any one been to prison?

Question

whats it realy like in thair?

Answer 1

Not me but I know a man that has. Depends on the nature of the conviction and where you're sent. Take Ford open prison, that's a holiday camp compared to the likes of Parkhurst.
Generally it's a living HELL!! Locked in a cell 8ft x 5ft with the constant smell of stale piss from the bucket in the corner. No privacy even when you sleep, constant fights between inmates, 'screws' banging your cell door on purpose all night. You're a trapped animal for 23hrs a day, some days you hardly get out of your cell because there's not enough screws on duty.
I think they should show a 'no holds barred' depiction of prison life in schools as a deterrent to help prevent yobish behaviour.

Answer 2

I thought your question deserved a more helpful, and British answer.

Have a look at these webpages for diferent answers to your question.

1. This Times newspaper article is about middle class prisoners, with particular reference to Jonathan King http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1547953,00.html
2. This is the Criminal Justice Service's Prisons Virtual Walkthrough guide http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/walkthroughs/prison/launch_prisons.html
3. Prisoners' rights - compiled by the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A1181882
4. Guardian newspaper special report on prisons. This site has many personal accounts - just click on the links. http://www.guardian.co.uk/prisons/subsection/0,,593273,00.html
5. Prison Reform Trust. This is the news section, and you can pick your topics on the left. There are many interesting articles in various categories such as women, young people, race, overcrowding and deaths in custody. http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/section.asp?id=14

I hope they are useful.

Answer 3

Suppose it depends the type of person you are. If you are already in a dad way due to drugs or something and don't have much of a life it's probably pretty OK but if you are a 'regular' person and end up in there it's pretty bad.

It starts before you actually end up in there - worrying all about it before you get sentenced. For me it was hard to get on with other things like my job and I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend.

I spent just over 3 months in prison earlier this year in Ireland. months. From the moment you get sent down you lose all control over your life and the fear of the unknown sets in. The first days are definitely the worst.

I was cuffed up and then chained to a guard and dumped into a van. Going through the gates is a terrible feeling as you don't know whats ahead of you. I had to strip off and get searched and showered. It's not as bad as they make out in the movies but it's pretty humiliating. You get your prison clothes and some other stuff and your bedding for your cell and then they take you to your cell.

The first impressions of the place where I was which was pretty old was of the smell, the banging of gates and the noise that seems there. There were loads of people around but at the same time you were on your own - not knowing what to do or how to do it. None of my family or mates had been there before so I didn't really know what to expect.

The cells are tiny especially if you have to share with somebody. We were locked up at least 16 hours a day and often more and you get bored cooped up in a tiny space. Where I was you still had to slop out so you would basically piss in a pot and empty it each morning. You were locked up at 7.30 for the night and those first nights that suited me fine as I just wanted to be by myself.

Not everybody in there was a psycho but there were plenty who wanted to be hardmen and would kick off and start a scrap or try to take things from others. It goes on because nobody grasses up but if you don't come across as too weak, don't go looking for trouble and be careful who you spend time with you should be OK. Nothing serious happened to me but I was always watching out. Most of the stuff about rape isn't true - didn't see anything like that and only heard the odd story but some prisoners do try and make weapons to have power in there.

We got 1 visit a forthnight which you would really look forward to but it would go by quickly and you would normally feel pretty down after it. We got 1 6 minute phone call a day and you only were entitled to 1 shower a week although you could sometimes get more.

Most of the screws were OK if you didn't cause trouble but some of them liked the power they have and would take the piss and some seemed to cause trouble to get somebody to kick off.

We did have TV, radio, CDs in the cell so they helped pass the time although even with those you end up pretty bored. You got €2 a day that was put in your account and you could use that to buy stuff like smokes, sweets, drinks, papers etc. - you could get your family or mates to send in extra money for your account.

There are drugs in there too but I kept away from all that as so much trouble is down to people owing others - they're not meant to be there but they do get in and some people are mad to get them.

You spend alot of time just counting down the days until you get out and I never felt as good as I did walking out the gate the morning I got out.

Have to say overall it was worse than I hoped but better than I thought it might be. I know all prisons aren't the same but that's how I found it.

Answer 4

Are you planning on going?

I have delivered prisoners to State Pens. It is not a place to take up homesteading, my friend.

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