Inside Time Issue : September 2010
Prison Writers - Headline Category
The following headline articles are catagories as being relevant to Prison Writers.
The rules are simple, choose your own loophole - issue September 2010 - Billy Little asks why bother with PSOs and PSIs when governors have the final say?
Halden Prison, the stuff of dreams - issue September 2010 - David Guy, formerly of HMP Ranby, explains how the British prison system should be taking its lead from Norway
My Precious - issue September 2010 - Carl Martin explains exactly how it feels to be an addict
What’s in your file? - issue September 2010 - Keith Rose lays out a comprehensive list of what you can claim under the Data Protection Act
Prison psychologists - biased practitioners - issue September 2010 - Solicitor Niall Brooks in ‘Taking the Risk’ (Inside Time August 2010) clearly and so succinctly describes how the ‘risk society’ in which we live has impacted on the criminal justice system.
Guilty until proven innocent - historic cases - issue September 2010 - Stuart Morris reflects on how legislation has changed over the years for those accused of rape
Government admits to child abuse in Secure Centres - issue August 2010 - Whenever the Government tries to conceal a document it is most likely that it contains information that would be ‘embarrassing’ rather than a security threat; and never more so than the manual detailing the institutionalised abuse of children in privatised secure accommodation which has just been prised from the Government’s grasp.
Should IPP Deportees Escape Offending Behaviour Courses? - issue August 2010 - John O Connor asks whether special dispensation should be given to foreign national IPPs.
Probation, Police, Pleasantries & Attitudes - issue August 2010 - I’m a firm believer in giving credit where credit’s due. During my seven and a half years ‘inside,’ such was the state of affairs behind the walls of her majesty’s prison estate, I seldom had any need, nor the will, to exercise this belief. I also expected this ethos to be predominantly redundant upon my release too. Though it pains me to say it – how wrong I was.
The unsustainable cost of criminal justice - issue August 2010 - David Silver says he sees prolific waste and extravagance that could easily be stopped, at no extra risk to public safety
An open letter to Michael Howard - issue August 2010 - ‘Prison works and protects the public’; you, as one time Conservative Home Secretary, have on many occasions claimed. But, for all your sabre rattling and alarmist politicisation of crime and order issues, you remain where you belong, which is firmly in the political wilderness.
The Joy of Six - issue August 2010 - A radical overhaul of the criminal justice system requires a Minister of Justice with balls the size of space-hoppers, writes Simon Radley
Lifers – A Time For Change - issue August 2010 - Kenny Carter calls for a fairer system for lifers who have passed their tariff dates.
‘DSPD Units are creating psychopaths’ - issue August 2010 - Dangerous Severe Personality Disorder Units are no longer fit for purpose claims Terry Leggatt.
For whom the bell tolls - issue August 2010 - Keith Rose explains why the days of the DSPD Units at Whitemoor and Frankland are numbered.
“They know who you are, where you are, what you are doing and who you are doing it with!” - issue July 2010 - Inside Time’s Paul Sullivan highlights the British obsession with public surveillance
Deliberately inflicted powerlessness - issue July 2010 - John Bowden is angered by what he considers to be disinformation and rhetoric intended to camouflage the reality of the Wakefield CSC
Trials, timing and influence - issue July 2010 - Tony Joyce highlights the psychological process he believes underpins many of today’s prosecutions
Ben's Blog - issue July 2010 - Lifer Ben Gunn’s Prison Blog … the only blog by a serving British prisoner which ‘looks stupidity and ignorance in the eye whilst attempting to inject some neurons into the criminological debate’.
The learning experience - issue July 2010 - Prison is actually a good place for acquiring and developing new life skills says Ryan Penn
Prison is whatever you want it to be … - issue July 2010 - Former robber Ian Charley reflects on his own years in prison and argues that the key to change rests with the individual
A matter of life and death - issue July 2010 - Charles Hanson reflects on the austere, often brutal regimes that existed before the liberalisation of the prison system
Housing... - issue July 2010 - brick by brick!
‘An open letter to Kenneth Clarke MP, Secretary of State for Justice’ - issue July 2010 - John O’Connor challenges the government to implement measures that would lead to a better criminal justice system
Beware of the men in tights! - issue June 2010 - Arshid Khatana is more than a little concerned at the activities of the Regional Asset Recovery Team
Judicial review – doing it yourself - issue June 2010 - Keith Rose offers a route down which prisoners might consider going in order to prepare their own Judicial Review
The good, the bad … and the ugly! - issue June 2010 - … with apologies to Clint Eastwood In the final instalment of his series for Inside Time, former prisoner Michael Fielding categorises prison officer attitudes and how he reacted to them
Ben’s Blog - issue June 2010 - May 8 2010 … theatre of the absurd
Bank accounts - issue June 2010 - In the third instalment of Andy Thackwray’s series following his release from prison earlier this year he reveals problems experienced whilst in prison in opening an external bank account.
Hiding behind tradition - issue June 2010 - How does the prisoners’ right to vote get past the censorship of the tabloid press, asks Billy Little
Ben’s Blog - issue May 2010 - Lifer Ben Gunn’s Prison Blog … the only blog by a serving British prisoner which ‘looks stupidity and ignorance in the eye whilst attempting to inject some neurons into the criminological debate’.
