tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post5667188251138192139..comments2024-03-19T08:48:37.047+00:00Comments on Prison UK: An Insider's View: A Failure to Communicate...PrisonUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-69684176139755034212014-12-30T10:15:37.656+00:002014-12-30T10:15:37.656+00:00Interesting comments from HMPS new employee but co...Interesting comments from HMPS new employee but come on, psychological tests designed to weed out unsuitable people as officers? I simply do not believe it given the sheer number of emotionally unstable deluded bullies posing as prison officers I came across in the prison service. These dangerous people didn't get weeded out by what this new HMPS employee claims are the necessary training to do just that. At Bronzefield we had officers running the seg who used to sexually abuse the women down there as well as officers on landings on the night shift on a regular bais; at ESP we had a bunch of lifers running drugs in and out of the place with the collusion of staff, at Downview drunk governors, crooked OS's, officers and SO's bringing in drugs and mobile phone to sell to inmates not to mention wholesale sexual abuse by governors and officers of prisoners and this doesn't even start to look at the sheer number of officers who became officers so that they were able to exercise power and abuse that power over other people to make themselves feel better about their own shit. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-81643649620364206952014-10-14T23:33:09.008+01:002014-10-14T23:33:09.008+01:00Thanks for your comment. To be honest, I doubt whe...Thanks for your comment. To be honest, I doubt whether prison staff from these countries would be willing to work in the conditions on offer here in the UK - of for the lousy salaries. I think they'd be better off finding jobs in Scandinavia - they really know how to run proper prisons!PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-23737901164477728042014-10-14T19:45:14.988+01:002014-10-14T19:45:14.988+01:00If Dutch and Belgian Prisons are renting out cells...If Dutch and Belgian Prisons are renting out cells to other countries, maybe the redundant qualified prison staff can come and work over here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-781658583262989442014-10-14T15:52:23.973+01:002014-10-14T15:52:23.973+01:00Thanks for your contribution to the discussion. I&...Thanks for your contribution to the discussion. I'm really pleased to have your input here, because we need to share different perspectives. <br /><br />Clearly, your professional and educational background are very different from most 'rank and file' wing officers, although more uniformed staff do have degrees, especially if they have ambitions to reach managerial grades.<br /><br />In fact, I think you've really hit the nail on the head. Being an effective screw is all about using life experience to manage people. Prisoners are more difficult to manage than workers outside, mainly because they often have very complex problems - psychological issues, addictions, history of abuse as kids, inability to trust or make healthy relationship - the list goes on. That's where having substantial life experience can be a massive advantage.<br /><br />In my experience, often the most effective wing screws are ex-armed services because they are very experienced in motivating cons and handling tense situations with a bit of humour. They also earn respect and trust, rather than just expecting it because of the uniform.<br /><br />During my time in prison I got to know a lot of screws, as well as governors. Because of my role as a peer mentor I had a lot of privileged access (as you can probably tell from my blog) and we did discuss all kinds of things that wouldn't be usual - for example, prison policies. I was even included in official NOMS consultations on issues like ROTL, equality, safer custody etc, so I have a broader view of the work POs do than maybe I would have had otherwise.<br /><br />Funnily enough, I've spoken to several screws who've admitted that had their lives gone in another direction, they could have ended up on the wrong side of the door. In fact, one of my personal officers - a very good bloke - had to deal with his own son being sent down for 13 years for armed robbery. Heart-breaking for him and a lot of cons really felt for him, so it does work both ways!PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-51648865945690862372014-10-14T15:20:42.296+01:002014-10-14T15:20:42.296+01:00As someone who's just gone through the selecti...As someone who's just gone through the selections process I have to take exception at the belief that people are employed "off the streets". <br /><br />Yes, the online maths & English tests are simple, definitely below O'Level standards (I can't speak to GCSE's as I'm too old!) but the role playing scenarios that candidates undertake on an assessment day are psychological in nature and are designed to show if a candidate has the right tempement, social skills, intelligence and common sense to become a good officer. <br /><br />Around 50% of the people attending failed one or another aspect of the scenarios and therefore failed to receive further training. <br /><br />I'm not going to discuss the length of the further training or other aspects for the simple reason that it comes down to the individual. <br /><br />I've got a degree and have worked in the private sector (banking & real estate) for over 20 years with various professional qualifications, and yet I honestly can't say if I'll be a better officer than a 23 year old ex-servicemen or a 30 year old mother of two; all I can say is that I'll be the best I can be, I'll try to use my life experiences to be a fair & just 'screw' and seek to improve my ability to do so by whichever means are available to me. <br /><br />Before you judge or criticise, consider what are legitimate alternatives and how they'd work in practice. <br /><br />Finally, I think that the ability to consider things from someone else's point of view (walk a mile in their shoes) is invaluable in life; how many prisoners do that when dealing with officers? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-66888218716854108262014-10-14T14:58:18.268+01:002014-10-14T14:58:18.268+01:00Thanks for your comment. That's absolutely tru...Thanks for your comment. That's absolutely true, of course. However, the key issue is that they learn best practice from more experienced colleagues. Unless that balance is right, new staff straight from training can be vulnerable, as well as liabilities for the establishment. PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-20088531651498421272014-10-14T14:54:33.507+01:002014-10-14T14:54:33.507+01:00Unfortunately experienced staff only get that way ...Unfortunately experienced staff only get that way by starting as inexperienced staff! