“Children are children, “It’s a culture of secrecy and “We wanted to capture whether they are in the I think it’s deeply unhelpful such moments and share justice system or not.” both for staff and prisoners.” them with the world.” the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees Keith Fraser Professor Graham Towl New animation from PET a voice for prisoners since Comment // page 21 Comment // page 28 Information // page 35 June 2021 / Issue No. 264 / www.insidetime.org / A ‘not for profit’ publication/ ISSN 1743-7342 WALKING FOR FAITH 18 // THE POETRY OF SPIES 31 LISTINGS INSIDE An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations DOUBLE PODDING! ‘Game changing’ proposals condemned by prison reform groups as ‘panic measures’ and ‘terrible step backwards’ Decent accommodation is made indecent. It would be a terrible step backwards if that now happened with cells bought explicitly to eliminate 47 the need to share.” The scheme came to light when GFSL, the Government- ‘A sense of escapism’ owned maintenance contrac- tor, announced last month Street Heat man tells of journey from cells to airwaves that it had installed 80 pods at HMP Ford - which it de- scribed as 40 singles and 40 doubles, claiming they would soon be occupied by 120 men. We are delighted to announce the “Singles or doubles? Pods at Askham Grange” The MoJ later clarified that all arrival of Jeremy Moore, formerly of 80 would start off in sin- Carter Moore Solicitors Inside Time report 31 jails “can be converted into gle-occupancy use, but con- doubles with the use of a firmed that 40 could hold two bunk for two occupants”. The men in the future. It was una- Portable single cells being spokesman added that “dou- ble to say how much size dif- Jeremy Moore is one of the used to provide extra accom- ble occupancy is viewed as ference there is between pods modation during the pan- being a contingency only” that are considered suitable demic may be “doubled up” and would require the gover- for doubling-up and those leading solicitors in the with bunk beds to cope with nor’s approval. that are seen as too small. surging prisoner numbers. They are The pods installed so far, country for criminal defence Since the first wave of Covid- completely inap- known as Temporary Accom- 19 struck last year, the Minis- modation Units, were an- try of Justice has installed more propriate to put nounced as single occupancy and miscarriages of justice than 1,000 temporary units - two people in. cells to reduce virus transmis- known as “pods” - in the sion, and were obtained “off Specialising in complex and high profile grounds of English and Welsh That’s ridiculous. the shelf” from portable criminal defence and appeals. jails to reduce cell-sharing. building suppliers - the ma- The plan drew immediate jority from hire firm So far there has been only one criticism from prison reform Bunkabin. He is notable for acting in numerous occupant per pod. Each has a charities. Frances Crook, single bed, toilet and shower, chief executive of the Howard Looking beyond the pan- miscarriage of justice cases, and they have generally League for Penal Reform, demic, Justice Secretary Rob- including successfully representing proved popular. called it a “panic measure” ert Buckland has announced Barry George in his appeal against and said: “They are com- plans for a further 1,000 port- However, it has now emerged pletely inappropriate to put able units to increase prison conviction for the murder of Jill that the Prison Service is pre- two people in. That’s capacity. These will be known Dando and subsequent trials. pared to make prisoners share ridiculous.” as Rapid Deployment Cells pods, if necessary, to meet and will be custom-designed population pressures. Peter Dawson, director of the for the Prison Service to a To speak with Jeremy about your case Prison Reform Trust, said: higher security standard. please contact us at the address or on A spokesperson told Inside “Time and again, new single the number below. We represent Time that around half of the cells, designed and built for 1,070 units currently in use at one person, are doubled up. Continued on page 15 clients throughout England and Wales. 76 KING STREET, 0800 1444111 NEWS FLASH! JUSTICE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR EVIDENCE FROM PRISONERS! 