The good, the bad … and the ugly! - issue May 2010 - In my April issue article I examined the powerful influence prison officers have on the lives of those in their charge and that I would expand on how I saw ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’, and hopefully offer some pointers on how to deal with the latter two. So I’ll explain, briefly at first and then in detail, what I mean and how I (at least) draw the distinctions.
Benefits …or lack of ‘em - issue May 2010 - In the second instalment of Andy’s new series for Inside Time, he shares with readers his fruitless and unsettling encounter with the prison’s resettlement department and discloses the numerous problems he experienced with the state’s benefits agencies after his release earlier this year.
Ombudsman confidentiality - issue May 2010 - Keith Rose believes the independence of the Ombudsman can on occasions be open to question
Making your savings work - issue May 2010 - Prisoners who want to invest their savings should always shop around for the best product says Troy Eames
A purveyor of myths and propaganda - issue April 2010 - Charles Hanson is convinced alcoholism is not a disease and that AA is not what it claims itself to be
Prisons ineffective as crime control tools - issue April 2010 - With Britain following trends dangerously similar to those which exist in the United States, John Bowden highlights the launching of a public campaign geared against prison expansion
The good, the bad … and the ugly! with apologies to Clint Eastwood - issue April 2010 - In the first of a three-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Michael Fielding examines the influence officers have on the lives of those in their charge
Suffer little children - issue April 2010 - Written from the perspective of the hypothetical son of a long term prisoner, Gerard McGrath refers to the often forgotten secondary victims of crime
Out and about - issue April 2010 - In the first instalment of a series focussing on topics surrounding release from prison, Andy Thackwray (pictured) says he will never again take freedom for granted
British prisons to relocate overseas? - issue April 2010 - Apparently the relocation of British prisons to the Indian subcontinent is on the cards, claims Matt Adlard
The nature of the beast - issue April 2010 - Mark Sleman is angered by the prison system’s continued attempts at legitimising its charade of rehabilitation
How to waste £200 million - issue April 2010 - If only Justice Secretary Jack Straw had read Inside Time he would have saved £200 million
Jon Venables and the modern justice system - issue April 2010 - We shouldn’t be surprised by the Bulger killer’s return to jail, says Erwin James
PSO Watch - It's political - issue March 2010 - In his monthly feature exclusively for Inside Time, former prisoner John Hirst simplifies Prison Service Orders. John spent a total of 25 years in prison (his tariff was 15 years - discretionary life sentence for manslaughter) and is the author of the Jailhouse Lawyer’s blog. Prior to release in May 2004, he proved to be the most prolific prisoner litigant of modern times and, he says, unlike Perry Mason and Rumpole of the Bailey, he never lost a case against the Prison Service
War Torn - issue March 2010 - A short story from an ex inmate
Proactive progression - issue March 2010 - Prisoners would derive many benefits from preparing a personal CV says David Silver
Public persona … private person - issue March 2010 - Gerard McGrath is angered by the ‘hypocrisy of the gutter press’ and considers the price to pay for public roles is the forfeiture of privacy
The best brains? - issue March 2010 - Does the Prison Service actually think through the introduction of systems and schemes, asks Keith Rose
The forgotten victims - issue March 2010 - Charles Hanson praises the work done on behalf of prisoners’ families
Twice the punishment - issue March 2010 - Jenny Richards is angered by what she believes is blatant discrimination against pensioner prisoners
The policing pledge? - issue February 2010 - Keith Rose examines practices employed by a ‘typical’ rural police force and comes to some alarming conclusions
Boost for prison privatisation? - issue February 2010 - A combination of fresh thinking and prisoner involvement is required when cost cutting measures are implemented, says John O’Connor
Rough justice? - issue February 2010 - Former Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning wonders how many elderly men live in fear of the possibility of court action and disgrace for a ‘fling’ in their teens, when circumstances and attitudes were very different
Consequences - issue February 2010 - Prisoners need to come to terms with the consequences of their actions, which may manifest themselves one way or another for the rest of their lives, says Gerard McGrath
Role of the prison officer report published - issue February 2010 - Paul Sullivan reports on what the House of Commons Justice Select Committee describes as a ‘disturbing and potentially dangerous chasm’ between insights provided by their witnesses and the approach currently adopted by NOMS
Renaissance in prison law - issue February 2010 - Lifer Ben Gunn is convinced that the number of ‘jailhouselawyers’ needs to be increased and suitably equipped with the proper tools
Where is the evidence? - issue February 2010 - Charles Hanson challenges ‘believers’ to provide more concrete evidence than what he considers to be centuries of unconvincing proof of an afterlife
Bloody politicians - issue January 2010 - Ben Gunn believes we should brace ourselves for further knee-jerk reactions as Labour struggles to retain power
Partners or wives - issue January 2010 - Charles Hanson challenges the growing trend to use ‘partner’ as a replacement term for marriage
Where there’s a will… - issue January 2010 - John O'Connor maintains that it is vital to recognize and negotiate the practical side when dealing with death
That was the week that was - issue January 2010 - The government’s sentencing policy is geared entirely towards winning the next general election says Gerard McGrath
If I had the vote - issue January 2010 - David Silver pledges allegiance to the President of Europe and looks forward to the day he can express political beliefs at the ballot box on his wing
‘Prisoners are civically dead’ - issue January 2010 - In the eyes of the government, prisoners are deemed less deserving of human rights argues John Hirst
Women in male prisons - issue January 2010 - Craig Topping argues the case against female officers serving in male prisons
An injection of truth - issue January 2010 - Andy Thackwray wonders why a highly respected former government adviser was sacked for simply stating the obvious
