He said to the farmer Lincoln Prison banned the paper and urged all I’d like to give your son the same level of prison governors by electronic mail to do the education my son will enjoy. same. And so the farmer’s son left for London aged This was the same prison Governor who had 13 and eventually trained as a doctor. He just won a Butler Trust Award and was qualified with distinction from St Mary’s presented with the Award by Princess Anne at Hospital Medical School in London at the age Buckingham Palace. © Prisoners Education Trust of 25. After a distinguish career, 40 years later he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. I remember attending the ceremony and I fortune was to persuade the novelist Rachel Ministers have come and gone. They have Ten years later he died and was buried at St made a note of the citation. It said: he was Billington to join us. One of her first interviews announced reforms that failed dismally. This, Paul’s Cathedral. ‘commended for his open door policy’ - a Rachel did for us was with a man called Tony he says, is because of too many people being strange citation for a prison Governor - I Blair who at the time was Shadow Home in prison for too long at too great a cost, iron- His name was Fleming. Alexander Fleming. thought at the time. Secretary and she noted he had just been ically making the reforms unaffordable. The voted ‘the most popular politician’. result: the prison population has doubled from That story reminds us that a good education The good news was that in our second issue 40,000 to well over 80,000. plays a vital part in our lives, more so for those we were able to publish his picture receiving Mr Blair told her: ‘It would be very foolish of with disadvantages. the Award from Princess Anne together with the Government to believe that the more In February this year a Report was launched the citation and his letter telling us he was people you have in prison the lower the crime calling for a Royal Commission on the Penal The Prisoners Education Trust in their 25 years banning the newspaper. rate.’ Wise words indeed ... unfortunately the System to explore the idea of taking politics has provided some 30,000 courses for prisoners. prison population increased dramatically out of Prison. The Report by a distinguished The irony of the photograph together with his during his time as Prime Minister. barrister, a Former High Court Judge and a I urge you to consider helping the Trust to letter was not lost on our readers. Professor of Law at London University said: provide some valuable education for prisoners. So what have we learnt in 25 years since the ‘Our penal policy is adrift, fragmented and full Your help may not lead to someone discover- Not long afterwards, the POA Annual Confer- Strangeways Prison Riots? of contradictions’. ing penicillin but it may well change their life ence passed a resolution calling on all its members forever. ‘not to distribute the prisoners’ newspapers’. Lord Woolf - former Lord Chief Justice - If you asked me to give you a brief shopping But the news soon reached prisoners, giving conducted the Inquiry into the worst series of list of reforms needed to make sense of our our efforts a huge credibility boost. riots in this country following the riots at prison system I think I’d put this Report at the Strangeways Prison. top of my list. There was more bad news when Time magazine threatened to sue us if we didn’t He delivered a report identifying the reforms Secondly I would abolish prison sentences of change our title from ‘Time’ - perhaps they needed to make sense of our prison system so under 12 months - a measure proposed by the saw us as a commercial threat. that prisoners left prison less, not more, likely Prison Governors Association earlier in the year. to reoffend. His recommendations were largely And so by the third issue we were forced to accepted by the then Kenneth Recalls to prison after being released is now 55 change the title from ‘Time’ to Inside Time. Baker. times greater than it was 20 years ago. Many people are recalled not for committing offences Despite the occasional bad news our good Since then Lord Woolf says that Government but for technical beaches of their licence. Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Education 33 The Q&A session Vital statistics: English and Maths skills of prisoners

t Prisoners’ Education Trust we first time since 2002 that such a large group of have long called for better infor- prisoners have been assessed. mation on the education attain- ment levels of people in prison Rod Clark, Chief Executive, Prisoners’ and now, for the first time in more Education Trust, said: “This report does thanA a decade new data has been published. indicate that many prisoners have lower levels of literacy than the general public and that Data has emerged revealing that 46% of needs to be addressed.” people entering the prison system have English literacy skills no higher than those broadly Following this report, Brian Crease from the expected of an 11 year old child, three times UCL’s Institute of Education has published a the 15% of people with similar skills levels in new report on literacy and numeracy. The the adult population. The government figures overall results are very similar to the govern- show that 52% of those assessed in prison ment statistics, but this report also considers © Prisoners Education Trust have the equivalent capability in Maths which how the results vary by education provider, compares with 49% of the general public. age and gender. For example this report Eric McGraw was then joined by fellow Inside Time staff, journalists suggests that women have slightly higher skills and PET Alumni Noel Smith and John O’Connor, PET’s Head of The statistics also show that 46% of newly in English, whereas men show better skills in assessed prisoners have Level 1 and Level 2 maths. The report also suggests that prisoners Policy Nina Champion and former Prisons Minister Sir Peter Lloyd. literacy skills, (GCSE equivalent) which compares assessed in category D prisons have higher to 85% of the general population. In contrast, literacy and numeracy skills, suggesting that oel, who studied a journalism Alliance conference, for the first time awards 39.8% of prisoners assessed had the equivalent improvements may have been made during course in prison funded by PET, were held to celebrate individuals doing just level of numeracy skills compared with 50% their sentence. The report states: “Adults with said: “I wouldn’t be sitting here that. She says that when education staff, of the general population and 12% of prisoners these low levels are by far the hardest to today without the support of officers and prisoners work together to assessed are at the level of GCSE grade A*-C. address, and policy makers need to be aware Prisoners’ Education Trust and improve learning this helps to change prison The report also showed that 23,550 of those that sustained educational effort is required to Inside Time.” culture. N prisoners assessed self-reported having a bring adults at these levels up to an acceptable learning difficulty or disability. standard.” He went on to highlight some of the barriers John O’Connor, who also writes for Inside facing prisoners today who want to access Time, says education gives people back what’s The report, OLASS English and Maths assess- Rod Clark said: “These figures represent indi- education, and says there should be more been taken away from them by being impris- ments: participation 2014/15, is based on the viduals who were failed by the conventional incentives to study, highlighting that most oned, control of their own lives. results of 74,300 prisoners who have enrolled education system the first time. So prisons workshops pay more. Noel adds: “If one wants in education since August 2014 and does not need to provide new approaches to engage, to do education they shouldn’t be at a financial The event ended with praise from former reflect the entire static population of men and incentivise and support them to get essential disadvantage. Education is the key to rehabili- prisoners in the audience for Eric McGraw on women in prison, because the data is repre- skills in English and Maths and then to keep tation and it’s been a low priority in prisons. the impact of Inside Time which for the past sentative of people going into prison, who are learning.” Perhaps that’s why recidivism is so high.” 25 years has been dedicated to informing and largely serving shorter sentences. But it is the educating prisoners about their rights, a space PET’s Nina Champion said that there are many to ask questions, raise concerns and offer outsiders examples of teachers, officers and prisoner an insight into the reality of life in prison. If you would like advice or funding to study a distance learning course or tell us peer mentors who do understand the value of about your experiences of - write to FREEPOST Prisoners’ education and go the extra mile to support Closing the event Eric McGraw said ‘Inside Education Trust (PET) or call 0203 752 5680. learners and at the recent Prisoner Learning Time seeks to be the voice of the prisoner’.

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School documents showed that in September 1979 Mr Sheikh had been appointed but a year The Landscape of Criminal later he was no longer employed at the school. Records of pupil school attendance showed that one complainant arrived on 1 August 1980 and that he had left the school in 1982. Appeals: 2015 and Beyond The solicitor was excited at this development, commenting that “This meant that if we could show Sheikh had left by the time the com- plainant had started we would prove this to be Last month, Sheffield Hallam University played host to the Second a false allegation”.

Annual Criminal Legal Appeals Conference. Charlotte Rowles reports After much work, the Jordans’s team achieved justice for Anver Sheikh. “This conviction was iving the introduction, Elizabeth of tweets written by Evan’s victim. The content In the 5 years since it has been in operation, quashed… highlighting the dangers of miscar- Smart, Sheffield’s Principalof the tweet contained references to a ‘win Inside Justice has been asked to investigate riage in care home enquiries”. Lecturer in Law welcomed the big’ and treating friends to an amazing nearly a thousand cases of alleged wrongful audience saying “I’m delighted holiday. Though the tweets were later deleted, convictions and are seeing an increase in the The conference speakers had pulled off an to see students from Sheffield, it seems they were found on French twitter number of offenders applying to us who have impressive feat: acknowledging the very real Birmingham,G Leeds, Lancaster, Oxford and server by a firefighter based in New York. This been convicted of historic sex offences. Although difficulties faced by those of us working to stakeholders like Inside Justice.” evidence forms part of Evans’ appeal. a notoriously difficult area of appeals, Jordan’s overcome miscarriages of justice but still legal team have notched up 3 acquittals in managing to inspire the audience to rise to the Delivering the keynote speech, CCA’s Director, The importance of new investigations was a North Wales care home convictions. challenge. Sophie Walker discussed their current cases, strong message coming through in the collaborations with university criminal appeals keynote speech. The guidance to students was A care worker by the name of Anver Sheikh The audience reaction was positive with aspiring barrister, Georgia-Rose Bjister projects and observed how the Criminal Cases clear for fresh evidence in an appeal. But had been convicted of sexual offences whilst Review Commission (CCRC) is dealing with Sophie Walker noted “Legal aid pays £21 an tweeting: “Brilliant conference today #clac15 working in a children’s home in 1980. The one of the Commission’s most high-profile hour for travel: there is a financial incentive for well done and thank you for a very informa- lawyer’s approach was to take a proactive cases, that of the footballer Ched Evans. lawyers to stay at their desks.” tive conference!” investigative stance: asking why Anver was convicted and what was missing from the Evans, 26, was released from prison last year In the afternoon the conference heard from after serving half of a five-year sentence after Mark Newby, a senior solicitor with Jordans case. Mark wanted to understand why other Charlotte Rowles is a member of the Inside being convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman who has been successful in challenging a prosecutions against workers at the care home Justice Advisory Panel. at a hotel in Rhyl in April 2012. The former number of historic sex abuse cases. In his failed. “What was so different about the case Sheffield United and Wales striker’s case rep- speech, the veteran lawyer looked at the many of Anver Sheikh? Why did this man get resents the most testing issue for the CCRC. problems faced by people working in this area. convicted when every other accused in the (police) operation did not?” Comparing approaches between America and “I have described the situation we find the UK Sophie commented “Most (US) trial ourselves in now as the gravest we have ever He found evidence in a number of sources. legal teams include an investigator. The lack of faced.” In addition, he noted the significance Unusually, a former resident came forward who claimed to have been part of a ring of an investigator is particularly problematic at the funding cuts are having in all areas of the Inside Justice, part of Inside Time, is funded complainants who made up false allegations the appeals stage: fresh evidence is not criminal justice landscape. by charitable donations from the Esmee (usually) found in the case papers.” for compensation. Fairbairn Foundation, Inside Time and the The lawyer had advice for the audience on Roddick Foundation. Evans’ new legal team, David Emanuel from how to turn their passion into successful criminal Newby told the audience that “The (teacher) Website: www.insidejusticeuk.com Garden Court Chambers employed a former appeals: “Identify the cases in which we can support group remembered that Anver Sheikh Facebook: insidejusticeUK senior investigating police officer to look at help and how we then harness enthusiasm to was only employed at the school for about a Twitter: @insidejusticeUK aspects of his appeal which led to the discovery deliver real outcomesBlackfords for ournew adapplicants”.24.1.14:Layout 1 24/1/14year”. 12:59 Page 1

CRIMINAL DEFENCE SOLICITORS CRIMINAL DEFENCE SOLICITORS Need Inside Advice? The Independent Criminal Law Specialists The Confiscation Law Specialists David Phillips and Partners can help out. DEDICATED CONFISCATION TEAM Facing Confiscation Proceedings? We offer legal advice and Extradition Lawyers specialising in: representation on:· We deal with all aspects of POCA proceedings, including, POCA Confiscation Proceedings can often be more lengthy and •2 0 0Requests2,CJA 1988 fromand D allTA 1Jurisdictions994 complex than the criminal case that came before. Having • Independent Adjudications a specialist team of lawyers on your side to fight your case • InitialCash Hearingsseizure • Recall - written representations • Bail Applications can make all the difference. and oral hearings • Restraint orders • RemandConfisc /a tReviewion Hearings At Criminal Defence Solicitors we specialise in providing • Parole - written representations • FullEx Hearingstension of time to pay and oral hearings expert representation and advice at every stage of the • AppealsVariati on of original orders/ certificate of inadequacy confiscation process even where we did not act for you 0151 236 3331 • JudicialEnforc eReviewsment in your original Crown Court case. • All Nationalities / Languages covered We also have dedicated teams dealing with all crown court We have extensive experience in revising prosecution matters including fraud and serious crime. benefit calculations, challenging criminal lifestyle "I would like to thank DPP and most of all Rachel assumptions and working with forensic technology Barrow. I feel no other legal firm could do a better job! We are nationally and international ranked as leading Criminal Even the Prison Governor commented on David Phillips specialists and accountants to prepare , anyalyse and and Partners by saying he had never known in his time Defence experts. present complex financial evidence to the advantage of any solicitor to put so much hard work into a case. our clients. Thank you once again." Wesley Lafferty Offices in London, Croydon, Woking and Cardiff Escape the technicalities and let us fight your case - call If your case requires expert representation, contact us today. us now and ask for our Specialist Prison Law team. Contact Gary Bloxsome (Partner) or Nadia Ryman (Solicitor Advocate) at the address shown below Established 1982 - Top ten provider of Criminal Defence services 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012. David Phillips and Partners Blackfords LLP Solicitors and Higher Court Advocates 15 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7EF 1st Floor, Oriel Chambers, CRIMINAL DEFENCE0208 686 6SOLICITORS232 CRIMINAL DEFENCE SOLICITORS FREEPOST: RSJS-SHTS-HHGB 14 Castle Street, Liverpool L2 8TD FREEPOST:ww wRSJS-SHTS-HHGB.blackfords.com Roman Wall House, 3rd Floor, Roman2 Wall4 Hou House,r Emerg 3rdency Floor,Line: Nationwide Service 1-2 Crutched Friars EC3N 2HT 1-2 Crutched Friars EC3N 2HT 07876 081080 ›› Registered with EMAP ‹‹ Tel: 0800 051 1069 Tel: 0800 051 1069 Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Insidejustice investigating alleged miscarriages of justice 35

But in 2014 the Supreme Court found that, whilst the state had a duty to provide a rea- sonable opportunity for a prisoner subject to an indeterminate sentence to rehabilitate himself and demonstrate that he no longer In Prison presented a danger to the public, this duty did not affect the lawfulness of detention.