33 MANCHESTER, M2 4NH 0161 393 4158 [email protected] 2 Mailbag ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton SO30 2GB. Insidetime June 2021 insidetime Approved Another language Mailbites a voice for prisoners since 1990 supplier Name supplied - HMP Whitemoor The mote in your eye the national newspaper for prisoners published Bradley Tucker - Steve Kidd - HMP Berwyn by Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned Sadly, I am led to believe that more people don’t graduate HMP The Mount subsidiary of The New Bridge Foundation, from personality disorder courses than those who do gradu- I write in response to a letter by GJM Goodsir founded in 1956 to create links between the ate on completion. A recurrent theme amongst those who of HMP Stafford (April issue). He wrote of offender and the community PUBLISHED Here at The Mount, we are were deselected/discharged is that they didn’t understand ‘miscreants’, as he called them, writing to WEEKLY ONLINE AND MONTHLY IN PRINT being told that our families the language used by their therapists, felt belittled, ignored Inside Time ‘bellyaching’ about prison life. He are only allowed to order or made to feel worthless, or rejected by those professionals states none of them write about remorse or books from ‘approved within the service. sorrow for the hurt they have caused to their Board of Directors suppliers’, and the reason victims. He then, sickeningly, goes on to lick staff give for this is due to Another theme is that men and women who complain about Trevor Grove - Chairman Former Editor Sunday the arse of the staff, no doubt in an attempt to Covid-19, but I have little service providers find they are given short shrift and before Telegraph, Journalist, Writer and former Magistrate curry favour. Nowhere in his letter, however, Dr Peter Bennett Trustee, New Bridge understanding of how they they know it, they are back on normal location and in a does he mention his own crime(s) or sorrow or Foundation and former Governor of HMP Grendon fi gure a book supplier is worse state than originally felt. remorse for any hurt he caused. And this from John D Roberts Company Director employing okay, but our families are a ‘miscreant’ who is being held in a sex former prisoners risky. I believe there was a “Some men and women who are autistic, dyslexic Louise Shorter CEO Inside Justice and former offender’s prison. Clearly, he is showing the ruling in 2013 that prisons producer BBC Rough Justice or who struggle with words or reading and writing, tell-tale signs of manipulation, as the majority cannot stop family members Alistair H E Smith BSc FCA Chartered Accountant, are at a greater disadvantage. Sadly, their recovery of sex offenders do. The words ‘pot’ and ‘kettle’ Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation from sending books in to spring to mind. Fella, acknowledge your own Phil Wheatley Former Director General of Prison their loved ones. Some is massively impeded.” offending before slagging off other prisoners. Service prisons are using Covid-19 to abuse their powers and It has been said that men and women who have joined inte- The insideteam bypass our rights. I would grated personality disorder and therapeutic communities Why? be grateful for any advice from VP jails/wings are less likely to graduate to completion. Zena Bryan - HMP Foston Hall from others. Impeding recovery. I read an article in one of the professional psychology journals stating that there is huge concern I do have drug and alcohol issues myself. I remember when we used to be able to Editorial note throughout secure and community services that unless a per- son-centred approach is developed and delivered to offend- celebrate St George’s Day, dressed up to the The Incentives Policy ers; especially those with huge PTSD issues from childhood nines and drinking pints outside the pub, Framework, introduced in and institutional abuse experiences, then a huge litigation maybe have a sniff of cocaine and possibly a John Roberts 2015, states that prisoners in Publisher chasm will end up closing services. spliff. But I have never met such filthy Mamba England and Wales are and Director heads who litter the streets of Derby. I must entitled to receive new or Maybe there are men and women reading this who can iden- ask, why does the Queen send very dirty, second-hand books posted to tify with what I’ve written. I’d like to encourage them not to scummy, trampy, thieving, murdering, raping them directly by friends and suffer in silence - write or get someone to write for you to the criminals to my home town? Answers on a families. If you write to Inside governing governor of your establishment, give a detailed ac- postcard please. Time enclosing written count of your experience and explain your fears. evidence that your establish- No real selection Erwin James Rachel Noel Smith ment is not following this Above all, if you are alone and despairing, please speak to a Editor in Chief Billington OBE Commissioning rule, we will investigate. Listener, chaplain, or keyworker. Name withheld - HMP Deerbolt Associate Editor Editor I don’t know about other prisons and YOI’s, but here in Deerbolt we feel restricted and let Funding cuts have undermined the prison system for years down by the canteen and governors.