New Year Resolutions - issue January 2010 - Daniel Goldsmith offers ten resolutions for prisoners that could be set for 2010 …
Suppression of literature - issue January 2010 - John Bowden is angered by prison governors continuing to exhibit contempt for the law by preventing the circulation of certain material to prisoners
Targeting failure - issue December 2009 - Keith Rose questions the bonus culture that includes senior management at Prison Service HQ
Second Class Citizens - issue December 2009 - Ben Gunn is angered by prisoners being forced to comply with society’s various obligations and responsibilities then denied the benefits permitted to others
Dehumanising process of risk assessment - issue December 2009 - Charles Hanson believes OASys and current approaches to probation work is a total failure in providing what is really needed to reduce the risk of offending behaviour
Psychology breaking the rules - issue December 2009 - Lloyd Sanderson challenges the role of trainee psychologists working in prisons and considers they are breaking many of the rules laid down by the Code of Conduct
Defending the indefensible - issue December 2009 - Gerard McGrath is dismayed at the reaction of many, in terms of hypocrisy and disdain, to the arrest of Roman Polanski, who fled US justice over thirty years ago
The European Court of Human Rights to be reformed in the New Year - issue December 2009 - The news comes following a Round Table discussion in Bled, Slovenia on 21-22 September 2009. John Hirst reports exclusively for Inside Time
Prisoners' 'holidays' - issue December 2009 - Paul Sullivan challenges a recent media report on resettlement release for prisoners he considers maligns the commitment of many to start law-abiding lives on release and also seriously belittles the work of prison staff
Been there, done that … - issue December 2009 - It's not how you start, it's how you finish...
Canteen service lacks professional touch - issue December 2009 - A National Offender Management Service response to complaints over canteen prices in the November issue doesn’t take on board prisoners’ legitimate concerns says John O'Connor
Eat free range haggis - issue December 2009 - Bob Jenkins believes the bad old days have returned for Scotland’s treasured haggis industry
The route to rehabilitation - issue November 2009 - Former Conservative councillor Daniel Smy, sent to prison for fiddling his expenses, reflects on his experience and feels there is much to be gained by prisoners pursuing their hidden talents
A writer’s time - issue November 2009 - Andy Thackwray advocates writing as therapy, something he insists has helped him retain his sanity whilst in prison
Prisoner support - issue November 2009 - Robert Maynard wants prisoners to share their skills and utilise previously wasted potential
Utilising time inside - issue November 2009 - Former Beirut hostage Terry Waite CBE writes about his harrowing years of solitary confinement and how he believes prisoners should take every opportunity to step onto the educational ladder
Horses for courses - issue November 2009 - Former Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning compares the vastly different regimes between prisons in the UK and those of a more austere nature in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Reforming the character - issue November 2009 - The reality of life within Blantyre House, contrary to lurid media headlines, really is geared towards effective rehabilitation
Life after Life - issue November 2009 - Recently released Lifer Charles Hanson finds he is destined to be defined by his past, "shackled by a criminal identity", yet remains committed to challenging injustice and oppression
Autopsy of duplicity - issue November 2009 - Karl Watson maintains that justice is expendable and has suffered purgatory for his continued stance of maintaining innocence
A complaint about complaints - issue November 2009 - Gerard McGrath is less than impressed by how prisons deal with complaints and says prisoners have lost confidence in the internal system
Threat of call-centre "junk justice" - issue November 2009 - Government proposals could well find a person go "from walking down the street to being a convicted criminal without seeing a legal professional" fears journalist and former prisoner Michael Mann
When is an "offender" not an offender? - issue November 2009 - Paul Sullivan is concerned at the vast number of people in prison who clearly should not be described as offenders
"You will die in prison" ... - issue November 2009 - It’s not the judge but increasingly the prisoner who decides whether he wants to die in prison says Lifer John O’Connor
Psycho-babes, care bears and control freaks - issue October 2009 - A disproportionate number of female trainee psychologists, probation officers and social workers dominate these services, argues Charles Hanson
Carry on blogging - issue October 2009 - Former prisoner John Hirst challenges the Prison Service on their stance against prisoners writing blogs and encourages others to join the 'blogosphere'
Prison politics - issue October 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn is surprised and angered by criticism hurled at him, some from unexpected quarters, following his attempt to introduce solidarity amongst prisoners and to stop them adopting a defeatist attitude
Smoke and mirrors - issue October 2009 - Despite the introduction of legislation in 2007 banning smoking in public places, many prisoners still suffer from the unpleasant effects of passive smoking says David Silver
Repeating History - issue October 2009 - We are often told that history repeats itself on an endless cycle, so let's test the theory says Keith Rose
Visits mean everything - issue October 2009 - Former prisoner Paul Sullivan is angered by current visiting arrangements and the lack of effective solutions to historical problems
Day fifteen in the house - issue October 2009 - Sid Wright is appreciative of the MP's expenses scandal as it has given him not only 'entertainment' but a clear conscience
Keeping the spotlight on psycho-babes - issue September 2009 - Keith Rose explains why he considers the focus should remain firmly on the prison psychology system.
Numbers Game - issue September 2009 - There is no statutory authority for more than one prisoner per cell claims John Hirst.
Beware plagiarism! - issue September 2009 - John O'Connor highlights plagiarism problems frequently experienced by newspapers and magazines.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing - issue September 2009 - Gerard McGrath challenges the motives of the BNP and expresses disgust at what they represent.