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-20185233735876026282014-10-14T14:48:25.065+01:002014-10-14T14:48:25.065+01:00Thanks for your contribution to the discussion. I ...Thanks for your contribution to the discussion. I agree that simply recruiting anyone off the street as POs is never a great idea. All large organisations are essentially 'organic' in that they are in a state of constant replacement of staff as employees leave or retire. However, the health of any institution depends on having sufficient 'institutional memory' and experience to ensure continuity of management and practice.<br /><br />When a large number of new and inexperienced staff suddenly appear on the wing landings, it can be a recipe for disaster and conflict. This is a regular criticism made of the new private sector prisons because they have many inexperienced people who are out of their depth. This leads to bullying of staff, as well as serious risks to the security of the establishment and the safety of prisoners and staff alike.<br /><br />I would definitely agree with the need to assess candidates much more thoroughly, including psychological tests. It has always been said that no-one with sadistic tendencies should ever be employed in a prison - for obvious reasons. Lord Acton was right: "Power tends to corrupt".<br /><br />Funnily enough, I have heard a lot of criticism of 'rogue staff' from serving screws, as well as ex-staff members. If you read Ronnie Thompson's book about prisons 'Screwed' he is highly critical of lazy, sadistic, dishonest or bent screws. There is a general view that such people are security risks and expose everyone in a nick - cons and screws alike - to unnecessary problems.PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-6129401287123775202014-10-14T14:29:12.055+01:002014-10-14T14:29:12.055+01:00It is no good recruiting staff quickly to fill the...It is no good recruiting staff quickly to fill the void that the powers that be have created. One of the main problems along with there being a staff shortage is the poor training and selection process. I was shocked to find out how little training these people actually have before walking the landings, after all they are dealing with human beings whose problems that have led them to break the law can be very complex which can be compounded by incarceration and also brought on by it. Employing staffs who think it is their job to meter out added punishments of their choosing has been acceptable for far too long, it goes unreported and when it is it is ignored. I also think that po’s should have psychological assessments during the selection process and these assessment should be ongoing throughout their careers as many will have to deal with some very disturbing incidents which may affect their mental health and ability to do their job. Real training and better selection would help cut down on the number of rogue staff although I imagine the fact there are so many rogue staff will be strenuously denied.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-26693680097200914732014-10-14T13:46:37.562+01:002014-10-14T13:46:37.562+01:00Sadly not! He's still in post... it was a piec...Sadly not! He's still in post... it was a piece of satire (see the new comments above)! Sorry that everyone got excited!PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-15245729991679668212014-10-14T13:45:12.131+01:002014-10-14T13:45:12.131+01:00Thanks for your comment. While that is true, my un...Thanks for your comment. While that is true, my understanding is that lots of the posts are yet to be filled and staff are still being brought in from other establishments - a point made earlier today at the PGA conference.<br /><br />Sometimes very inexperienced screws can actually be a worse liability than straight-forward staff shortages. I've seen real problems caused by clueless OSGs.PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-57343047490366539002014-10-14T13:39:19.015+01:002014-10-14T13:39:19.015+01:00Thanks for sharing... I think we all got excited f...Thanks for sharing... I think we all got excited for about 10 seconds! Sadly, the Lord High Executioner of Rehabilitation is still firmly in post. PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-84447648481817189562014-10-14T13:37:10.169+01:002014-10-14T13:37:10.169+01:00*"The Bastard"*"The Bastard"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-24710502069417737092014-10-14T13:31:42.696+01:002014-10-14T13:31:42.696+01:00The letter about Chris is a parody "joke"...The letter about Chris is a parody "joke" btw before anyone gets too excited! I found It on a site called "Bastards"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-84177118322724272072014-10-14T13:05:05.556+01:002014-10-14T13:05:05.556+01:00Ah mr grayling is going . But the damage is done c...Ah mr grayling is going . But the damage is done cons need solidarity and to kick off for fucks sake. They run yhe jail not the screws. As screws are out numbered theynneed to kik off and get some basic rites. Vas ps am angry at this prick graylingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-32673756618622607522014-10-14T13:03:46.173+01:002014-10-14T13:03:46.173+01:00Over the last few months there has been a massive ...Over the last few months there has been a massive recruitment drive for new Prison Officers & whilst experienced officers would be better at least it's hopefully a step in the right direction. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623255227619374869.post-26264726199923791212014-10-14T12:33:45.643+01:002014-10-14T12:33:45.643+01:00Maria Miller to replace Chris Grayling as Justice ...Maria Miller to replace Chris Grayling as Justice Secretary <br /><br />English Bastards <br /><br />Dr Suusi Watson 05/04/2014 10:04 UK <br />-In the wake of the Parliamentary expenses scandal, the Prime Minister David Cameron has decided to promote Maria Miller to be the next Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Cameron said that he was so impressed with her transparent honesty and sense of fair play when dealing with the scandalous allegations of fraudulently claiming parliamentary expenses on her parents house. That he felt that she would be the ideal person to become the new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in the upcoming reshuffle. She will also be revising the role of the parliamentary standards commissioner. He went on the Lord Chancellor needs to be someone who shows some real steel. Maria's previous appointments have shown that she has this quality. As Minister for the disabled she closed Remploy and at the same time refused to meet anyone who was actually disabled. "I do not blame her in the slightest", He said. "Why would anyone want to concern themselves with that bunch of freeloading flids." "I have no doubt that in Justice she will be able to put all her skills into the dismantling of the legal system. She cannot do a worse job than that wimp Chr Grayling. Who seems to have gone native on me."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com