A prisoner serving an IPP who wishes to challenge their continued detention will Permanently therefore need to seek legal advice in the light of their full circumstances.

In his conference speech, Michael Gove stressed the need for education as part of Geir Madland looks at the rehabilitation and resettlement: “Prison should offer offenders the chance to get the politics of the IPP sentence skills and qualifications which they need to make a success of life on the outside.”

Gove wants to replace Victorian prisons with cheaper, supersized modern facilities. Yet prisoners, experts and officials have criticised teaching and rehabilitation resources available at new supersized prisons. “Smaller prisons tend to be safer and more effective than larger establishments, holding people closer to home and with a higher ratio of staff to prisoners,” Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, has said. “Slashing prison budgets and introducing harsher regimes while ware- © Fotolia.com housing ever greater numbers overseen by fewer and largely inexperienced staff is no way to transform rehabilitation.” n a letter to Inside Time, a prisoner l The prison and parole systems could not of IPPs in December 2012, and their replace- voices the irony of our Foreign Office’s cope with the need to give all these short-tar- ment with different sentences for dangerous Cuts have also reduced Parole Board staff response to the recent Saudi sentencing iff prisoners appropriate access to rehabilita- offenders. However the change was not made numbers by nearly one in five, which will inev- of a booze-bussing Brit to imprisonment tive and resettlement programmes so that retrospective. It didn’t apply to existing itably further delay the release of IPP prisoners and lashes - ‘degrading and inhumane’ they could demonstrate they were no longer a prisoners serving those sentences at the time. post-tariff. I- while he serves an IPP sentence in a British risk to society. Amendments put forward in the House of jail - ‘like being mentally lashed every day’. Lords were withdrawn or not moved. At the end of March 2015 there were still l The administrative delays resulted in uncer- around 4,600 prisoners serving IPPs, more The very next letter asks “how much more do tainty and perceived injustice for prisoners and In 2012 the European Court of Human Rights than three quarters of them post-tariff. At IPP prisoners have to take before they see the litigation. found that a prisoner’s continued detention £35,000 to £40,000 per prisoner, the post-tariff only way to bring attention to our plight is to beyond the expiry of the minimum term of his IPP prison population is costing the taxpayer riot, hunger-strike or, even worse, take their l The rapid increase in the numbers of those sentence of imprisonment for public protec- more than £12 million each year. Justice aside, own lives because they see no hope? Surely on IPPs contributed to , tion without access to rehabilitative courses this hardly makes economic sense. there must be some way IPP prisoners can which in turn exacerbated the problems with violated the European Convention on Human Robert Banks page 43 challenge this sentence?” providing rehabilitation Rights.

The contrast to the quote from Michael Gove’s In 2007 the Court of Appeal found that the party conference speech, A Chance to Change, Secretary of State had acted unlawfully, and Former Supreme Court judge is striking: that there had been “a systemic failure to put in place the resources necessary to implement “Prison should offer individuals a chance to the scheme of rehabilitation necessary to calls on government to end change their lives for the better. Committing enable the relevant provisions of the 2003 Act an offence should not mean that society to function as intended”. always sees you as an offender. Because that ‘terrible scourge’ of IPPs means we deny individuals the chance to A prison lifer put it more pithily: “It is as improve their lives, provide for their families though the government went out and did its On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Susan Hulme reported and give back to their communities.” shopping without first buying a fridge”. on the Lords’ discussion of the fate of post-tariff IPP prisoners, some of whom have served more than five times Sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protec- In 2008, Section 47 and Schedule 8 of the tion (IPPs) were created by the Criminal Justice Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 the normal stretch for their crimes, with no knowledge of Act 2003 and started to be used in April 2005. came into force. The effect of these changes when they might finally be released They were designed to protect the public from was that IPP sentences might only be imposed serious offenders whose crimes did not merit a where the offender would be required to serve “When will this Lord Chancel- to relax the test for release, paramount.” A point with life sentence. Offenders sentenced to an IPP at least 2 years in custody. The Act also lor finally decide to bring this though, speaking for the which Lady Evans was happy were set a minimum term (tariff) to be spent in removed the presumption of risk (requirement terrible scourge to an end?” Government, Lady Evans to concur. prison. On completing their tariff they could for judges to conclude that the offender is asked former Supreme Court said he had no plans to do apply to the Parole Board for release. The dangerous) where there was a previous con- Judge, Lord Brown. “This is a so, but that the Parole Board However, former Prisons’ Parole Board would release an offender only if viction for violent or sexual crime. form of preventive detention, was working through the list Inspector, Lord Ramsbotham it was satisfied that it was no longer necessary entirely alien to to see if people were ready added: “Some risk assess- for the protection of the public for the offender Kenneth Clarke, then Secretary of State for our traditional criminal justice to be released. She made no ments are very old and the to be confined. Justice, said: “The Parole Board has been approach.” mention of rate of progress, prisoners have changed in given the task of trying to see whether a or of the backlog, which the time since that assess- However, problems soon arose with the practical prisoner could prove that he is no longer a risk More than 4,000 prisoners could take ten years to clear. ment was made.” application of IPP sentences: to the public. It is almost impossible for the languish in jail under IPPs, prisoner to prove that, so it is something of a some for relatively minor Lord Morris, a former Labour Sign Katherine Gleeson’s l Some less serious offenders were given very lottery and hardly any are released. We offences. The sentence was law officer, said any delay online petition at: short tariffs but then kept in prison for a long therefore face an impossible problem.” abolished in 2012. “in considering cases is https://you.38degrees.org. time after these expired. reprehensible but the safety uk/petitions/free-the- Reviews of the scheme resulted in the abolition Michael Gove has the power of the public must always be remaining-ipp-prisoners Insidetime December 2015 36 Terry Waite Writes www.insidetime.org

about the fact that mental illness is a major problem in our country. It’s incredibly expensive to keep a patient in one of the secure hospitals. It’s far cheaper to keep a From over the wall man or woman in prison. Given the wide- spread use of illegal substances amongst the young, and the fact that in some cases this Terry Waite writes his monthly column for Inside Time can lead to the user having mental problems in the future, one wonders if we are approach- ing an era when mental illness will be even more prevalent than it is today. I hope not but it could well be the case. Apart from any other consideration, care for the criminally Terry Waite CBE insane is extremely expensive and well in excess of the £38,000 per annum that it is said to cost to keep a man or women in prison. onsters! That’s what they are. Monsters!’ The As well as mental problems the number of unnamed complainant crimes committed that can be linked to drugs was referring to the in one way or another is truly alarming. patients housed in the Should certain substances be made legal? three main secure hospitals in this country, ‘M Frankly I don’t know! Ashworth, Rampton and the rather better known Broadmoor. This popular misconcep- If they are legalised would this give the tion was confirmed as I sat chatting to one of impression that it’s ok to use them? On the the nursing staff at Ashworth in Liverpool. ‘I © Fotolia.com other hand it might take the control of the suppose it’s understandable,’ he said. ‘We market away from the big dealers. Whatever, are surrounded by a very secure wall and drugs are frequently lethal. Only yesterday I most members of the public will never set experiences in the Prison System but there and in the afternoon to have a meeting with was speaking to a former heroin addict foot through the main gate.’ was a gentler atmosphere for this is not a some of the staff. Patients had been asked to whose girlfriend died as a result of an prison. It’s a secure hospital. Once through submit questions in advance and most of them overdose. This was a wake up call but the We were chatting in the cheerful reception the inevitable scanning procedure, and past were centred around my own incarceration road back from hard drugs was a nightmare area housed in a Portacabin situated outside the several locked chambers, we entered a and how I coped with solitary without falling for him and although he is clean at the the main perimeter wall. In a corner was a vast open space with well tended grassy areas into mental illness. The sessions had been moment he admits that he has been damaged. small pile of toys for the children of visitors to and several featureless buildings dotted here oversubscribed and the group were as play with and in an adjoining room a couple and there. ‘Another popular misconception,’ attentive as any group I have spoken to. A fair I don’t want to preach at anybody but if you of showcases in which there were examples said my guide as we walked towards the number attending that morning were in segre- can, whilst you are inside, take the opportu- of prisoners handicrafts for sale. There was a venue where I was to meet some of the gation, mainly for their own protection, and so nity to get clean. As far as I know we only magnificent ship in full sail and some really patients, ‘is that everyone stays here a lifetime. were really attentive. It was a great morning have one life on this planet. Don’t ruin it for attractive pottery items. The annual Koestler Not so.’ Apparently the average length of stay and I only wished I could have had further yourself. Exhibition, to which Ashworth sends exhibits, is about five years give or take a bit. There are interaction with the group. has shown to a wider public the amazing people who do stay for a lifetime, of course. I talent there is within our prisons and secure remember some years ago asking a patient in After a pickup lunch, the afternoon was spent Terry Waite was a successful hospitals. Rampton how long he had been there. ‘Thirty with a group of staff members and the impres- negotiator before he himself was held two years,’ he replied cheerfully. sion they gave me was of a group of people captive in Beirut between 1987 and 1991 After a cup of coffee we set to walk the few who really cared about their patients and were (more than 20 years ago). He was held yards to the main entrance. The security pro- At Ashworth it had been arranged for me to doing their best to get them back into robust captive for 1763 days; the first four years cedures were virtually identical to those one spend the morning talking with the patients health. We discussed many points and spoke of which were spent in .

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him on the servery, thought Pete, that way he could stare at fish fingers all day long. Pete had to get onto another class, if only to get away from Captain Tedium in the afternoons. The only problem being that he’d burnt many a bridge with the tutors, he’d burnt many things. There had been many ‘heated de- bates’ some of which had turned nasty. He’d avoided full-time employment thus far as he liked the afternoons free to read and work on the second volume of his memoirs. He’d led a full and interesting life and the world deserved, The winners of the 2015 Prison Reform no, needed to hear about it. Like the time.. Trust writing competition have been ‘I stuck me thumb in the socket an’ the dog announced. bit me on the bum, laugh, I nearly ‘ad an ac- cident, n’ Jerry was in borstal an’ the twins..’ Winning entries were chosen by judges Minette Walters, Rachel Billington, ‘Oh please shut up.’ Chris Mullin, Erwin James, Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley and Femi Oyeniran. ‘Cakes!? You never seen so many, mate, Ian © Fotolia.com come down to mine with ‘is missus when she There were three categories: short was preg with Mick’s sprog, see’ story; lyric/rap; and comment. There were around 767 entries across all ‘..shut up..’ categories - the highest number re- ceived in the history of the competi- ‘..so e’s wearin’ this cowboy hat an’ ‘e don’t The Challenge know that I know, that ‘e knows..’ tion. Judges commended the high standard of entries to the competi- By Michael ‘SHUT UP!!’ tion. Some of the winners will be pub- lished in and all of them he challenge seemed quite clear teenth on the waiting list for a single cell and Pete stood up and stared at the man who by can be read on the Prison Reform Trust to Peter McKenzie; he would not it couldn’t come soon enough. Pete’s last cell some miracle had actually stopped talking. website www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk allow his new cell-mate to drive mate had also been a problem, they had ar- him crazy. Pete sat on the lower gued constantly. But as luck would have it, ‘DO YOU EVER SHUT UP, YOU UTTER The best piece by someone aged 21 bunk staring up at the TV, a D- that man had been transferred to another DULLARD?!’ The man was about to ask what years or under won a special prize. We Tlist celebrity was having trouble with a hali- wing for some reason. Pete hadn’t known a dullard was, but Pete continued, ‘You just were pleased to receive some entries but. Meanwhile, the new arrival sat above why and had cared even less, one day the fel- NEVER stop.. EVER.. I mean.. for GOD’S from secure training centres (12-15 year him and continued to talk about: his troubled low had been there, the next day, gone. Bliss. sake, man!’ olds). We noticed that, in some cases, childhood, his dead grandmother’s cooking, He’d enjoyed two whole days of serene soli- education tutors had helped people, his dog, his four children, his mates, his mates’ tude which had then been obliterated by the At which point the cell door opened, and there stood officer Katie Holt with a con- which is allowed particularly when mates and his love for all things cowboy re- man with hyperactive-verbal-diarrhoea. lated as well as twenty other things which all cerned look on her face. Pete hadn’t heard someone has a learning disability or merged together into one never ending un- ‘..bream.. that’s a good fish.. skate an’ all, our the door open; upon seeing her he immedi- difficulty. structured monologue. Dan caught a trout as long as me leg when ately felt calmer. She was always especially we lived in Suffolk..’ nice to him and reminded him of his daughter. Today we publish the 1st prize winner ‘..yeah fish.. me nan could cook a good piece ‘Is everything alright, Pete?’ she asked. of the short story category, The Chal- of ‘addock, before that track doner ‘er in.. How can a human being have no internal lenge by Michael, described by the like I said to me mate Stan..’ monologue, mused Pete. Not every thought ‘It’s not me, miss, it’s him’, said Pete, motion- judges Minette Walters and Rachel needed to be vocalised. Perhaps this was the ing to the dullard. Billington as "A witty, well-crafted, Pete ignored the man whose name he’d al- result of excessive use of social-networks? Which excellently written short story with a ready forgotten or refused to recall. Three encouraged everyone to share every thought ‘Him who, Pete?’ said officer Holt as she stared genuine surprise at the end." days, three long, long days since the man had at all times. Or perhaps he was just a... into the cell. All she saw was a sparse single arrived and he hadn’t shut up since. Even in cell. There was no TV as McKenzie was on his sleep the man’s ‘dialogue’ continued, ‘..fresh, innit.. gotta be fresh.. cor.. I’d go for ‘basic’ once again, there were no books as We will publish other winners in future whether it be snoring, chewing, various some fishfingers right now.. on toast yeah.. Pete had on several occasions set fire to them. editions of Inside Time. scratching, breaking wind ferociously or gen- with sauce an’ all.. our Bill’s mate lost a leg in There was just a bed and nothing more. eral mumbling, usually about John Wayne. the war, right ‘an..’ Mark Day - Head of Policy Pete stared at the wall, the chatterer had and Communications Not long now, Peter thought. He was thir- Pete rubbed his temples and tried to block the clearly run off somewhere, the cell looked dif- man out. He was exhausted and hadn’t slept ferent somehow but he wasn’t sure how. properly since the intrusion. He was too tired to argue. He laid back and stared at the TV; not ‘Did you take your meds?’ she was asking. actually watching it, but looking through it. ‘Meds?.. No.. not yet..’ His head hurt, also of- Outside he heard the ‘clink-clink’ of a passing ficer Holt seemed to have disappeared and the For a comprehensive service covering all aspects of general practice guard, doors being opened and slammed door was shut again. Pete began to scream. including Personal Injury, Divorce & Family Matters, Wills & Probate shut, the chatter of some wing-cleaners and the sound of someone listening to Chris De and Mental Health Law. Eventually officer Brian Davis, alerted to the Burgh of all things. Not long now. He won- noise, opened McKenzie’s cell to find the man Now also representing Isle of Man prisoners regarding dered what the time was, probably about two laid on the floor in the foetal position, quietly all Prison Law matters including Parole and Adjudications o’clock, which meant over two hours until crying. There was no officer Holt, it was an- they were unlocked for food, not that he ate other of McKenzie’s manifestations; an endless If you are unhappy with the way your criminal matter ‘whether summary court, general gaol delivery much. This torturous tedium could have been or staff of government appeal’ is being dealt with, or have been contacted by the police regarding a procession of characters and personalities. avoided had he been ‘assigned’ in the after- police station interview we can assist. noon, but since being kicked out of Literacy We are also able to provide advice on a variety of appeals in the Staff of Government. The challenge seemed quite clear to officer Level 2 due to an argument with the tutor Davis; he would not allow men like McKenzie Please contact David Reynolds with any initial enquiries. (over the correct use of the apostrophe) he to drive him crazy. Stress in this job was a Myrtle Chambers 8-9 Myrtle Street Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1ED now found himself in close proximity with the killer. Synchronistically, later that night Brian Rambler. Who incidentally expressed no de- 01624 675367 treated himself to a fish finger sandwich, with sire for work or education; they should stick sauce. Insidetime December 2015 38 The Rule Book www.insidetime.org