Looking after its own - issue September 2009 - Recently released lifer Charles Hanson admires the manner in which the French Foreign Legion has adapted to become one the world’s most respected military units.
Bridging the gap - issue September 2009 - Clive Jones considers that responsibility must be taken for the denial of prisoners’ educational opportunities.
The ‘bash a prisoner’ crusade - issue September 2009 - Former Conservative councillor Daniel Smy was sent to prison for fiddling his expenses and wonders why there have been no MPs put on trial for fiddling their expenses.
Justice …the CPS way - issue September 2009 - David Silver maintains that the criminal justice system uses distraction techniques in order to keep its reputation intact following exposure of miscarriages of justice.
Crime memoirs can help turn the page - issue September 2009 - Proposals to stop convicted criminals receiving money from their memoirs will prevent, not encourage, their rehabilitation says author Caspar Walsh.
Through the gates and beyond - issue August 2009 - Recently released lifer Charles Hanson reflects on the valuable accommodation support given by the St Giles Trust, who now face an uncertain future.
‘The second sentence’ - issue August 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn believes the families of prisoners get a raw deal and are often viewed with suspicion and benign indifference.
But are YOU listening Andy? - issue August 2009 - Keith Rose resents the suggestion that his motivation for becoming a Listener is anything other than voyeuristic.
Are you still listening? - Listener Screening and Selection. - issue August 2009 - In this final instalment of my series, I cover what will no doubt be the most controversial issue involving the Listener scheme - who exactly should apply to become a prison Listener and why they choose to do so.
Why a million isn't enough - issue August 2009 - David Silver believes that a radical new approach is needed when awarding compensation to miscarriages of justice.
NOMS reforms - issue August 2009 - Journalist Michael Mann advocates the abolition of the National Offender Management Service.
A thankless job - issue August 2009 - Lewis D Wood offers a view on the role of prison officers.
Battling against injustice - issue August 2009 - Former lifer John Hirst explores how the media consistently use lurid and sensationalist headlines that are generally biased against prisoners.
Nice work if you can get it - issue August 2009 - David Greaves examines the astonishing number of people employed within the criminal justice system and who make a living out of prisoners.
Brainwashed - issue August 2009 - Paul Sullivan challenges vote-seeking rhetoric from politicians and considers the public are brainwashed by tabloid scaremongers.
Manners maketh man - issue August 2009 - Gerard McGrath maintains that common courtesy costs nothing and if applied could well improve the quality of life for prisoners.
Shake up for the Parole Board - issue August 2009 - John O'Connor wonders whether changes at the top of the Parole Board will actually bring about essential change.
Blantyre - Fact and Fiction - issue July 2009 - Noel ‘Razor’ Smith is convinced that the moral outrage frequently displayed by certain tabloids towards prisoners does absolutely nothing towards solving serious resettlement problems.
Reducing Reoffending Behaviour - issue July 2009 - Category A prisoner Gerald Deaffern asks why Frankland can’t constructively encourage prisoners to maintain proper family contact.
Betrayal - issue July 2009 - Andrew Watkins exposes the ‘spin’ and hypocrisy employed by the Government when claiming to care about ex-Forces personnel, and highlights the massive problems they face integrating into ‘civvy street’
Are You Still Listening? - Listener Training - issue July 2009 - Such was the mixed response to Andy Thackwray's controversial article Now ‘Listen’ to This, published in the April issue of Inside Time, that together with Andy we decided to run a three-part series covering the main areas of concern the article brought to light: Listener Confidentiality, Training and Screening; with a view to improving this much needed and valued service. We continue the series by looking at Listener training.
Solidarity - issue July 2009 - Lifer Charles Hanson reflects on the sad passing of prisoner solidarity and how the public thrive on sensational reporting.
The Real Holloway - issue July 2009 - Leo Gilbert reviews the three part documentary series on Holloway Prison shown recently on ITV and asks why the public only ever get to see the negative side of prison life?
Lifers and the open estate - issue July 2009 - Craig Topping challenges the prison system’s attitude towards lifers progressing to open conditions.
Inside Time Censored - issue July 2009 - The June issue of Inside Time was withdrawn from prisons. Lifer Ben Gunn is angered that many people are so insecure in their beliefs that they run and hide from words and ideas they disagree with.
A toothless bulldog - issue June 2009 - Richard Todd highlights the inadequacies of IPCC investigations.
Victims and justice - issue June 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn is concerned about the role of the victim in seriously affecting the parole procedure and public policy.
Are You Still Listening? - issue June 2009
Is your budgie a psychopath - part 2 - issue June 2009 - Keith Rose concludes that despite the best efforts of ‘psycho-babes’, his budgie is not in fact a psychopath!
Sex offenders and their place within the prison estate - issue June 2009 - Lifer Craig Topping advocates the use of secure hospitals to house sex offenders
The power to suppress - issue June 2009 - John O’Connor believes that criminality should never be allowed to detract from creative genius
Awash with Gods; slaves to Christianity - issue June 2009 - Lifer Charles Hanson challenges the importance of religion over constructive development, education and freedom of thought.
In pursuit of re-education - issue June 2009 - Dermot Donovan explores the similarity between life under the brutal Pol Pot regime and that of today’s long term prisoners under the current Government’s ‘modification’ agenda.
