The inside story
Chris Stanton gives an insight into the origins of Alcoholics Anonymous prison groups and how they have offered support and guidance to literally thousands of prisoners seeking to ‘throw off the chains’
Becoming alcohol dependent is rarely, if ever, a conscious choice, but many prisoners find themselves behind bars as a result of crimes committed whilst under the influence of alcohol. At the present time there are approximately 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales, of which 63% are described as ‘hazardous’ drinkers.
To understand the value of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group to prison inmates, it is perhaps necessary to explain that whilst they are in prison and the actual use of alcohol may not be a problem, the factors which might contribute to continued abuse on release can be addressed - they can begin to benefit from the12-step recovery programme of Alcoholics Anonymous whilst incarcerated. Time spent in confinement can be used in developing the mind and spirit so that they can look outward instead of inward, that they should try and live with society as it is and not as they would want it to be, learn tolerance towards others and accept responsibility for actions taken. It is possible for inmates to learn they can live the AA way of life prior to discharge; this will assist towards living a more serene life during the period of incarceration, despite all the various daily pressures.
The first Prison Group was formed in 1942 in San Quentin Prison by the San Francisco Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. San Quentin’s enlightened and liberal warden, Clinton T Duffy, was of great assistance in helping set up the group. A handful of San Quentin inmates, after reading the book Alcoholics Anonymous, approached the prison authorities to announce that they had decided they were alcoholics and wanted to do something about it to prevent further disaster after their release. Despite ridicule and being dubbed ‘winos’ by fellow inmates and the bantering challenges of sceptics, this nucleus won the support of the Captain of the Yard, Joseph H Fletcher, and with a small appropriation by the Board of Prison Directors for books and pamphlets from the library fund, the Group was up and running.
Initially, the San Quentin Prison Group was met by scepticism from both guards and prisoners alike, until an incident happened that was to prove the catalyst that changed things. An alcoholic prisoner who had developed amazing ingenuity in making alcohol within the prison made a batch of alcohol using materials from the prison paint shop that proved to be deadly poisonous. After drinking the substance, several of the inmates died and in the following hours the fatalities began to mount. Nothing but quick blood transfusions could save those still alive and the San Quentin AA Group stepped in - giving blood and helping the poisoned inmates through the crisis and many pulled through.
Until this point, AA had not been a popular organisation but many of the survivors joined up and the breakthrough had been achieved. Soon after, groups were up and running in Indiana and Illinois State Prisons and the message spread rapidly after that throughout the United States and Canada. By 1963 there were 502 registered Prison Groups with approximately 20,000 members. Today there is a meeting in almost every prison in both these countries.
The first Prison Group in the UK was formed in Wakefield Prison in December 1958 when the Leeds Group of Alcoholics Anonymous responded to a request from a prisoner who had learned of AA whilst imprisoned in the US. As this meeting was treated as an experiment for a period of five years, no other Prison Groups were formed in England and Wales until 1963. After this time, as prisoners were moved around the country they would make contact with AA to request help in getting a group started in the prison and AA prison groups began to flourish. At present around 95 prisons in England and Wales have active AA groups.
The first Prison Group in Scotland was formed in Barlinne Prison, Glasgow in 1960. The editor of the Scottish Daily Express had learned of the AA experience in American Prisons and was keen to see if AA could be introduced to Scottish Prisons. He made contact with AA in Scotland and found a group of AA members willing to help start a group in Barlinne. A few weeks later a meeting was set up in the prison. As in England and Wales, as prisoners were moved around the prison system in Scotland they made requests for meetings to be set up in other prisons and soon meetings were being held in Peterhead, Edinburgh, Perth and Greenock, where AA meetings are still taking place. All the prisons in Scotland have thriving groups.
As Alcoholics Anonymous does not hold records of individual members, it is difficult to establish how many of its current membership first made contact with AA while in prison. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many of those who attend prison meetings continue to attend AA on release and go on to lead sober and worthwhile lives.
The following is an extract from a personal sharing of a member who found AA in prison: “AA has transformed the lives of many inmates, to my knowledge. Our actions and thoughts have been put on a more positive footing. We try to practice the programme in our daily living. This would be impossible if the hand of AA was not there to help and guide us. We no longer feel the pain, frustration, loneliness and fear that accompany the active alcoholic. We have thrown off the chains that bound us. Today we have freedom”.
* Chris Stanton is a pseudonym for a member of the General Service Board of AA with special responsibility for prisons who has over 28 years continuous sobriety.
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Issue : September 2010
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