Sentence Calculation - arrangements for prisoners convicted of l A prisoner breaching the Post Sentence offence(s) on or after 01/02/2015 and who Supervision (I.E the breach occurs between Determinate Sentenced are released from a standard determinate the SLED - or appropriate LED - and the The sentence of less than 2 years so that all TUSED) will be liable to be returned to custody Prisoners prisoners sentenced to one day or more are by the courts for a period of up to 14 days. supervised in the community for at least 12 Such a period is to be served in full and release PSI 2015-003 months. from that period will be on anything extant Issued: 01 February 2015, Effective from: from the original supervision notice; Rule 01 February 2015, Expiry Date: 31 The PSI says: January 2019 The changes that affect sentence calculation l DTOs are still single termed with one are in respect of the following:- another and have a Mid Transfer Date (MTD), This PSI replaces PSI2013-013 with the same Sentence & Licence Expiry Date (SLED), Latest title. This PSI incorporates the new provisions Book l Prisoners serving a Standard Determinate Transfer Date (LTD) and Earliest Transfer Date of the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 which Sentence (SDS), a term of Detention in a (ETD). require prisoners who were convicted of Young Offender Institution (DYOI), or a term Inside Time’s Paul offences on or after 01/02/2015, and who are imposed under Section 91, who are aged 18 l Where the single term is one of less than 24 sentenced to a determinate sentence of at Sullivan has a look years or over at the half way point of such a months, the offence, or an offence within the least 2 days but less than 2 years and who are sentence/term and the sentence or term has single term, was committed on or after into Prison Rules and aged 18 years or more at the half way point of been imposed for an offence committed on or 01/02/2015 and the prisoner is aged 18 years the sentence; to be released on licence to the Instructions after 01/02/2015 then:- or over at the MTD (as adjusted by any UAL), end of the sentence with an additional period a TUSED will need to be calculated 12 months of Post Sentence Supervision. l Where the SDS or term is one of at least 2 from the date of the MTD. days but less than 12 months - they will have On 9 May 2013 the Ministry of Justice a Conditional Release Date (CRD) at the half This is a very long PSI, over 190 pages, and published the response to a consultation way point instead of an Automatic Release covers every aspect of all the different entitled ‘Transforming Rehabilitation: A Date (ARD), and a Sentence & Licence Expiry sentences and scenarios. It is important that strategy for Reform, in which, the Govern- Date (SLED instead of a Sentence Expiry Date prisoners, to whom it might apply, read and ment’s intention to extend statutory supervi- (SED); understand its contents, which are very sion in the community to those prisoners technical and involved. There are many new released from short custodial sentences was l Where the SDS or term is one of at least 2 terms and acronyms and the provisions of the confirmed. Provisions in the Offender Reha- days but less than 2 years - in addition to the PSI are likely to be just as confusing to prison bilitation Act 2014 (ORA 2014) amend the CRD and SLED, they will have a Top Up staff as they are to prisoners and lay observers release provisions of the Criminal Justice Act Supervision End Date (TUSED) which will be so this is an area where it would be very wise 2003 and apply new arrangements for release 12 months after the half way point of the to get a competent solicitor to review your on licence to those prisoners convicted for sentence (as adjusted by Unlawfully at Large own individual circumstances and provide offence(s) on or after 01/02/2015 and are time (UAL) and remand); proper legal advice. serving a standard determinate sentence of more than 1 day but less than 12 months. The l Prisoners serving less than 12 months who PSIs are available in prison libraries to read, © Gstudio Group - Fotolia.com provisions also introduce new supervision are released on licence to a SLED and who or copies can be requested (a charge may be breach the conditions of the licence may be made). recalled from licence by the Public Protection PSIs only apply to prisons in England and Casework Section (PPCS) as a Fixed Term Wales. Prisons in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Recall (FTR). An FTR issued for such prisoners Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey do not have will be for 14 days and must be served in full. an equivalent. Scotland publish ad-hoc policy (28 day FTR’s still apply to prisoners serving updates from time to time. We will be looking 12 months or more); at these in a future issue.

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THE TAX ACADEMY™ Include as much information as possible: l GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Unit 4, Ffordd yr Onnen • Prison number Lon Parcwr Business Park • Your full name including middle name l INSIDE TIME ARTICLE ARCHIVE Ruthin • Your date of birth Denbighshire LL15 1NJ • National insurance number Inside Time is proud to publish Online at www.insidetime.org for • Employment history 01824 704535 the 2015/16 EDITION of the £25 +£7.50p&p or £35 from all [email protected] • Contact address/number on the outside good bookshops www.thetaxacademy.co.uk Please advise if you change Prisons after responding. most comprehensive guide to prisons & prison related services To order your copy contact: Inside Time, PO Box 251, Hedge End, The Tax Academy™ is a Social Enterprise created by Paul Retout, a Tax Specialist to help Prisoners with their tax affairs in Prison and on the outside. He was recently profiled in ‘The Times’ – ‘Tax Rebates for Cellmates’ Supplied free of charge to every UK Hampshire SO30 4XJ. having run tax seminars for inmates in HMP Wandsworth. prison library - it’s even bigger & better! Tel: 0844 335 6483 Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Christmas Messages 39

Jordan, sending Christmas wishes your way. We love Mam, Saul, Rob, Denise and Steve xxxx and miss you loads. From all your family xx Hello Jack, hope you ok bro, we thinking of you Thinking of you Shane! Can’t wait until you take me every day. We love and miss you lots and will see to spend a Christmas in (I’m holding you to you over Christmas. Love Jake, Lou and Bandit xxx that) Love Garfield xx JAAD, I love you with all my heart & everyday you’re Andy baby, I’m missing you like mad. Love you Christmas in my life is a blessing… miss you billions, you wife hunny xxx merry Christmas, hopefully get to be Kellz xx together soon xxxx To Gummie, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Happy Christmas Damon, another year without you Messages I’ll be thinking about you lots. Love ‘Spanner’ xxxx here. So very proud of you, love and miss you loads. Love always Mum xxxx To my Dumbass Dan, Happy Christmas, lots of love your Dozymare, Batman and Sweetpea x A Christmas message for my little princess. Anna you’re a beautiful kind hearted lady, an amazing Merry Xmas Nyah my pickle, I love and miss you my wonderful person. I hope you have a great darling. Wish you were here all my love forever and a Christmas. Nigel day, Sharon xxxxxxx Happy Christmas to the best fiancé and daddy in the Merry Crimbo to all the D1 massive lasses, especially world, we love you loads. Gail, Josh and Megan xxxx © Coloures-pic - Fotolia to my nearest and dearest Kelly, Kerry and emski, nuff love - Noddy Carl, my Clare Bear, I love you now and I always will, today and I’ll love you tomorrow. Merry Christmas. I love Poomin x I love being with you every moment of the day. love you always and forever, Sarah xxxx xxxx xxxx Merry Christmas Daddy. I’m so proud to have a To Billy, it’s my first and last Christmas without you, Forever yours Lisa Marie xxxx Daddy like you. I love you and miss you lots. Your Merry Christmas to my husband Wayne, I love you and thinking of you babe, Merry Christmas, miss and love little princess Lucia xx To my gorgeous boyfriend Andy Bennett. It may be I’ll see you soon. I miss you, your wife, Jade xxxxxxx you from you Santa Babe Bev x cold outside but I am forever warm knowing you’re Merry Christmas Son, hope you had a good day, hope Lisa Pemberton, I’m so lucky to have you as my wife, To my gorgeous princess Donna, I miss you and in my heart. Miss you and love you more than ever. to see you back home soon, love Mam and Dad xx you’re my everything and I love you so much. Happy can’t wait until we are back together forever, Merry Love Joanne, merry Christmas xxx Christmas, Love forever Lee x Christmas my baby, love Alfie xxxxxxxxx Merry Christmas to my D1 Girls – Kelly, Claire, Kerry, Charlene, Maxine and Emily. To my dad Vince in To Dieter, though we are far apart you are always in Carl, much loved and missed by all the family this Lowdham Grange and all my Derby people. Love you my heart. Happy Christmas, love David x Christmas, love mum, Mandy, Dylan and the family x all & Merry Christmas, Emma x MERRY CHRISTMAS SON. Thinking of you, love from Hi baby, Happy Xmas n New Year, I wish I could be To my big boo Keith, life is hard without you by my Mam & Keith xx there with you. It would be the best Xmas ever! Love side, especially this time of year – next Xmas we will you baby, Sammie xxxxxxxx unwrap prezzies together xxxx Love Ryan xxxx Merry Xmas Daddy, love from Kenzie xxxxx To all my friends on lockdown, I know it’s hard for us Merry Xmas son, all the best for 2016, love Mam & all this time of year without out loved ones around Dad xxxxxxx us. We will be home on day with them. All keep Merry Cams son, Love Mam xxxxxx strong darlings & keep smiling. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year for 2016, Love from Buffy xxxx To my husband John, thinking of u this Christmas wishing you were home, missing you so much. To my Baby Sis, have the best Christmas you can in Peter Riley I love you so much and wish you was at Merry Christmas, lots of love always, Claire xxx the circumstances, I love and miss you loads, Ben. home. I’ll always love you. Love Shane xxxx Merry Christmas dad, wish u were here to help us Hot H, wishing you a merry Xmas and all the best for Jambo 1, Merry Xmas and Happy New year open our presents. It’s not the same without you, the New Year. Only 4 months left now, then the gorgeous. Can’t wait till we are enjoying them miss you, Kaitlen May, Robbie Joe, McKenzie world is you oyster, lots of love “That Guy” xxx together. Love you lots, from Bo.Bo Matthew xxx We have been inundated with messages Sam, wishing you a very happy Christmas and an All thinking of you at Christmas, miss you and look King Bubbalicious, Christmas time, kids smiling, this year especially those from people in even better New Year. Make my Xmas baby and getting wavey on Bacardi baby, whilst we’re apart, forward to a happier time. Our love always… Mum, prison to their loved one’s outside. Rather become my wife??? All my love, Yasmina x you’re in my heart, love ya like life, Queen B xxxx Robin, Chloe, Max, Shaz & family xx than see people missing out we have Garry, wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Shout out to Shaun ‘Diddy’ Dunn (HMP Perth), my Hello Jack, it’s your Mumma, Granny and Mick. decided to publish in the newspaper only Year. Love Mum & John xxx wife Ash (HMP Cornton Vale), Shozzy, Pez, Mam & Christmas will never be the same with you babe but the messages to people in prisons and we will celebrate when you are back where you Sarah, Happy Christmas Gorgeous! Here’s to me & Alan. Merry Xmas J ‘Cyaz Soon’. Danny ‘Twinny’ x IRC’s etc. Messages to loved ones on the belong babes. You stay strong for us all and your you ehy! There’ll be more than Santa in your outside will now only be published on our My darling Wolfman, yet another year has gone by bandit loves you even more babes. We thinking of stockings one day! Haha! Love you, Mike x website where space is not an issue and and yet my love for you never wanes. Merry you every day and night and love you millions. All our the closing date is not so critical. My beautiful girlfriend - Sammii, it’s like we’ve Christmas my love, we’ll have to make the best of love, Mumzy, Mark, Bandit, Mick and Granny xxxxxxx become soul mates although behind bars. I’ll never things for now. Love from your wee kitten xx Christmas messages can be seen at Merry Christmas Luke. We all miss you loads. Can’t leave your side, Happy Christmas, I love you forever! X www.insidetime.org on the home page. To the best daddy, Happy Crimbo, miss you loads, wait till you’re back home. Loads of love Laura, MERRY CHRISTMAS bubs, love you to the moon and love you to the moon and back, can’t wait for next back. Rock on 2016 when you’re back home where Crimbo, Big Hugs, love Chloe x you belong. All my love forever yours xx My darling Debbie, let the sky be our mistletoe this Send a message to your loved one To Shireena Killnorton, I love you the world and Christmas, I love you and always will, sending kisses more, merry Xmas babe. Next year will be our year, and big hugs from Robert XO on Valentine’s Day downhill now. Your loving Hubby xxx Hey Welshy Bum! Hope you have a good Christmas and To Amanda Spencer, Happy Christmas beautiful, I New Year. Keep ya chin up soulja! See you in Feb xxx Send your message (20 words max.) to Inside Time and we will publish as many as possible in a special Valentine’s miss you millions babe. I love you beautiful forever If I had one wish Jon, it would be to be with you, I love section in the February issue. All messages received will always, Danny H x you BUBBA, now and always, your wife, Floss xxx also appear on our website. Include the name and address of To Danny Fenton, Merry Xmas to a special Hubby Lovers like us don’t just meet somewhere, we’ve your loved one and they will receive a copy of the news- and Daddy. Another Xmas apart, but no one can ever been in each other all along and will remain eternally. paper. Entries must be sent to Inside Time ‘Valentine’ Botley take you from our hearts. We love & miss you millions. Merry Christmas baby, I love you xxx c c c xxx Mills, Botley, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Closing date 22nd Big hugs & kisses, love Ellie, Harley Warren, Corsa & Jan and don’t forget to include your full details too! Shae xxx Our two souls with but a single thought, two hearts I wish my son Aaron Lloyd a very Merry Christmas, that beat as one, Merry Christmas love, we soon be Inside Time’s Valentine’s message service is sponsored by we’ll be home & together soon. Love you loads, keep together, love your wife Shireena x Jailmate Cards. Why not send your loved one in prison a smiling Mam x Moo I love you and miss you this Christmas, can’t card ‘with a difference’. Go to www.jailmatecards.co.uk To my A6902AH, I loved you yesterday, I love you wait until I can be your Christmas present, lots of you’ll love what you see! See back page for advert. © Fotolia.com Insidetime December 2015 40 Legal www.insidetime.org A pass to the executive lounge… A brief look at the Recall process and when executive release may apply