Has ETS reduced your impulsivity? - issue May 2009 - The report on the evaluation of the ETS Programme is 60 pages of psycho-babble says Keith Rose
Thinking skills? Think again! - issue May 2009 - The long awaited evaluation report on the Enhanced Thinking Skills Programme (ETS) offers no convincing evidence that the programme is effective writes Charles Hanson
The overlooked good guys - issue May 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn in praise of voluntary groups
Managing challenging behaviour - issue May 2009 - Those who formulated the ‘Managing Challenging Behaviour Strategy’ are guilty of trying to institutionalise a system of repression that violates the basic human rights of prisoners, writes John Bowden
Licensed to kill - issue May 2009 - Author Noel ‘Razor’ Smith is convinced that Britain is only a short step away from government sanctioned death squads
Let’s kill all the lawyers - issue May 2009 - We cannot afford a ‘fight it at all cost and never mind the expense’ approach to conflict resolution writes John O’'Connor
No vote means no voice in Parliament - Let prisoners speak out! - issue May 2009
A taxing matter - issue May 2009 - Gerard McGrath is angered by MPs expenses irregularities and politicians’ ‘collective arrogant disdain of the electorate’
‘Angry’ Andy’s Column - Life's a Riot - issue May 2009
Prison officers’ role must evolve - issue May 2009 - The role of the prison officer has not evolved significantly in a hundred years compared with many other professions, said Howard League Director Frances Crook, addressing the House of Commons Justice Select Committee.
Worshipping psychology - issue April 2009 - Keith Rose exposes flaws in psychology and how prisoners are frequently intimidated into participating on certain courses
Tools of the trade - issue April 2009 - Gerard McGrath takes issue with modern teaching methods that have led to a generation of young people without a proper concept of English language skills
The future is in our hands - issue April 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn announces that he is the newly appointed General Secretary of the Association of Prisoners and challenges all prisoners to play their part in bringing about change
Now 'Listen' To This - issue April 2009 - Andy Thackwray considers the Listener scheme needs a transformation in order to function properly and provide the kind of support structure that challenging, complex and vulnerable prisoners need and deserve
Political correctness - issue April 2009 - Lifer Charles Hanson looks at how several areas of prison life have fallen foul to an insidious ‘politically correct ideology’
Which statistic? - issue March 2009 - Cokisa Shude questions why prisoners have to fight to actually get on necessary programmes and her disappointment at the whole rehabilitation process
‘They just don’t know what to do with us’ - issue March 2009 - ‘Sally’ looks at yet another tragic suicide and how female lifers face an uphill struggle and are relentlessly being backed into a corner
Respecting the elders - issue March 2009 - Andy Thackwray highlights the valuable role played by Age Concern in coping with the special needs of the hundred plus elderly prisoners at HMP Hull
Recipe for further offending - issue March 2009 - The cost of crime to the country is already appallingly high without HMPS providing the recipe for further offending that makes a mockery of so-called ‘resettlement’ writes lifer Charles Hanson
Jonathan King writes … - issue March 2009
Ballot box bandits - issue March 2009 - Gerard McGrath says the enfranchisement of prisoners could go a long way towards removing the sense of exclusion that many feel
Prison psychologists are breeching Code of Ethics and Conduct. - issue February 2009
Rehabilitation a distant second - issue February 2009 - John Bowden wonders why the Ministry of Justice does not get into step with the Scottish Prison Service and provide a more integrated system of training opportunities for prisoners.
Probation officers – friend or foe? - issue February 2009 - Lifer Charles Hanson looks at the modern role of probation and how it has become more punitive and bound up in bureaucracy.
Diversity … bring it on! - issue February 2009 - Lifer Benn Gunn argues that encouraging diversity of thought forces us to examine our beliefs and is good for us.
The blind leading the blind. - issue January 2009 - Des Glasten wonders just how historians will come to view the current generation of penal policy thinkers.
Parallels in history - issue January 2009 - Keith Rose says that an examination of modern Britain reveals close parallels with totalitarian states.
Finals - issue January 2009
State sponsored execution - issue January 2009 - Craig Topping argues that lethal injections bring nothing but eternal shame on the US.
Race Relations - issue January 2009 - Lifer Ben Gunn has learnt from race relations work that it’s very difficult to appreciate what it’s like to be other than who you are.
Past their shelf life - issue January 2009 - Lifer Charles Hanson questions why the Prison Service has no coherent national policy or strategy for dealing with elderly prisoners.
Offensive language - issue January 2009 - Jon Keeler considers that absolutely everything lies within a name
Lest we forget - issue January 2009 - Andy Wright wonders why paying due respect to those who gave us our freedom is, for many, seemingly too much to ask.
Jonathan King writes … - issue January 2009
Votes for prisoners: time for action not words. - issue December 2008 - Former prisoner John Hirst, one of those primarily responsible in forcing the government to change its stance on voting rights for prisoners, highlights the government’s delaying tactics, which may well have serious consequences at the next General Election.
Lags and Wags - Xmas Special - issue December 2008 - In the third instalment of her series exclusively for Inside Time, writer and comedienne Alison Henderson invites readers to take a break from the zany adventures of Sue and life on the estate and enjoy a Mr & Mrs special via video link!
Zimmer Frame Society - issue December 2008 - Winston Churchill Irvine highlights an initiative that might signal a whole new way of caring for elderly and disabled prisoners
Short tariff IPP sentences - issue December 2008 - George Cassidy wonders whether they are a just punishment for criminals or a cash cow for everybody else.