What is executive release? prior to their licence expiry. means that PPCS will overturn the decision to Emma Davies Partner As well as the Parole Board having the power to recall a prisoner. If recall is rescinded they will Luke Deal Prison Law direct re-release of a recalled determinate It is important to note that there is no automatic be released immediately and the prisoner right for a recalled prisoner to be considered Hine Solicitors sentence prisoner, the Secretary of State may should be treated as if he has not been recalled. also determine re-release if he is satisfied that for executive release and it is not considered A decision to rescind a recall will generally it is safe to do so. This power is exercised on his for every individual who is recalled. only be taken where the recall decision was ffenders will be aware that there are behalf by staff located at the Public Protection based on erroneous information or the a few ways in which they can be Casework Section (PPCS). Executive release will not normally be consid- Secretary of State is satisfied that the licence released from custody following ered for those subject to standard recall until conditions have been complied with or have their recall to prison. This power is usually exercised where there is their Offender Manager has submitted a report only been breached in circumstances beyond O significant and substantial support from the known as the PART B report, which will include the control of the offender. Those subject to a Fixed Term Review (FTR) Offender Manager and on occasion Offender proposals about release. This report must be will automatically be released after 14 or 28 Supervisor. This means recalled prisoners can sent to the PPCS within 10 days of a recalled I think executive release is for me, days (14 days if their offence was committed be released directly from prison bypassing the prisoner’s return to custody. The report must what should I do? on or after 1 February 2015 and sentenced to a need for their case to be referred to the Parole contain sufficient up-to-date information on It is dependant on each prisoner’s individual custodial term of less than 12 months). Board. The process is completely independent the prisoner’s risk assessment and risk man- circumstances as to whether executive release of the Parole Board. This process only applies to agement to enable the Parole Board and/or the Those who are not eligible for FTR will be will be considered. As stated above there is no those prisoners subject to a determinate sentence. Secretary of State to make an informed automatic right for a prisoner to be considered subject to standard recall and will have their decision about re-release. case referred to the Parole Board within 28 When is executive release likely to be for executive release and there is no rule to say a prisoner must be considered. The power is days of their recall to custody and it will be the considered? At this stage those officials at the PPCS who are simply there if those acting on behalf of the Parole Board who will make the decision to re- Executive release is usually exercised where acting on behalf of the Secretary of State should Secretary of State wish to use it. If it is not used release them. Offenders subject to standard there is significant and substantial support look at the information available to it and there is no appeal process and no procedure in recall who are not released by the Parole Board from a recalled prisoner’s Offender Manager decide whether the recalled prisoner should place to ensure that it is considered. will automatically have their re-release consid- and on occasion Offender Supervisor. be considered for executive release. ered at an annual review which must take place Reference to the executive release process is every 12 months following the first review. A recalled prisoner could be released execu- From experience, executive release will be made within Prison Service Instrument 30/2014 tively in the following circumstances:- considered in the following (although not However, both those subject to FTR and which deals with recall reviews and the power i) Those serving a Fixed Term Recall could be limited) circumstances:- standard recall can be released earlier under is set out within the Criminal Justice act 2003 released by the Secretary of State any day prior the Secretary of State’s power to re-release. 1. Following an initial recall when the Offender which simply states that: “The Secretary of State to the conclusion of a 14 or 28 day recall period. This article seeks to look at what executive Manager reconsiders the grounds of the recall may, at any time after the person is returned to release is and when it may apply to those ii) Anyone serving a standard recall could be and supports re-release. However, it would be prison, release him again on license if satisfied offenders subject to a determinate sentence. released at any point by the Secretary of State common practice for such information to be that it is not necessary for the protection of the left to be considered by the Parole Board at the public that he should remain in prison.” 28 day review. No other reference to the procedure is made, 2. At an annual review, where any outstanding so it is easy to see why the process is not offending behaviour work has been completed commonly used. and both the Offender Manager and Offender Supervisor both support re-release, and a risk A prison law specialist should be able to advise management programme and release arrange- a recalled prisoner whether executive release ments are in place. is likely to be considered in their case. They can also make a request to the PPCS to see whether 3. Where there is a significant change in a such consideration has been made or is likely recalled prisoner’s circumstances following to be made. It may also be worthwhile for a the initial 28 day review. Such circumstances recalled prisoner to discuss this procedure could be when a prisoner is recalled for alleged with their Offender Manager if at all possible, further offences and the Police decide to take particularly if the reasons for this is due to a no further action or following an acquittal change in the recalled prisoner’s circumstances. during Court proceedings. However, even if If a prisoner’s Offender Manager is supportive these circumstances do arise there would still of re-release then they can be requested to need to be support from an Offender Manager instigate the request for executive release with and a report prepared to inform that it is safe the PPCS or alternatively write to the PPCS or for re-release to be effected. Our open, friendly solicitors working request a solicitor to do so giving an explana- in Criminal Defence will help you with all This list is not exhaustive and it should be noted tion as to what circumstances have changed that there can be other circumstances when and why release should now be considered. aspects of Prison Law including: executive release will be considered. However, Ultimately, the power is applied discretionally the above list outlines common situations Licence recall • Adjudications and on a case by case basis and the Secretary of when the PPCS should be looking at executive State is not obliged to consider executive Parole hearings • IPP queries release on behalf of the Secretary of State. Judicial review • Sentence planning issues release in every case. There are no specific Unfortunately, from a prison lawyer perspec- time-frames, limitations or targets that must tive, given the exceptional nature of executive be adhered to by the PPCS when considering Call us on 01865 518971 release it is not something that is always proac- executive release. Due to this, it can take much tively considered by officials at the PPCS and is longer than the usual Parole Board process or visit www.hinesolicitors.com often instigated at the request of either the and equally, the PPCS can seek further infor- Offender Manager or instructed solicitors. mation from probation, the prison and yourself where required which can cause delay. What if it is agreed that my recall was based Although executive release may not be consid- on inaccurate information. Can I ask for ered for all, it is important for all recall Oxford Freepost address executive release? FREEPOST RTHU - LEKE - HAZR prisoners to bear this process in mind following The PPCS, again on behalf of the Secretary of Hine Solicitors | Seymour House their recall. The power for a pass to the State, can consider rescinding a recall decision. 285 Banbury Road | Oxford | OX2 7JF executive lounge is there, so those effected This is not the same as executive release but should not be afraid to ask for it to be used. Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Legal 41

Advertorial Constant breaches of Defending & appealing 140 day rule ‘oppressive historic cases and unconstitutional’ Defending historic allegations requires skill. It David Wells - Partner requires a pro-active approach and most importantly instructing the right lawyer. In Scottish Legal News reveals the tarnish on the most cases the prosecution will simply rely on here is no doubt that there has the word of a complainant about whom the jewel in the crown of the Scottish legal system been a significant increase in the prosecution feel they have no reason to disbe- number of historic prosecutions in lieve or doubt. Even in cases where there may ing to the SCBA president. Worryingly, he recent years. Such cases prove be a doubt, I suspect there is nowadays an Kapil Summan problematic to both the defence said that “all of the data available would sug- unfortunate tendency for the crown prosecu- Assistant Editor - Scottish Legal News gest that things will get worse before they get Tand prosecution. They are not always easy to tion service to prosecute and simply leave it up better.” sentence and often attract lengthy sentences to a Jury to decide rather than take criticism which are simply too long. from the police and complainant and decide cottish Legal News reveals that the Mr Ross added: “It is essential that the trend not to prosecute. The outcome of such cases, 140 day rule, once the “jewel in the be monitored so that a proper assessment Historic allegations often relate to complaints although to some extent affected by how the crown” of the Scottish criminal can be made of what is required to reverse it. dating back a number of decades and fre- evidence actually transpires during trial, is in quently involve simply one person’s word my view mostly influenced by the quality of the justice system because of its guar- against another. Such cases will invariably solicitor and defence advocate instructed by antee of justice without undue de- “Until people oppose the extensions nothing come down to issues of performance in the the defendant. Having experience in these lay,S is being routinely ignored and that re- will change.” witness box, i.e., who performed best under cases is everything. Given the increase in mand wings in Scotland’s prisons are now pressure which is far from an ideal way of deter- arrests, charges and prosecutions for historic bursting with prisoners awaiting High Court George Donnelly, vice president of the mining guilt or innocence. These cases often cases, the workloads of defence solicitors trials for up to 10 months. Leading defence Dundee Bar Association said that when the make it very difficult for a defendant to disprove dealing with these cases has similarly increased. lawyers are angry and frustrated at what can 140 day rule for High Court trials was intro- the allegation that is being made. This can be for My firm is no different. There is no doubt in my best be described as a shocking state of af- duced practitioners were promised that it a number of reasons, and largely because the mind that success in these cases is linked to the fairs. would not be the thin end of the wedge. passage of time means that evidence can be quality of representation. lost, or witnesses who might have been One senior QC said: “Sheriffs are remanding “Yet it is routinely disregarded in an oppres- available at the time are no longer available If anything is taken from this article, it should be prisoners in the belief that they will face trial sive and unjust way,” he added. because they cannot be traced or that they to ensure that as far as possible, defendants within 140 days as laid down by statute. But it cannot recall events so long ago. This can lead facing trial for allegations of this type should is just not happening.” He warned that the seriousness of this prob- to major injustice and wrongful convictions. ensure representation by those with experi- lem has not been acknowledged adding that ence. This equally applies to inmates facing A triple whammy of lack of judges, lack of it is a matter of constitutional importance A significant proportion of historic prosecu- interview under caution for such offences court space and lack of resources for the and that if the rule is to be changed it should tions concern allegations of a sexual nature. during the commission of your sentence which preparation of trials mean that victims of be the subject of legislation by the Scottish There is a stigma attached to allegations of this is increasingly common these days. type which enhances the difficulty in defending crime are denied timeous justice while ac- Parliament and not left to judges who are them. Unlike some European jurisdictions, cused persons languish in prison completely having to work within the crippling con- Unfortunately, as the numbers increase of contrary to the spirit of Scots law. straints of the system. there is no time period for which a sexual those facing historical prosecution, so does the offence may be prosecuted in England and number of defendants who are found guilty and The president of the Scottish Criminal Bar As- He said: “The fact is that the system is broken. Wales. Prosecutions for historic allegations who subsequently write to me for advice on sociation, Thomas Ross, fears the situation is There are not enough judges or court rooms place reliance on old evidence and rely on the appeal. Appealing such cases can be even more set to worsen: “Every busy High Court practi- to try these cases and not enough resources memory of the complainant. There is a real difficult, but appeals against conviction and tioner has noticed that the period between or facilities to prepare the cases.” danger that witnesses and complainants may sentence are possible. Judges routinely don’t preliminary hearing and trial is getting long- unintentionally (although sometimes inten- know how to approach sentencing for such Mr Donnelly mentioned another case where tionally) fabricate aspects of an allegation offences and often impose sentences which are er and longer.” Mr Ross added that at a pre- simply because they cannot remember what open to appeal, particularly where multiple liminary hearing on 24 October he had a trial he thought the Scottish legal system had actually happened and because they feel it offences are involved. Equally, Judges often assigned for 6th May 2016. been brought into disrepute. He said: “I rep- helps and supports the complaint being made. impose unnecessary or even unlawful ancillary resented an English client charged with seri- Juries I suspect will often be more sympathetic orders. Restraining orders, SOPOs, SHPOs are “The custody time limits applied to the ac- ous offences and told him that unlike Eng- in these cases to a complainant who says ‘sorry, just some of the ancillary orders which can be cused, with the result that the 140 day time land he would not be left to rot on remand I can’t remember, it was just so long ago’ when reviewed and appealed. limit was extended by 164 days!,” he added. here in Scotland. I have now had to go cap in being challenged on the accuracy or truthful- hand to this client and tell him that is exactly ness of a complaint by a defence barrister in And this is not a temporary situation - what is happening to him.” cross examination. Is this fair on a defendant? Arguably not, and you can see how historic Presently in Glasgow, trial dates in the High cases do create additional obstacles to a ARE YOU A PRISONER IN A SCOTTISH JAIL? Court are being fixed for next March/April/ defendant facing trial that are simply not there May. in cases where complaints are recent in time. I am not saying that such cases should not be BRUCE A spokesman said in re- prosecuted. I am simply highlighting the fact SHORT sponse to the issue: “There can be no exten- that in my view such cases are exposed to more SOLICITORS sion of the 140-day remand limit without ap- miscarriages of justice. The consequences for a Specialists in: Appeals against Conviction & BRUCE SHORT CAN HELP YOU! proval of the court, upon application from defendant who is found guilty are, as I say, Sentence, CCRC, IPP Appeals and Parole, Prison a Parole - Lifer/Extended Sentence either the prosecution or defence. The court’s severe, and arguably even more severe in Adjudications & Discipline, Criminal Investiga- a Parole Board Representations current times given public perception and the tions, Confiscation & POCA proceedings. a Criminal Cases & Appeals decision to grant or refuse an extension can increase in such cases coming before the in all courts across Scotland be appealed. a Immigration courts. For advice and assistance anywhere in England a Prison Rules “We have no plans to change the law around & Wales, either in person or via video link, a Mental Health The consequences are similarly severe, unfor- please call or head office:5 Holywell Hill, a Housing the High Court remand limit.” tunately, for those defendants who are St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1EU 3 Rattray Street Dundee DD1 1NA acquitted, particularly those in the public eye. The Solicitors Worth Talking to! A senior QC responded: “It will not do for the Lives and livelihoods can be destroyed. There is Telephone: 01727 840900 01382 223 400 Scottish government to hide behind judges always less publicity for an acquittal than there 07774 277 245 whom they are placing in an impossible situ- is for a conviction. 24hr Emergency Number: 07592 034170 www.bruceshort.co.uk ation.” If you have a question you would like answered please send to: ‘Legal’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Insidetime December 2015 42 Legal Q&A Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. (including your name, number and prison) www.insidetime.org

AS - HMP Moorland I would need further information, such as adjudication hearing must be adjourned until whether he is a serving prisoner and whether the outcome of any police investigation is known. In February 2014 I was convicted of a he was involved in your court proceedings. Have If a prosecution goes ahead, the adjudication Qsexual crime and sentenced to a total you sought to discuss this issue with your OS? will not proceed (since it would be double of 8 years, four in custody and four on license. jeopardy for the prisoner to be punished - or The alleged offence was in 1984. The question Response supplied by Hine Solicitors acquitted - by a court, and then face a further is: should the sentence have been calculated ...... adjudication punishment). If the prisoner is not prosecuted in a court the adjudication may for the time of the offence, and as it is histori- JM - HMP Stafford cal should I be serving my sentence under the then resume, provided the delay in reaching a decision on prosecution has not made it unfair old rules? I recently had two adjudications for I also have a problem with my OM, she will to proceed (natural justice), or the adjudica- Qwriting to my victim who is also my tion would rely on the same evidence that was not answer letters and emails from my OS. I girlfriend. The charges were under Rule 51, have been inside for 18 months and have no known to the CPS, which they had decided paragraph 23 - breaching the telephone and would not support a prosecution. sentence plan or OASys. Neither have I done correspondence notification and my SOPO, a SAQ. I am classed as high risk and cannot In your case, the Police made the decision to which states I cannot have any unsupervised take no further action for the alleged breach of bring this down. She refuses me an IVP to see contact with anyone under the age of 18. The my father who is in HMP Hull. Can she do SOPO and it therefore did not go to Court. police investigated and after I told them that Breach of a SOPO is a criminal offence and can this? Her reason for this is that we share the my mail is monitored and therefore super- same victim, I believe this is in contravention only be dealt with in the criminal courts. As vised they took no further action. However you were not prosecuted the prison were of the Human Rights Act article 8. Could you the independent adjudicator found me guilty please give me some guidance? within their rights to proceed with the adjudi- Inside Time of breaching my SOPO and gave me 14 extra cation charges under Rule 51 paragraph 23. days. He found me not guilty of the second There would have been some ground to argue In relation to your query with respect to charge which was breaching the telephone that the charges relied on the same evidence your sentence, you should have been A and correspondence notification as my girl- that was known to the CPS and therefore they Legal Forum sentenced in accordance with the sentencing friend wrote to me first. Can the independent should not proceed, but without knowing the regime applicable at the date of your sentence. adjudicator find me guilty of an offence the exact wording of the charge it is difficult to Answers to readers’ legal queries are However, in terms of the sentence imposed by police didn’t charge me for? Surely prison advise you fully on this. given on a strictly without liability the Court this would have been limited to the law and criminal law are separate? The Prison reserves the right to continue with basis. If you propose acting upon any maximum sentence available at the date of the adjudication even if you are not charged with a commission of the offence. You will not of the opinions that appear, you must Prison Law and Criminal Law are criminal offence by the Police. If you were to therefore have been sentenced under the old first take legal advice. separate areas of law which are governed have been charged by the Police and taken to regime, just the old sentencing rules. Your A by different legislation (rules). Criminal Law Court, the prison body would have to wait for Capital Defence Solicitors, Olliers release at the half way stage of your licence is involves Police investigations and the Court that outcome before looking to pursue adjudi- therefore correct. Solicitors, Hine Solicitors, Cartwright process whilst Prison Law involves internal cation. As your matters were dropped by the I note that both yourself and your OS are King Solicitors, Crowns Solicitors, Prison disciplinary matters. Police, the adjudication could then be re-com- having problems in communicating with your Wells Burcombe LLP Solicitors, It appears from your letter that you were adju- menced. OM. I would suggest that if you attempt a Carrington Solicitors, Pickup & Scott dicated under Prison Rule 51 paragraph 23, You indicate that your case was before the telephone call to the office and if you are which says that you “disobeyed or failed to comply Independent Adjudicator, in which case you Solicitors unsuccessful then proceed to raise your with any rule or regulation applying to him.” should have been given the opportunity to concerns by letter to your OM’s supervisor Send your Legal Queries (concise and I would anticipate that the wording of that instruct a solicitor to represent you during documenting the contact that you have made clearly marked ‘legal’) to: David Wells, charge was on the basis that you had breached these proceedings. and the issues that you are having. If this does the terms of your SOPO which was a rule/regu- If you disagree with the punishment imposed Solicitor c/o Inside Time, Botley Mills, not address matters then look to refer your lation that was application to you. you are entitled to request a review of the adju- Botley, Southampton, Hampshire concerns to the Prisons and Probation However, this matter was referred to the police dication conducted by an independent adjudi- SO30 2GB. For a prompt response, Ombudsman. and again I would assume that the adjudicating cator and should set out your reasons on form readers are asked to send their queries In terms of the contact with your father I am governor referred this alleged offence to the IA4 or in a letter, and forward it to the Governor unclear as to whether he is also in custody as on white paper using black ink or police as they are required to do so. The disci- within 14 days of the end of the hearing. The you have referred to the fact that he has the typed if possible. pline manual states that in situations where a Governor will then forward all the adjudica- same victim as you. In order to properly advise serious criminal offence appears to have occurred tion papers. the police should be contacted immediately it The Senior District Judge only has the power to HOWARD AND BYRNE ANTHONY STOKOE is discovered. In other cases the decision to quash or reduce the punishment imposed. He refer the charge to them will be made during has no power to quash a finding of guilt by an IA. SOLICITORS SOLICITOR the adjudication. After the opening procedures The Prisons Ombudsman’s remit does not PRISON LAW EXPERTS have been completed the adjudicator should extend to judicial decisions so if you remain LEGAL 500 RECOMMENDATION Independent Prison Law consider whether the charge against the unsatisfied with the outcome the only avenue Expert since 1994 prisoner is serious enough to be referred to the open is to apply for a judicial review of the Nationwide Coverage police for further investigation, and possible finding of guilty and ask a court to look into the ‘People Before Profit’ ‘in-house’ video link facilities available prosecution in the courts. The decision on case and rule whether proper legal procedures Specialist advice on: Continuing the Fight and Challenge referral to the police is for the adjudicator, were followed. There is a 3 month time frame 4 parole reviews taking account of the individual circumstances to apply for Judicial Review. Despite Legal Aid Cuts 4 of the case [subject to forthcoming reporting recalls crime guidance]. If the charge is referred the Response supplied by Hine Solicitors 4 adjudications No Gimmicks just straight 4 judicial review advice/representation for Male and Female Prisoners ZZMMSS SSOOLLIICCIITTOORRSS 4 human rights Prison Law specialists serving prisons throughout the Midlands. 4 criminal appeals • Adjudications • Lifer/IPP Specialist 4 criminal defence experts • Recall • Parole • Judicial Reviews • IPP/LIFER ISSUES • • Mental Health Law Expert • Human 4 • PAROLE APPLICATIONS • confiscation & proceeds of crime Rights - European and International Members of the Association of Prison Lawyers • CATEGORISATION • Contact our prison law department Fixed Fee advice for • ADJUDICATIONS • • Categorisation • Cat A Reviews 01904 431421 • Pre-tariff Sift/Hearings • JUDICIAL REVIEWS • [email protected] LICENCE CONDITIONS • Do not Delay Call/Write Now or write to: • RECALLS • Suite 8 Vine House Howard and Byrne Contact Simon Mears - Prison Law Specialist 143 London Road Kingston KT2 6NH Chestnut Court 148 Lawrence Street ZMS Solicitors 11 Bowling Green St, Leicester LE1 6AS York YO10 3EB 020 8549 4282 0116 247 0790 NATIONWIDE SERVICE ›› Registered with EMAP ‹‹ Free advice & representation under legal aid Insidetime December 2015 If you have a question you would like answered please send to: ‘Robert Banks’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, www.insidetime.org Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. (including your name, number and prison) Legal Q&A 43

In June 2010, after the change in government, sentence.” He described dealing with the the prison minister said, “We have inherited a backlog of cases as being like “disarming a very serious problem with IPP prisoners. Many time bomb. It is not just a matter of throwing Banks on cannot get on courses because our prisons are the gates open; this has to be a managed wholly overcrowded and unable to address process. However, I hope that I have made it offending behaviour. That is not a defensible clear that that process is being managed ... and position.” There followed a review of IPP, that we are trying to target resources to make Sentence which on 21 June 2011 led to the Legal Aid, sure that this is carried forward with due Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. urgency.” The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said at a Robert Banks, a barrister, writes Banks on Sentence. It is the second-largest sell- press conference that day, “The consultation Interestingly, every part of that analysis was ing criminal practitioner’s text book and is used by judges for sentencing more also raised significant concerns about the flawed. The problem has never been properly effectiveness of IPPs. We have inherited a addressed since. It is not as if it is legally than any other. The book is classified by the Ministry of Justice as a core judicial system that is unclear, inconsistent and difficult to construct the legislation to deal text book. The 2015 edition of the book and app was published recently. The app uncertain. Unclear because actually a large with this. One of the most helpful contribu- is for Apple iPads and Windows 8/10 tablets and computers and costs £99 (incl. proportion of the public don’t really know tions was made by Eoin McLennan-Murray, VAT). Updates will appear in the relevant paragraph. The print copy costs £106 what indeterminate sentences are or how they the President of the Prison Government Asso- and there will be regular updates on www.banksr.com. There is also a discount work. Inconsistent because they can mean ciation, who said at the annual conference of that two people who commit the same crime his Association in October 2010, “IPP was a available when the print copy and app are purchased together. If you have access can end up getting very different punishments. blatant injustice. The government should to a computer, you can follow Robert on Twitter @BanksonSentence and you And uncertain because victims and their urgently review those cases with a view to can receive his weekly sentencing Alert. families don’t have any certainty about the immediate release, unless there is clear www.banksr.com sentence that will be served or when their evidence that the prisoner presents an unac- assailants will be let out. So we’re going to ceptable risk to the public.” Another year is slipping by and I am and litigation. review the existing system urgently with a view Q still here waiting for release, which is d) The rapid increase in the numbers of those to replacing it with an alternative that is clear, In 2013 and 2014 attempts in the Supreme so dependent on courses. My courses are on IPPs contributed to prison overcrowding, tough and better understood by the public.” Court to rectify the problems with IPP failed. either cancelled or don’t seem to make any which in turn exacerbated the problems with Kenneth Clarke, the Secretary of State for difference. I got an IPP sentence in 2007 and providing rehabilitation. Justice, said that the government was replacing Since then nothing has happened. It cannot be I seem trapped in the system. I served my a regime that did not work as it was intended. said that the government does not understand sentence years ago. It’s a disgrace. Nowadays In October 2008, HM Chief Inspector of He also said, “What is wrong is that indetermi- the problem. Those in charge just seem to people who have committed far worse crimes Prisons said, in a review of IPP, “The large nate sentences are unfair between prisoner prefer to do nothing about it. Perhaps they than I did get a fixed term and at the end of it number of new IPP prisoners led to IPP and prisoner. The Parole Board has been given think that then they can’t be accused of being are released. But not me. Is anything going to prisoners languishing in local prisons for the task of trying to see whether a prisoner soft on crime. The problem is that the large be done about us? months and years, unable to access the inter- could prove that he is no longer a risk to the number of people in prison who should not be ventions they would need before the expiry of public. It is almost impossible for the prisoner there creates serious problems, not only for I wish I knew. Perhaps you would like to their often short tariffs. A belated decision to to prove that, so it is something of a lottery and the prisoner, but also for other prisoners and Aknow the context of this stain on our move them to training prisons, without any hardly any are released. We therefore face an the prison system itself. criminal justice system. additional resources and sometimes to ones impossible problem.” which did not offer relevant programmes, There is one piece of news. On 10 December A House of Commons briefing paper issued in merely transferred the problem. As a conse- The following year, the Legal Aid, Sentencing 2015, in the Court of Appeal, the Lord Chief August 2015 sets out the government’s view. quence, the Court of Appeal found that the and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Justice will hear about a dozen beyond-tariff The paper says, ‘The main concerns about IPP Secretary of State had acted unlawfully, and abolished IPPs for those convicted on or after 3 IPP cases. I am involved in one of the cases and were that: that there had been ‘a systemic failure to put in December 2012. A new extended sentence was I understand that all the defendants are chal- lenging the imposition of IPP rather than place the resources necessary to implement introduced. detention beyond the end of the tariff. a) Some less serious offenders were given very the scheme of rehabilitation necessary to The real problem of those already serving IPP Normally when a series of cases are linked short tariffs but then have been kept in prison enable the relevant provisions of the 2003 Act and who were wrongly held in prison was not together this is because the Lord Chief Justice for a long time after these have expired. to function as intended’. Rather more pithily, a dealt with. It had, however, been addressed in wants to issue new guidance. b) The prison and parole systems could not prison lifer governor told me that it is as though cope with the need to give all these short-tariff the House of Lords while the Bill was being the government went out and did its shopping prisoners appropriate access to rehabilitative considered. Lord McNally, a government On a different point you might like to consider without first buying a fridge”.’ and resettlement programmes so that they minister, responded by saying, “We do not those trapped with the old automatic life could demonstrate they were no longer a risk think that it is right or appropriate retrospec- sentence, who think they have been forgotten. Also in 2008, the government made it more to society. tively to alter sentences that were lawfully Unlike the new automatic life, the order difficult to impose IPP but failed to address all c) The administrative delays resulted in uncer- imposed by the court simply because a policy applied to any length of sentence once the pro- those wrongly in prison on short tariffs. tainty and perceived injustice for prisoners decision has now been taken to repeal that visions were triggered by a second serious offence. It has most of the faults of IPP, but no one seems to be fighting for them to be dealt with justly.