Muslims Rule! - issue December 2008 - Lifer Ben Gunn wonders whether Muslim prisoners ‘organising’ is solely around their religion.
Is your budgie a psychopath? - issue December 2008 - Keith Rose looks at a risk instrument that is fundamentally flawed and cannot be used as a measure of what an individual may do in the future.
If it was left to me - issue December 2008 - In the final part of his series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan further identifies what he considers needs changing about the failing prison system; looking this month at older prisoners; staff selling ‘stories’ to the tabloids; hospital appointments and misinformation fed to prisoners.
Factories of repression - issue December 2008 - John Bowden considers that prison revolt and protest has been rendered far from redundant.
Looking back on 2008 … and beyond - issue December 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson reflects on the approach of other prisoners relating to ‘doing time’
Ho! Ho! Ho! - A modern Christmas Tale - issue December 2008
A Pawned Soul - A Tale of Love, Loyalty & Devotion - issue December 2008
The Death of Justice - issue November 2008 - Michael O’Brien spent 11 years in jail for a murder he did not commit. His new book ‘The Death of Justice’ is a guide to surviving in some of Britain’s toughest jails and how best to campaign to prove your innocence. He talks exclusively to Inside Time …
Big Brother - issue November 2008
Cell confessions - antidote to PACE - issue November 2008 - Lifer Michael Stone argues that the police have discovered an antidote to PACE – the cell confession.
After Woolf - injustice still rules - issue November 2008 - Lifer Ben Gunn asks whether Lord Woolf’s recommendations following the Strangeways Riots in 1990 have brought about any appreciable changes for prisoners.
Psychobabble and Psycho-Babes - issue November 2008 - Keith Rose is convinced that trainee psychologists are taking over management functions within the prison service.
The fallacy of mental health and disorders. - issue November 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson raises several questions that have not been satisfactorily answered; such as what is ‘mental illness’, what is a ‘mental disorder’ and what is meant by ‘psychological problems’?
Maintaining innocence - issue November 2008 - Peter Byard believes the potential for wrongful convictions in sex cases has increased enormously.
If it was left to me - issue November 2008 - In the seventh of an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan further identifies what he considers needs changing about the failing prison system; looking this month at Culture, Searching and Abuse.
If you treat prisoners like animals... - issue November 2008
PRISON EDUCATION - From uncouth youth to erudite adult. - issue October 2008
Distance Learning - issue October 2008
Arts in prison - issue October 2008
Prison Education - The Basics - issue October 2008
Short Story - Killed in action - issue October 2008
Noble Cause Corruption - issue October 2008 - …"It is better that some innocent men remain in jail than the integrity of the English judicial system be impugned" … the late Lord Denning (pictured) following the overturning of guilty verdicts on the Birmingham Six.
Nacro join the prison business - issue October 2008 - Ben Gunn is concerned at Nacro leaping into bed with the private sector and considers their moral compass has gone astray.
Mental Health and the Prison System - issue October 2008 - Grant Stevens highlights the tragic failure of successive governments to cope effectively with prisoners’ mental health problems.
Knowledge counts for nothing in politics - issue October 2008 - Billy Little argues that there is a reluctance to listen to those within the community who really could make a significant and lasting difference.
If it was left to me - issue October 2008 - In the sixth of an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan further identifies what he considers needs changing about the failing prison system and looks at Assessment, Parole and Release.
First Class Letter - issue October 2008 - David Honey tries to figure out just how to get a contribution in Inside Time!
Prisoners need protecting from the Home Office. - issue September 2008
This Way Up - issue September 2008 - This month’s final instalment sees Colin among... The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
If it was left to me - issue September 2008 - In the fifth of an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan identifies what he considers needs changing about the failing prison system.
Intelligence Gathering - issue September 2008 - Lifer Ben Gunn considers prisoners are being ‘plotted up on by a horde of professional grasses’
Yoga rocks - issue September 2008 - Andy Thackwray loses his scepticism and benefits from a ‘Houdini miming’ experience!
Lamb to the slaughter - issue August 2008 - Max Szuca relives the nightmare scenario of wrongfully being found guilty of sexual offences, in no small measure due to inadequate legal representation
This Way Up - Donkey Madness - issue August 2008 - This months special double instalment sees Colin reflecting back to a stint of community service
Scotland the Volcanic - issue August 2008 - After the political earthquake in Glasgow East, Keith Rose says Scotland is not part of England anyway.
Maybe Charles Bronson does have a point? - issue August 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson reflects on the days when everything was so much simpler and more straightforward.
If it was left to me - issue August 2008 - Paul Sullivan identifies what he considers needs changing about the prison system and this month puts the focus firmly on massive changes for prisoners based on motivation, training, confidence and responsibility.
Ombudsman - Peacekeeping over Responsibility? - issue August 2008
Retrospective Gratitude - issue August 2008
Thin end of the wedge? - issue August 2008 - Lifer John OConnor fears that lessons learnt from the Strangeways Riots will be ignored by the present generation of prison managers.
The chattering classes - issue July 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson has some strong views on what he considers to be the liberal elite and do-gooder in prison reform.
Reform Groups - Speak to us, not for us - issue July 2008 - Lifer Ben Gunn implores those who campaign on behalf of prisoners to enter into dialogue with them.