At Tates we never use unqualified Asking Robert and Jason questions: caseworkers. Please make sure your question concerns All prison law work sentence and not conviction and send the is undertaken by a letter to Inside Time, marked for Robert We take pride in providing a full range of criminal and prison law services. qualified solicitor Banks or Jason Elliott. Unless you say you who specialises don’t want your question and answer in Prison Law. published, it will be assumed you have no Prison Law services include: objection to publication. It is usually not possible to determine whether a particular • Parole Reviews • Re-categorisation defendant has grounds of appeal without • Life Sentence Reviews • Category A Reviews seeing all the paperwork. Analysing all the • IPP Reviews • Adjudications paperwork is not possible. The column is designed for simple questions and answers. • Recall • Home Detention Curfew Tates No-one will have their identity revealed. • Judicial Review 2 Park Square East • Sentence Planning Leeds Letters which a) are without an address, b) West Yorkshire cannot be read, or c) are sent direct, cannot be answered. Letters sent by readers to LS1 2NE If you require assistance with any Prison Law issues, Inside Time are sent on to a solicitor, who forwards them to Robert and Jason. If your whether or not listed above, please contact our specialist 0113 242 2290 solicitor wants to see previous questions Prison Law Solicitor - Hannah Rumgay and answers, they are at www.banksr.com. Insidetime December 2015 44 Reading Groups www.insidetime.org Reading group Shared Reading Maggie McCarney reads with prisoners in the PIPE round-up at HMP Eastwood Park. Image courtesy of Matthew Meadows hated, don’t give way to hating, I try to do HMP Kirkham boasts two PRG reading groups supported If that in here, and, And yet don’t look too good, by the library. This month the facilitator Michelle reports by Rudyard Kipling nor talk too wise…., I try to do that too; causes less trouble.’ ‘Yep,’ agrees Jane, ‘That’s what I on the brilliantly varied activities of one of them. meant’. If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, Both Emma and Lucy have been in HMP But make allowance for their doubting too; Eastwood Park for quite a while but have not t the monthly meetings the members to talk about books they are reading If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, been in the same group with me until now. It group starts with the book we and enjoying on their own. At a recent Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, is good to see them figuring the poem out have chosen and read in advance. meeting one reader described a ‘fantastic’ Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, together, while recognising their own ways of Recent choices have included book about the rules of business in China and And yet don’t look too good, not talk too wise: coping with life. I suggest we hear the poem Simon Armitage’s Walking the way the author connects his experience as again, and Lucy reads it out aloud. I am taken AHome: A Poet’s Journey and Boris Johnson’s an entrepreneur today with stories of the great If you can think and not make thoughts your aim; by the lines: The Churchill Factor. Chinese dynasties of the past. The reading If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster group member was especially struck by a And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken In 2010 Armitage set out to walk the more quotation from Mencius, a Chinese philoso- If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken than 250 miles of the Pennine Way in 19 days. pher writing over two thousand years ago: Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. As one member of the group described it, the Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, poet ‘conceived of the project as a modern ‘Heaven, when it is about to place a great re- And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools I share from my own life experience how it odyssey, with himself as both Odysseus and sponsibility upon someone, first tests his reso- (verses 1 and 2 of 4) reminds me of an ex-partner who seemed, I Homer’. On his website Armitage offered lution with suffering, wears out his sinews realised later, good at throwing back what I evening poetry readings in exchange for bed with work, starves his body to skin and bone, had said and so confusing me. Lucy jumped in and breakfast and ferrying his luggage to the exposes him to emptiness and poverty and e had just read Roald’s suddenly, ‘That’s why I’m here, cause of an ex next destination. Over the course of the walk brings chaos to all that he is. Thus his inten- Dahl’s short story, ‘The and that twisting’. We talk of twisting and he read poetry to 1158 people and raised over tions become resolute and his deficiencies are Umbrella Man’, in our twisted, and then of, building up ourselves £3000. ‘Better paid than I thought’ as one made good.’ Shared Reading group, reader commented. again, with whatever tools you’ve got. and spoken of how the The Kirkham reading group has something for old man’s scam about fooling people to buy Responses to the book varied from admiration everyone and is hugely enjoyed by all. W It feels like certain words from the poem, e.g. ‘his’ umbrella off him for a pound, was quite of Armitage’s ‘wry gritty sense of humour’ to twisted, build, tools are being taken by us and clever. We did wonder about the little girl in used to help share this complex process of re- a feeling that the book was ‘cluttered’ with The Kirkham group is part of the Prison the story; how she felt to see her, ‘snotty- building one’s life, but also this word If keeps trivial concerns and ‘didn’t live up to my ex- Reading Groups (PRG) network, sponsored nosed mum’, as Emma* called her, be taken in being said in the poem. I mention the title, If. pectations of what a poet would experience or by the University of Roehampton and gen- by the story of his plight. The girls eagerly ‘Not easy really,’ says Lucy. ‘Keep trying, I explore’. erously supported by charities including related past scams they knew of, and so the suppose, but there’s lots of If’s,’ states Emma. Give A Book www.giveabook.org.uk mood was lively and engaged as we moved ‘If only this and if only that …’ Reactions to Boris Johnson’s biography of If your prison doesn’t have a reading group, onto the poem, If, by Rudyard Kipling. Churchill were equally mixed. One reader de- encourage your librarian to have a look at scribed it as an absorbing ‘warts and all’ the PRG website www.roehampton.ac.uk/ I am wondering about the use of men/man in I read it out aloud first. Silence. Then Emma account. Another drew unflattering compari- prison-reading-groups the poem and say so. Without hesitation responds with, ‘It could be better written!’ son between the author and his subject: ‘They PRG also worked with National Prison Emma says, ‘It’s okay, means both’. She then Before I say anything Lucy* states, ’But I like both appear to be egotistical, ambitious, Radio to set up their book club. If you have shares how she bravely came out to her Dad: bombastic, insulting, self-centred, arrogant, access to NPR, listen out for details and the first verse.’ ‘Oh yeah,’ Emma replies ‘That, ‘He don’t like it cause of his religion, but I did untrustworthy, disloyal, impetuous … the list ways to take part. Being lied about, don’t deal in lies,\ Or being it, and I’m glad’. I say how brave that is. I tell goes on.’ them how I know some women would take offence at the use of men in the poem, and The group also often reads and discusses a not using women, or human, but the group

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Insidetime December 2015 www.insidetime.org Wellbeing 45

Head to knee Yoga for Sleep 5 breaths each side

The Prison Phoenix Trust

Getting a decent night’s sleep can be hard at times. Noise from your neighbours, stress and worry or a dodgy mattress can make the prob- Child lem worse. The most common thing we hear from people in prison 10 breaths who start yoga is that after their first yoga session they have a fantas- tic night’s sleep.

As you do these poses, concentrate on your breath. Breathe slowly Bridge and fully, letting the air flow in and out of you without forcing or 5 breaths hurrying it. Don’t push yourself while you work. Just enjoy the stretches and the shapes your body makes as your muscles loosen and prepare for a solid 40 winks.

Wide leg forward fold Side Stretches 5 breaths Twists 5 breaths each side 5 breaths each side

Legs up wall 20 breaths

Savasana Lie like this, as still as you can, for 5-10 minutes. Focus on your breathing, and the way the air feels in your lungs. If your thoughts wander off to something else, bring them gently back to the breath. Know that you have done something to help yourself and make yourself feel better.

Butterfly 10 breaths

This sequence was taken from our newest CD, which features two complete TurningPages PURCELL PARKER yoga, relaxation and meditation lessons, plus a bonus yoga moves track. It is based on our radio show, Freedom Inside, which airs every week at noon on Solicitors Prisoners who can read Friday and 7am and 6pm on Sunday on National Prison Radio. If you’d like a copy BIRMINGHAM’S TOP of this CD, write to us and ask for Freedom Inside. teach prisoners who can’t PRISON LAWYERS Licence Recalls If you want a free book and CD to help you set up a The Shannon Trust Reading Plan (Turning Prisoner Adjudications regular yoga and meditation practice write to: The Pages) is a simple & efficient way of helping people to learn to read. IPP & Lifer Parole Prison Phoenix Trust, PO Box 328, Oxford OX2 7HF. HDC The Prison Phoenix Trust supports prisoners and prison If you would like more information on how to Sentence Calculations become involved, as either a Mentor or a Learner, officers in their spiritual lives through meditation and contact the Reading Plan Lead in your prison (ask Re - Categorisation yoga, working with silence and the breath. The Trust a Shannon Trust Mentor who this is) or write to: Call now to speak with: supports people of any religion or none. We also run Shannon Trust, Freepost RTKY-RUXG-KGYH weekly yoga classes for inmates and prison staff. The Foundry, 17-19 Oval Way, Tiernan Davis or Sadie Daniels LONDON SE11 5RR. Purcell Parker Solicitors 204 - 206 Corporation Street Birmingham B4 6QB ShannonTrust 0121 236 9781 If you would like to contribute to the Poetry section, please send your poems to Insidetime December 2015 46 Inside Poetry ‘Poetry’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. www.insidetime.org Past and Present Star Poem of the Month Some Good, Some Bad H Isaac D - HMP Belmarsh Gary Moore - HMP Grendon

Being There - A Father’s Love Screws on the yard Hello mother Adam Higgins - HMP Littlehey They do think they’re hard It’s good to have you back I’m sorry I mistook your love I was there on the day that you came into this world They stand in fours, threes and twos For an addiction to Heroin & Crack Eyes shut tight; mouth wide open; skin pink and wrinkled They’re nothing special, just screws Lungs pulling in their first breath of air You nurtured and cared for me Revealing the voice that you would grow to own They come here to work, to get some pay Always standing by my side Some are genuine and kind Cuddles and bedtime stories I was there when you first fell down Others can just stay well away For the child chose to run & hide Helping you up and brushing you down Consoling you, and soothing away your tears There’s Officer ‘T’, what a lovely man When dad was took from us Reassuring you that the pain would soon pass If I saw him on the out I’d shake his hand I felt rejection anger and rage He shows people kindness, dignity and respect Bedtime stories gone now I was there on your first day at school He gives good advice to help you reflect No longer able to turn the page Wearing a uniform too big for your small frame Smiling outwardly, crying inwardly - easing your fears Some screw are rotten right down to the core Your boy grew up quick now Encouraging you to be brave Some try to hurt you while you’re restrained on the In a world of me, myself & I floor I loved you dearly Dad I was there as you stepped into your teenage years Some even laugh as they slam the seg door But never got the chance to say goodbye Anxious about the pressure of your peers Knowing that you had to find your own way One day I’ll be out, but still they will be locking them My life became a rollercoaster Hoping that we had taught you to make good choices doors With no end in sight Turning that key The boy trapped within man now I was there when you turned twenty-one Self-taught to steal & fight The young boy now grown into a man There’s SO’s, Po’s and governors too Celebrating with friends and family - seeing your joy But we all take it out on the houseblock screw To a door full of steel The pages of your future lie ahead, like an unwritten book Like me, some are masons, but show no brotherly A window made of bars love Etched within the child’s soul I was there when you left home and spread your wings As they look down at you from the landing up above Distant memories & violent scars Waiting at home for your call or text A proud father who missed his son so Yes one day I’ll be free Lost years of innocence wasted Knowing you had flown the nest and moved on With my daughter once again Trapped inside the child’s fears You were there when I stood up in court But you’ll still be here guv Ashamed & scared to ask for help Tiny child; young boy; grown man; my son With your key on chain A frozen burden of icicle tears Smiling at me - your love keeping me strong As my sentence was passed down from the bench Some close the cell door after saying ‘Goodnight’ Over 30 years of incarceration They’re not ALL bad I guess, some are alright Pent up emotions full of rage There for me now Treated like a dirty rat In the dooms of a dungeon’s cage Long Lartin ‘D Wing’ Congratulations to this months winner who receives our £25 prize for ‘Star Poem of the Month’. Paul Wiggins - HMP Oakwood For now the flood gates are open And the child’s tears run free All the windows shone by floodlight Like a cascading waterfall We will award a prize of £25 to the entry selected as our ‘Star Infrared CCTV recording all night Poem of the Month’. To qualify for a prize, poems should not No longer ashamed for people to see have won a prize in any other competition or been published Electronically locked cell doors previously. Send entries to: Inside Time, Poetry, Botley Mills, Watched by lenses, from the ones to the fours Botley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 2GB. Please put It starts with a trickle your name, number and prison on the same sheet of paper as Never trusted or believed Gathering pace and turning into a stream your poem. If you win we can’t send your money if we don’t Barked at by dogs For the child is free now know who or where you are! Biting at our sleeves A lost voice & smile starting to beam By submitting your poems to Inside Time you are agreeing that they can be published in any of our ‘not for profit links’, these Inclement weather What started as hate include the newspaper, website and any forthcoming books. You are also giving permission for Inside Time to use their We all know what that means And become trapped within discretion in allowing other organisations to reproduce this A perfect excuse The ice has now melted mother work if considered appropriate, unless you have clearly stated To withdraw our needs For the child’s life to flourish & begin that you do not want this to happen. Any work reproduced in other publications will be on a ‘not for profit’ basis. Stripped naked squat on a mirror I read this today WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR WORK PLEASE INCLUDE THE Two homosexual screws searching with vigour FOLLOWING PERMISSION: THIS IS MY OWN WORK AND I Dignity lost confidence shot For all the victims I chose to create AGREE TO INSIDE TIME PUBLISHING IT IN ALL ASSOCIATE Still not approved I’m so deeply sorry SITES AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS AS APPROPRIATE. You are now red hot For buried emotions that turned to hate Insidetime December 2015 If you would like to contribute to the Poetry section, please send your poems to www.insidetime.org ‘Poetry’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Inside Poetry 47 Penny for the Guy Adam Jacobson - HMP Lindholme

Sittin’ outside my pad with my pockets stuffed and bold Looking like a penny for the guy on the hunt for gold Instead of newspaper my clothes are rammed with spice Calling out to next man, listen up for your price A fat joint in folded paper for a half oz of burn No rattlers be pushing in line, just wait for your turn It’s Halloween screws wont suspect i’m dealing spice Manz gotta earn a livin’, I wanna be eating nice But I wont be getting high on my own supply Otherwise wastemen will come over for a piece of the pie A drug abuser came over and asked me for strap © Fotolia.com I said I’ve been giving you my little fellas all week Do you want a f****n slap? 12 Days of Bang Up You’re bringin me Bangon and you’re a punny Matthew Jones - HMP Parc Don’t be messin up my Halloween money So he came back with his drug abusing mates with sticks On the first day of bang up me prison gave to me, a high risk in a Cat B Tryna beat the spice outta me like I was a piñata On the second day of bang up me prison gave to me, 2 mouldy pies, and So I took them all on Jackie Chan style then wrapped a fat spliff like a big enchilada a high risk in a Cat B Then I returned to the dopespot making my pounds and p’s If Guy Fawkes was a drug dealer, he would be proud of me On the third day of bang up me prison gave to me, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B So if you’re in some need of drugs and you’ve gotta penny for a high Catch me chillin on da 2’s screamin’ ‘Penny for the guy’ On the fourth day of bang up me prison gave to me, 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B A Child’s Christmas in Jails On the fifth day of bang up me prison gave to me, 5 days of seg! 4 extra Denzil Davies - HMP Erlestoke years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B Dylan Thomas died 33 days before I was three, On the sixth day of bang up me prison gave to me 6 torn up sheets, 5 33! - his position in class trigonometry days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk He broadcast that in ‘Return Journey’ in a Cat B How similar a little boy, - he was the same as me

On the seventh day of bang up me prison gave to me 7 sarky comments, First heard him in form four - Boys Grammar 6 torn up sheets, 5 days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B Laughing at our teacher’s sta - sta - sta - sta - stammer In English, Mr Thomas (no relation) - in’ dictation On the eighth day of bang up me prison gave to me, 8 TV channels, 7 His ‘lectric eyes and swordsmith’s tongue, skewered any banter sarky comments, 6 torn up sheets, 5 days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B My own poetic efforts, ‘go gentle’ ‘fore such legend Yet both our Mams they swore the same - “You’ll put me in Bridgend!” On the ninth day of bang up me prison gave to me 9 prisoners shouting, I thought I was going to join him once, so ‘Raged at my Goodnight’ 8 TV channels, 7 sarky comments, 6 torn up sheets, 5 days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B This ‘Child’s Christmas in Wales’ turned into thermos-nuclear-fight

On the tenth day of bang up me prison gave to me 10 sleeping pills, 9 I drank like him too, very much in me, same ‘spirit’ risen prisoners shouting, 8 TV channels, 7 sarky comments, 6 torn up sheets, 5 Prodigal son, his heavenly state, me, different gates - ended up in Prison! days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk My family like Dylan’s dad - all ‘Tidy’ - all are teaching in a Cat B Not me - black sheep, in my ‘Milk Wood’ - consequence far reaching! On the eleventh day of bang up me prison gave to me 11 minutes of yard, 10 sleeping pills, 9 prisoners shouting, 8 TV channels, 7 sarky comments, I love the way his brain waves link, the way they ebb and flow 6 torn up sheets, 5 days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more nickings, 2 mouldy ‘The Young Dog’s’ pen, familiar ink, makes me laugh out loud you know pies and a high risk in a Cat B I’m with him and Gwillyn, in ‘The Peaches’ It’s his footprints - not Jesus’ - on my dark sandy beaches On the twelfth day of bang up me prison gave to me 12 hours of nothing, 11 minutes of yard, 10 sleeping pills, 9 prisoners shouting, 8 TV channels, 7 So ‘Diolchi’ Dylan, take me home, to ‘Ugly lovely town’, I mumble sarky comments, 6 torn up sheets, 5 days of seg! 4 extra years, 3 more Evening Post, Swansea pubs, the Valleys - I feel humbled nickings, 2 mouldy pies and a high risk in a Cat B You really were, a ‘naughty boy’ a prodigal well before me And a hiiiiiiiiiiiiigh riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisk in a Cat Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! We’ll raise a glass one day in death - but not yet mun - “Uch-a-fi” Insidetime December 2015 48 Jailbreak www.insidetime.org

11TWENTY a hot alcoh QUESTIONSolic drink made ofTO wine TEST mixed YOUR with su GENERALgar and spices, KNOWLEDGE Christmas CrosswordChristmas Crossword traditionally drunk at winter festivals such as Christmas (6,4)

123 15 bright and colourful in a way that makes you think of a celebration (7) 1. Which word connects the time when 11. If someone is described as ‘garrulous’, 4 something 16 a traditional is most powerfulmeal eaten or successful, at Christma s, oftenwhat con do theysistin dog ofa lot?turkey with vegetables, followed by a heavy fruit pudding called Christmas pudding 5 and the(9,6) point in the sky directly overhead? 12. What word, which is a blend of ‘cine- 17 the day or evening before Christmas Day (9,3) 67 8 2. Which popular alcoholic spirit has a ma’ and ‘complex’, is given to a cinema with 18 a traditional song sung at Christmas (5) 9 10 name which means ‘little water’ or ‘dear several separate screens? water’ 20 the in Russian?birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated by Christians at Christmas (3,8) 22 small lights used for decorating somethi13.ng, esp Whenecially translated a tree atliterally, Christma whats does 11 12 13 3. What(5,6) word, which is a blend of the the Italian word ‘pizza’ mean? wordsDow n‘smoke’ and ‘fog’, is given to a type of haze or air pollution? 1 a religious festival such as Christmas or14. Passov Whicher (5 George) Orwell novel opens with ‘It was a bright cold day in April, and 3 Whatlong word,thin pie a blendces of of shi then ywords paper ‘break used- as a Christmas decoration (6) 14 15 4. the clocks were striking thirteen’? fast’ 5 andBRITISH ‘lunch’, an is imagina given tory a oldlate m morningan with a long white beard and red clothes who meal?brings children their Christmas presents (6,9) 15. Which letter is represented by a single 16 7 the period of time around Christmas (13dot) in Morse Code? Used in emails and texts, what does the 5. 8 used as a greeting during the Christmas period, especially on cards (7,9) abbreviation ‘FYI’ stand for? 9 BRITISH a box or basket of food and drin16.k, sometime In populars given parlance, as a agif lettert at of which 17 Christmas (6) colour describes an important or especially 6. Which word from the Spanish meaning 18 19 memorable day? ‘fair 10 weather’a friendly is usedmessage for something sent to someo that is nea on their birthday, at Christmas etc (8) 20 21 source 12 B ofRITISH wealth a maor goodn dre fortune?ssed as an old woman who performs in a Christmas pantomime (4) 17. What is the Russian word for an astro- naut? 7. 13 What in the name Chri connectsstian religio Shakespeare’sn, the four -week period before Christmas Day (6) Moor BofRITISH Venice a and mo adel board of the game wo odeninvolving box that Jesus Christ was born in, 14 18. Which word, meaning ‘children’s gar- black accordingand white counters? to the Bible. Some Christians have these in their churches and 22 den’ in German, is used for a type of nursery houses at Christmas. (4) school? 8. 16 WhichBRITISH word a decoratedfor someone p apewhor damagestube that makes a noise when you pull it apart. AcroAcrossss Down propertyIt usually is taken has from a asmall Germanic toy, joke,tribe whoand paper hat inside and is traditionally 2 a bush that produces small white fruits. Its branches are often used as a used at Christmas. (7) 19. Which name is given to a word or 1. A religious festival such as Christmas or Passover (5) sacked Rome in AD 455? 2. A bushChri thatst producesmas de smallcora whitetion. fruits. (9) (9) phrase which reads the same forwards as 4. An old word meaning the period of time around 3. Long thin pieces of shiny paper used as a 19 a small brown European bird with a red chest. They are often used as a 4 an old word meaning the period of time around Christmas (8) well as backwards? Christmas (8) Christmas decoration (6) 9. Whatsymbol name of is win giventer andto both are a freque bombproofntly sho wn on Christmas cards and decorations. (5) 6. An6 imaginaryan imagina manry with man a long with white a long beard white and a beard5. Another and a namered suit for an who old manbrin withgs a white beard shelter and a sand hazard on a golf course? presents for children at Christmas: red suit who brings presents for children (5,5) who brings children their Christmas presents (6,9) 21 an old word meaning ‘Christmas’ (4) 20. Established in 1804, which British 11. A hot alcoholic drink made of wine mixed with 7. The period of time around Christmas (13) 10. What does a teetotaller abstain from organization is also known by the abbrevia- sugar and spices (6,4) 8. Used as a greeting during the Christmas period, drinking? tion RHS? 15. Bright and colourful in a way that makes you especially on cards (7,9) This page has been downloaded from www.macmillandictionary.com. 9. A box or basket of food and drink, sometimes It isthink pho oftocopiable, a celebration but all(7) copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2002 16. A traditional meal eaten at Christmas, often given as a gift at Christmas (6) consisting of turkey with vegetables, followed by a 10. A friendly message sent to someone on their Inside Chess heavy fruit pudding called Christmas pudding (9,6) birthday, at Christmas etc (8) 8 17. The day or evening before Christmas Day (9,3) 12. A man dressed as an old woman who performs by Carl Portman 18. A traditional song sung at Christmas (5) in a Christmas pantomime (4) 7 20. The birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated by 13. In the Christian religion, the four-week period It is Christmas - or Yule as I prefer to call it. I always Christians at Christmas (3,8) before Christmas Day (6) 6 take this time to reflect on aspects of my life and this 22. Small lights used for decorating something, 14. A model of the wooden box that Jesus Christ year I shall certainly do that with regard to prisons 5 especially a tree at Christmas (5,6) was born in, according to the Bible (4) chess. It’s been a very busy year. I have not visited 16. A decorated paper tube that makes a bang as many prisons as I would have liked to - I need 4 when you pull it apart. (7) official invites from governors or other staff to do 19. A small brown European bird with a red chest (5) 3 that please - but this column has kept me in touch 21. An old word meaning ‘Christmas’ (4) with you, the chess fans. I have received more cor- 2 respondence than I could ever have hoped for and I am grateful to you all for every single letter. I do have 1 Matthew Price A9417AM HMP Highdown to say that not every letter I post is received and not Christmas AngelsACTS MineMATTHEW Pie every letter you post is received either! We must A B C D E F G H BethlehemCOLOSSIANS MistletoeNAHUM CORINTHIANS PETER always hope for the best. Many of you have said that Y V S T A R Q M A R Y J E S U G D F V G Blitzen Myrrh a Christmas tree) It was composed by T. R. Dawson U E S T A T D E C O R A T I O N S V R N DEUTERONOMY PHILIPPIANS my column has brought some kind of sanity to your EPHESIANSCards ReindeerPROVERBS lives. For me that’s the best reward of all but I have and first published in the Chess Amateur in 1924. L R K Z X C S B G T B G I F T S I O U H EXODUS PSALM Carollers Robin received much in return. I have had nothing but Please study the following position with white to E F C R C V D X C V B N R Y E H T R D C GALATIANS REVELATION play. It is deliberately tricky to hopefully keep your HEBREWSChurch ROMANSRudolph SAMUEL courtesy and friendliness in letters and also on my brain busy over the Christmas period. What is the D V S Q U C R X C V T G S X C T N F O A DecorationsISAIAH THESSALONIANSSanta prison visits. Without your feedback I would have no JAMES TIMOTHY TITUS best way to win? A chess magazine donated by T S H W C T A J E S U C L D O F D C L R Dove Sleigh idea how effective my efforts are. I am always asked JEREMIAH Chess & Bridge of London is the prize. T F C H U R C H H O L L E D Y G G V P O JOBElf Snow why I do this job, especially on a voluntary basis and JOHN J T F P C H R I H S F H I G H J E B H L Gifts Star my answer is always the same. I want to bring chess Write to me with your answer care of The English JOSHUA to those who are not necessarily in a position to go E U F I W B G D G O H Y G I M L T N U L GrottoLUKE Toys Chess Federation at The Watch Oak, Chain Lane, out and find it. I want inmates to take up the game, S H F Y I R U D O L L S H U I P G S J E MALACHIHolly Tree Battle, East Sussex TN33 OYD or you can email me MARK to appreciate that it is a very positive use of time and U J M I N C E P I E T L T Y S A N T A R Jesus Turkey at [email protected] and they will forward that it has transferable educational and social it to me. Please note that you should always write to S B F U T E A T T H O R Y F L F T F B S Magi Winter benefits. I think you all ‘get’ that - but it is the people me at the ECF not via InsideTime. R Y H J E K Z B D E Y L B R E U G T G R Mary Yule on the outside I try hardest to convince, and that W Q O M R N Y T X B F T E E T J R J O E work will continue. Meanwhile I want to wish Congratulations to Ash from HMP Lancaster R W N T T A R E I O F S T W O E C B H I everyone the very best for the season and I do hope Farms who was the winner of October’s problem. Thanks to Matthew Price - HMP E E A N G E L S E L G I H Q E N I M Y N Highdown for compiling this word that 2016 brings something positive into your lives. The answer to November’s problem was 1.Nf7+ D R I N R E I N I D B M L F M N R S H D search. If you fancy compiling one for Perhaps a good start would be a chess set. J T P F Z X C V G N G D S F J T G N N E us please just send it in max 20 x 20 Kg8 (…Rxf7 leads to checkmate on the back rank) grid & complete with answers shown The problem this month is called the Christmas tree 2.Nh6+ Kh8 3.Qg8+ Rxg8 4.Nf7 checkmate. Winner U Y L F M N V X A T M Y R R H G U O V E on a grid. If we use it we will send you puzzle (because its geometry looks like the shape of will be announced next month. B E T H L E H E M Z X D O V E V Y W C R £5 as a thank you!