If it was left to me - issue July 2008 - In the third of an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan identifies what he considers needs changing about the prison system and examines how he would reorganise, retrain and motivate the warder flock; force all staff to take and own responsibility; and start making prisons wholly effective as well as efficient.
An Imp and a Daemon? - issue July 2008 - It was the 60's, that decade of flower power, Woodstock, free love and groovy man. Whilst the world was becoming aware of the drop out and turn on generation, the writer at about 19 was feeling his oats.
This Way Up - The further experiences of Colin - issue July 2008 - This month Colin steps onto a career path, however as usual nothing is ever straightforward!
Living under the jackboot - issue June 2008 - Highly successful author Noel Razor Smith finds himself under investigation for doing nothing more than trying to rehabilitate himself and seek a worthwhile future
Law on the Landings - issue June 2008 - For some time I have been having odd thoughts about Mark Leech. Where does his heart lie - with the Director General? The bank manager? Or prisoners?
An open challenge - issue June 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson maintains that within the prison psychology paramilitary there exists cultural bias and an ignorance of the experiences and thinking patterns of those from different cultures
Prison Education - issue June 2008 - Prison Education Keith Rose says prisoners have got to stop being their own worst enemies and start taking advantage of the education opportunities offered
If it was left to me - issue June 2008 - In the second of an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan identifies what he considers needs changing about the prison system. He looks at reorganization; introducing proper management; dismissing the warder flock and hopefully making things better for warders and prisoners; and saving millions of pounds in the process.
Prison overcrowding - who's to blame? - issue June 2008 - John Allen looks at the enormous influence former Home Secretary David Blunkett had on the current prison overcrowding chaos
Vile Pervert the Musical - issue June 2008 - Bob Woffinden reviews a remarkable film about the case of former pop mogul Jonathan King
This Way Up - issue May 2008 - Inside Time has been in touch with Col's creator, Andy Thackwray, who has developed This Way Up into a soon to be published novel. By popular demand, both Andy and prisoner illustrator Matthew Williams have agreed to team up once more and portray more of Colins hilarious, madcap and often poignant experiences.
Prisoner of Silence - A Short Story - issue May 2008
Wars Won - But Tragically Lost - issue May 2008
State Sanctioned Violence - issue May 2008 - John Bowden makes a powerful case against the use of brutality on young people in custody.
Somebody Is Listening - issue May 2008 - Keith Rose praises the Listeners scheme and offers enlightenment for those who may have misconceptions about their role within prisons.
Social Misfit - issue May 2008 - John OLeary wonders how much longer he will be considered an outcast and ostracized by society.
If It Was Left To Me - Part 1 - issue May 2008 - In an eight-part series for Inside Time, former prisoner Paul Sullivan identifies what he considers to be issues that must be addressed and altered and how, after serving ten years, he would change the prison system. In part one he highlights pay and why he feels prison officers are paid too much.
This Way Up - issue April 2008 - In 2006 we ran a popular nine-part series entitled This Way Up which portrayed the various troubles experienced by Colin, an alcoholic repeat offender. The series followed Colin's release from jail and the subsequent problems he faced as he tried to turn his life around. Inside Time has been in touch with Col's creator, Andy Thackwray, who has now developed This Way Up into a soon to be published novel. By popular demand, both Andy and prisoner illustrator Matthew Williams have agreed to team up once more and portray more of Colins hilarious, madcap and often poignant experiences.
We Act For Others... - issue April 2008 - Ryan Penn is reluctant to witness the demise of his true nature and attributes.
Origin of a Sub-Species - issue April 2008 - Keith Rose identifies a recent, rather dangerous arrival to the prison service.
Head Games - issue April 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson learns the hard way that having a sense of humour can lead to cognitive skills deficits.
Does Life Now Mean Life? - issue April 2008 - Over 18 years into his discretionary life sentence, Allan Baker reflects on the effects of social engineering.
Creative Prison Project - issue March 2008 - Ben Gunn's article 'The Architect Is Our Enemy' in Januarys Inside Time does, of course, express the views of the majority of prisoners unfortunate enough to be incarcerated in any of the current design of prison cells. But towards the end of his article he states 'As far as I can discover, never in the history of imprisonment in Britain have prisoners been asked about their cells, or what they need. Never'. Not so...
This Way Up - issue March 2008
The Plastic Gangster - issue March 2008 - Keith Rose takes a look at a familiar species to be found in penal establishments everywhere.
The Magic of Science - issue March 2008 - Jon Keeler examines the implications of polygraph testing and comes to some uncomfortable conclusions.
Nazi Law - issue March 2008 - Dermot Donovan highlights Germanys nightmare criminal justice system of the 1930s and certain uneasy parallels with current events both at home and abroad.
Distant Relatives - Lifes full of surprises - issue February 2008 - SHORT STORY
Clever people playing dead - issue February 2008 - Shah Mohammed Haque wonders just how impotent and brain dead certain politicians really are!
Freedom? - issue February 2008 - Jon Keeler disputes the concept of freedom and considers the culture of suspicion and mistrust to be greater outside than inside
A raconteur of note - issue February 2008 - Keith Rose draws on real stories from a former San Quentin inmate rather than the sanitized TV versions currently purporting to present life in American prisons
Tabloid hacks parasites - issue February 2008 - Peter Byard gives tabloid hacks a taste of their own medicine
Censorship of thought - issue February 2008 - Lifer Charles Hanson highlights political correctness that often comes accompanied by hypocrisy and double standards
Prison and Homosexuality - issue January 2007 - Ken Hanson examines a subject he considers has always been conveniently swept under the carpet
The Architect Is Our Enemy - issue January 2007 - With Justice Secretary Jack Straw revealing that three super-prisons each housing 2,500 offenders are to be built to ease overcrowding, Lifer Ben Gunn criticises cell construction.