Angels Snow Bethlehem Star Blitzen Toys Cards Tree Carollers Turkey Church Winter Decorations Yule Dove Elf Gifts Grotto Holly Jesus Magi Mary

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Read all about it! CAPTION COMPETITION LAST MONTHS £25 WINNER Julian Fonesavvy providers of ‘landline type Ketcher numbers’ for mobile phones. HMP Dartmoor Proud sponsors of Inside Time’s 1. Which band were playing at the Bataclan concert hall new PRIZE quiz ‘Read all about it!’ in Paris when it was attacked? Let me drive, If you don’t want callers to be pleeeeeeeeeeease!! 2. Which New Zealand rugby legend died in November? disadvantaged or put off by the high cost of calling your mobile - just get a 3. Which ‘celebrity’ was first to leave the jungle? landline number for it. A £25 prize is on offer for the best 4. Who has just been appointed the new England rugby Calls to mobiles don’t have to be expensive! caption to this coach? month’s picture. Full details are available on our main 5. Which hotel chain was affected by the Mali terrorist advert in Inside Time and at attack? What do you www.fonesavvy.co.uk think is being 6. Which actor recently admitted on TV that he was HIV thought or said positive? Sponsors of Jailbreak here? 7. The Duke of Edinburgh insulted a railway announcer at which station? LAST MONTHS WINNERS £25 C McGuire HMP Frankland 8. Which Australian soap opera is going to be shown £5 Michael Hardacre HMP Frankland £5 Claire Hardy HMP Newhall the same day in UK as it is down under? >> To enter Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. Please do not cut out any of these You can use one envelope to enter 9. Which show biz couple are celebrating 15 years of panels. Just send your entry to one more than one competition just mark marriage (despite the odd period of time apart)? or all of these competitions on a it ‘jailbreak’. A 1st or 2nd class stamp is The winner will receive £25 and the two runner ups separate sheet of paper. Make sure required on your envelope. 10. Who is this season’s F1 world champion? £5. See black box to the right for details of how to enter. your name, number and prison is CLOSING DATE FOR ALL on all sheets. Post your entry to: COMPETITIONS IS 17/12/15 Answers to last months News quiz: 1. Sweden, 2. China, 3. They are spontaneously bursting into flames, 4. Spectre, 5. Kenny Noye 6. Talk Talk, 7. Adele, 8. For paying less than the minimum wage, 9. Dubai, 10. Remembrance Sunday service at Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley,

The first three names to be 10. Who auditioned and was cast in the lead role in ‘Elmina’s kitchen’? drawn with all-correct answers 11. Who received a Lifetime achievement award from the Longford Trust? (or nearest) will receive a £25 12. Who will be thinking about Gummie lots? insideknowledge cash prize. There will also be 13. Who was one of Britain’s earliest tagees? two £5 consolation prizes. The The prize quiz where we give you the Questions and the Answers! 14. What is Russia on its way to legalising? All the answers are within this issue of Inside Time - all you have to do is find them!! winners’ names will appear in next month’s issue. 15. Which prison boasts of two PRG groups?

1. Who has been given 28 days to put ‘house in order’? 2. Who thinks its men not women who get a raw deal from show business? Answers to Last Month’s Inside Knowledge Prize Quiz 3. Which small indulgence has been deemed a security threat at HMP Wymott? 1. Ai Wei Wei, 2. Prison Library, 3. Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, 4. Dave E Ferguson, 5. Magnus Carlsen, 6. Sally Taylor, 7. HMP Winchester, 8. Never Let Me Go, 9. Professor David Wilson, 10. Terry Waite, 4. Who wants to replace Victorian prisons with cheaper, supersized modern facilities? 11. 1807, 12. Electronic Cigarette Industry Association, 13. Amber Leaf Tobacco, 14. A bag, 15. 5th 5. Whose postcode is WA14 2DW? December 6. Which course is successfully running in Dartmoor prison? 7. How many more jails are expected to be opened by 2020? LAST MONTH’S WINNERS £25 Prize: Jamie Gil HMP Bullingdon, Jessica Rowsell 8. What is the number one prison movie? HMP Bronzefield, Terry Thatcher HMP Bure £5 Prize: Marc Christie HMP Wayland, 9. Which shop has raised more than £2000 in five weeks since opening? Jurijs Ostrovskis HMP Wayland

Don’t take Chances RECENT ACCIDENT? simon bethel with Your Freedom ! Here are 5 good reasons to call us FIRST: Personal Injury Specialists solicitors 1. One of the UK’s biggest specialist defence firms C o 2. Led by lawyer previously shortlisted for criminal Criminal Defence & Prison Law Specialists defence lawyer of the year NO WIN, NO FEE 3. Proven, specialist expertise in Appeal work • Personal Injury Claims Licence & Parole Hearings 4. Our Advocates are always ready to represent you • Dental Negligence & HDC & Recalls 5. We don’t give up! Appeals • Adjudications • Parole Hearings For a free consultation please contact Adjudications Recall • Categorisation • Lifer Tariffs Re-categorisation & Transfers Crime • Housing • Family Rebecca or Clair “The lawyers here are not just going through the 0800 0191 248 or 01302 326666 Appeals & CCRC Referrals motions; as a barrister you have to be at your plus all Family Law and Immigration Matters best at all times to satisfy the high standards Shaw & Co 6 Portland Place set by them” (Chambers & Partners 2009) Doncaster DN1 3DF Please contact Dapo, David or Kay GT Stewart Solicitors Simon Bethel Solicitors 21-22 Camberwell Green London SE5 7AA N AT I O N W I D E S E R V I C E Freephone 0800 999 3399

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ANNIVERSARIES ROCK & POP QUIZ 10 Dec 1915 // 100th Anniversary The Ford Motor Company produced 1. What is the nationality of R&B/soul/hip its 1 millionth car. (It produced its hop singer Jamelia? 10m car in 1924 and its 20m in 1931.)

2. Which country singer/songwriter 12 Dec 1925 // 90th Anniversary added 43 years to his life when he gave The world’s first motel opened in San up his seat on the fateful Buddy Holly Luis Obispo, California. Originally airplane which crashed in February 1959? named the Milestone Mo-Tel, it is 3. What was the title of the 1983 debut now known as the Motel Inn of San solo album that propelled Cyndi Lauper Luis Obispo. (It closed down in 1991). to super-stardom? 12 Dec 1945 // 70th Anniversary 4. Later released as a single that became Ballpoint pens were launched in the a big hit for the band, which Paul Simon UK by the Miles-Martin Pen Company. song featured on the Lemonheads album Previously in WWII, the Royal Air Force It’s A Shame About Ray? needed a new type of pen, one that would not leak at higher altitudes in 5. Harper Valley PTA was a major hit fighter planes as the fountain pen single for which country singer in 1968? did. The British Government bought the licensing rights to Laszlo Biro’s 6. Shadowland was the 1988 debut solo patent for the war effort. album of which singer? 13 Dec 1950 // 65th Anniversary 7. The albums Songs From The Last American actor James Dean made Century, Older and Listen Without his first television appearance, in a Prejudice are all by which artist? commercial for Pepsi Cola.

8. The rap trio Naughty by Nature scored 20 Dec 1955 // 60th Anniversary a big hit with the single O.P.P. Which Cardiff was proclaimed the capital Jackson 5 song was sampled in the city of Wales. production of this record? 22 Dec 1965 // 50th Anniversary 9. Which album by Sonic Youth shares its A maximum speed limit of 70 mph title with that of a Creedence Clearwater was introduced on previously unre- Revival single? stricted roads in Britain. (The limit was introduced on a trial basis but 10. Joachim Krauledat escaped from East Germany in the 1940s and changed his was made permanent in July 1967.) name to John Kay to eventually become 29 Dec 1975 // 40th Anniversary the front man of which famous rock band? The Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Pay Act came into effect in the UK, preventing women from being paid less than their male counterparts.

1 Dec 1990 // 25th Anniversary Construction workers on the Channel Tunnel broke through the last wall of • Criminal Defence and Appeals rock separating the two halves, and Specialising in all areas of criminal law, from minor Britain and France were linked for offences to serious crimes - Murder, Fraud, the first time in thousands of years. Conspiracy to Defraud, Confiscation Proceedings Appeals, Variation and Discharge of Restraint Order 2 Dec 1995 // 20th Anniversary and Money Laundering British ‘rogue trader’ Nick Leeson • Immigration and Nationality Law © MW Released life sentenced prisoner was jailed for 6.5 years in Comprehensive solutions to immigration and British for fraudulent financial dealings nationality issues. J D Solicitors which led to the fall of Barings Bank. • Family Law Malthouse Chambers 30 Walsall Street, 13 Dec 2000 // 15th Anniversary Divorce - sound advice about your rights and the Forensic Accountants Willenhall WV13 2ER George W. Bush finally claimed the options available CONFISCATION PROCEEDINGS UNDER POCA! Prison Law Specialists U.S. presidency, 36 days after the Bartfields have considerable UK wide experience of Serving the East and West Midlands election was held. (Result was delayed We cover the London area and analysing and revising prosecution benefit calculations all of the UK on serious matters. within tight deadlines. (Legal aid available) • Parole Applications and Reviews due to disputed votes in Florida.) Free prison visit for all pre-confiscation hearing cases Recent Cases: • Licence Conditions and Recalls Please contact Anthony Mordi or Prosecution Benefit Bartfields Benefit • Categorisation and Transfers 5 Dec 2005 // 10th Anniversary Mr M £69,000 £8,000 • Cat A Reviews and Lifer Panels The first same-sex civil partnership Michael Okogwu Mr C £3,684,000 £47,000 • Sentence Planning and H.D.C. in Britain was formed in Worthing. Mrs D £271,000 £45,000 Mordi & Co Solicitors Mr O £378,000 £16,000 For free professional expert advice. The Civil Partnership Act was not due First Floor 402 Holloway Road Mr L £1,015,000 £111,000 You can ring, write or e mail us with all your to come into effect until 19th Dec, but Mrs N £785,000 £103,000 prison law issues. an exception was made in this case London, N7 6PZ Contact Raymond Davidson on 0113 2449051 Please call our Prison Law Team: Tel: (020) 7619 96 66 Bartfields, 4th Floor Stockdale House, 01902 632123 as one of the partners was terminally Headingley Office Park, 8 Victoria Road, Leeds LS6 1PF 24hr Emergency No: 07971 194 042 ill. (He died the following day.) 24 Hour Emergency: 07904 953 427 [email protected] [email protected] www.bartfield.co.uk/services/forensic Source: www.ideas4writers.co.uk Insidetime December 2015 52 National Prison Radio www.insidetime.org

March 2011 What’s on National Prison Radio? Day Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Eve Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun

17:00 07:00 The Brixton Hour Special programme made for HMP Behind Bars Porridge Brixton’s prisoners. Information in this programme ON LY Behind Bars is your award-winning daily feature show focusing on a different side of prison applies to HMP Brixton. life each evening. We bring you the best chat, music and information to keep you informed The first national breakfast show made by and for prisoners For information on services available at your prison, speak to a member about prison life and give a voice to your thoughts about life behind bars Big tracks, news, sport, information and real stories of prison life of staff Mondays Induction Show - all the basics about how prison works 08:00 Behind Bars Tuesdays Women Inside - focusing on life for female prisoners A repeat of last night’s show, broadcast at 17:00 Wednesdays Your Life - looking at how to keep your body and mind healthy Thursdays The Inside Story - your in-depth guide to staying out of jail 09:00 The 9:05 9:05 Fridays The Album Show - we play an entire album in full from start to finish Brit 40 All Music Daytime NPR Request Behind Bars Selector Show Repeat from Saturdays The Love Bug - helping you keep in touch with family and friends on the outside The UK’s number Music and information designed to Repeat Tuesday Sundays The Magazine - featuring the best bits of National Prison Radio one chart show, help you make the most of your time Two hours of presented the best in new 10:05 10:05 10:00 by prisoners UK music, plus NPR Request Behind Bars 18:00 inside interviews, mixes NPR Request Show The Brixton Hour exclusively for Show Repeat from For information, see edition at 07:00 National Prsion and live sets Repeat Wednesday Get your requests in to: Radio National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 11:00 11:05 11:05 NPR Request Show NPR Request Behind Bars 19:00 19:05 19:05 Show Repeat from Porridge Oldies Gospel Hour Get your requests in to: Sounds from the Uplifting Repeat Thursday A repeat of this morning’s show National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 60s, 70s & 80s gospel music 20:00 20:05 20:05 20:05 12:00 The Selector The A List This American Behind Bars Two hours of Life Stories Brit 40 the best in new from the US A repeat of last night’s show, broadcast at 17:00 UK music, plus Running through the latest music to hit the National A repeat of Friday’s show 21:00 interviews, mixes Prison Radio offices 21:05 13:00 13:05 13:05 and live sets. The State Porridge NPR Request Behind Bars We’re In Show Repeat from A repeat of this morning’s show Repeat Friday 22:00 14:00 14:05 14:05 The Love Songs Hour All Music Daytime Brit 40 NPR Request Behind Bars The UK’s Show Repeat from 60 minutes of classic love songs, the perfect soundtrack for writing those letters home Music and information designed to help you make number one Repeat Saturdey the most of your time inside chart show, 23:00 presented Red Music Academy Radio by prisoners Live recordings, interviews, mixes and documentary features, exclusive to NPR. 15:00 exclusively for 15:05 15:05 National Prsion The Selector This American Radio Life Stories from 00:00 Two hours of the US NPR Request Show The Brixton Hour the best in new Repeat from 18:00 For information, see edition at 07:00 16:00 All Music UK music, plus 16:05 Daytime interviews, mixes The State We’re Overnight and live sets In Non-stop Music and Information

Want to hear your favourite song on National Prison Radio? We want your requests! News on National Prison Radio: To hear your song, message or poem on the radio, write to us at: National and international news from the studios of , every hour, on the hour National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF The latest news from prisons across the country at 10:00, 12:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 22:00 Then tune in to the Request Show, Monday to Friday at 18:00, repeated at midnight, the following morning at 11:00 and throughout Saturday. Your daily TV Guide at 9:00, 11:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 20:00 SIS INSURANCE Email a Prisoner Inside Time are proud to GEMA RECORDS • Faster than 1st class post • Faster than 1st class post sponsor the NPR Supplier of music, dvds and games Second chance! 1 in 5 people are • Cheaper than a 2nd class stamp • Cheaper than a 2nd class stamp Prisoners in over 100 UK prisons now get e mails schedule along with the (See full advert page 44) routinely refused insurance from their family, friends and legal representatives For full details call 0844 873 3111 following advertisers. (See full advert page 36) See advert page 3

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