The Philosophy of Tea - issue January 2007 - Htein Lin, a Burmese artist and comic performer who recently had a show of his prison bedsheet works at Asia House in London was released in 2004 and here describes to journalist and travel writer Amy Spurling how he survived seven years in Burmese prisons.
Month by Month - issue January 2007 - Magazines that deal with prison matters come in a variety of forms
The Truth About Rehabilitation - issue December 2007 - Former prisoner Lucy Charman offers constructive solutions to the historic problem of rehabilitation for prisoners ... but will anybody actually listen to common sense?
What’s the point of OASys? - issue December 2007 - David Ferguson questions the integrity and reliability of an assessment tool that appears to be subject to the whims and prejudices of the Prison Service
ASBOs: Politically appointed badges - issue December 2007 - Billy Little considers the government’s ‘catch-all’ solution to anti-social behaviour by young people has been a dismal failure
The tools of domination - issue December 2007 - The Afro-Caribbean community in the United Kingdom is moving like an out of control freight train towards its final, irrevocable destination; self-destruction through loss of personal identity, says John Samuels
The fallacy of stress - issue December 2007 - Lifer Charles Hanson considers the ‘stress industry’ has harmed and disabled millions of people
Double or Quit - A real profile of a dilemma - issue November 2007 - Tony Jasinskys HMP Parkhurst examines DNA profiling and uncovers the uncomfortable reality
What price innocence? - issue November 2007 - Stephen Lewtas highlights some of the ‘ridiculous’ sentences given for sexual crimes against children
The risk assessment industry - issue November 2007 - Lifer Ben Gunn assesses the purpose of imprisonment
You couldn’t make it up! - issue November 2007 - Lifer Gerard McGrath highlights being left in a prison car park when two prisons refused to accept him
Assumption and speculation - issue October 2007 - Eamonn Anderson looks at the ‘zero tolerance’ policy adopted by the probation service in order to protect its image
The lowdown from Low Newton - issue October 2007 - A list of recommendations has been sent to us from the women’s prison at Low Newton on how the content of Inside Time could be changed to embrace female prisoners. Former prisoner Lucy Charman looks in detail at their comments and concludes that if women want more representation they have got to start writing.
British injustice - issue October 2007 - David Ferguson questions why the media conveniently chooses to ignore or pays scant attention to blatant miscarriages of justice
Are you listening? - issue October 2007 - Garry Davies questions attitudes to deaf people and offers suggestions that, in his view, would make life far easier for all concerned
Land of the second chance? - issue October 2007 - Ken Hanson highlights political expediency and the general public’s unwillingness to forgive offenders.
We are not amused … the pitfalls of ‘selective editing’ - issue October 2007 - Daniel Chadwick compares the media’s ability to ‘selectively edit’ to methods employed by certain prison report writers
Nobody is out to get you - issue October 2007 - Stephen Cousins defends prison personnel against accusations from inmates who feel they are being persecuted
The fear factor - issue September 2007 - Former prisoner Lucy Charman offers a personal view on tagging and its overall effectiveness
As human as our victims - issue September 2007 - Lifer Ben Gunn wonders just how much and for how long society wants lifers to be punished
Crystal ball sentencing - issue September 2007 - Douglas Salmon offers a personal perspective on the highly contentious IPP sentence
Missing or damaged property - issue August 2007 - James Peterson advises Inside Time readers on the various procedures to follow when claiming against the Home Office for missing or damaged property
Doing things differently - issue August 2007 - Jason Grant charts his progress from a life of crime to a place at university
The changing face of probation - issue August 2007 - Lifer Charles Hanson challenges an assertion in his prison file that he has an unrealistic expectation of the criminal justice system, and considers that flexibility and discretion has given way to the language of compliance and rigidity
Journalistic pornography - issue August 2007 - Shah Mohammed Haque takes the already beleaguered BBC to task for their reporting of recent alleged terrorist incidents in London and Glasgow Muslims are taxpayers as well as licence fee payers. Like the rest of the nation, Muslims also have expectations of a minimum of decency from broadcasters, including the BBC - if not especially from the BBC.
Parole Madness - issue August 2007 - Lifer Ben Gunn considers the parole board are ‘dredging the wilder excesses of dossiers and credibility to find any reason to give knock-backs’
Month by Month - issue July 2007 - Terence had been confident of his hat selection. There’s a line to get aspiring writers off the mark.
Trial Without Jury - issue July 2007 - John Clowes examines the jury system and concludes that although it is in need of a shake-up, it should certainly not be scrapped.
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Issue : September 2010
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September 2010 Headlines
£2bn Cuts
Guilty until proven innocent - historic cases
Prison psychologists - biased practitioners
What’s in your file?
Abuse of Process
Parole woes!
Recent developments in The Law of Confiscation
Month by Month
My Precious
Halden Prison, the stuff of dreams
The lamp must still burn
Sentencing review: what’s it all about?
‘Shout OXO’ before you die
What’s a ‘psychopath’, a ‘DSPD’ and should Peter Sutcliffe ever be released?
The innocence of prisoners’ children
Your Children Your Rights
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