Today during our hour on the Astroturf I enjoyed a chat with one of the buddies I first met when we were both temporarily housed in the remand wing. I left there almost four months ago, so he was able to update me on a few things that he had learned on the grape vine: thankfully, the guy we used to chat to who attempted suicide twice has finally been moved out of the remand wing (which was once described to me by a member of staff as “like a jungle” – sentiments that I would agree with). He’s now in a hall where he should receive a little more care (I use that word very loosely). Sadly though, my second remand hall co-pilot apparently also became suicidal and had to be put on suicide watch. (And while we’re on the topic, my neighbour here in this hall was also put on suicide watch this week).

On a more cheery note, as we walked around the Astroturf, he told me that the cider-making lessons that I gave whilst in the remand wing paid off! After I left there, he succeeded in making some (apparently) very tasty and very strong apple and pear cider! The back story to this is that there’s a myth throughout the prison that when making hooch you have to add bread to the mix to provide a source of yeast. Most people in the remand hall didn’t believe me when I told them that yeast is killed in the bread making process, but this one guy followed my recipe. I was pleased to hear that he enjoyed many a glass of tasty clear cider, while his hall mates continued to swig lumpy brown hooch.

After that catch-up, I sat down with another buddy to go over some of the official prison rules, which he has eventually managed to get his hands on. We were interested to see them because one warden had said to me that they deliberately don’t let inmates know their rights because it makes life harder for the staff. (Of course, we knew this already, but it was interesting to hear it from the horse’s mouth.). Amongst today’s revelations was the fact we should all have had a meeting in which our plan for reform was discussed, including education, prison work, counselling and mental health. Needless to say, neither of us have been offered this meeting. (As an aside, I also haven’t been allocated a “Personal Officer”, and I was told that I couldn’t receive an induction or an induction booklet. All of these are meant to be provided to every inmate.)

As we sat discussing this, sitting on the bench beside the 5-a-side pitch, I realised that there are lots of very positive things about the prison system ON PAPER, but that many of them are never acted on. The gap between policy and practice is vast. I’m sure the causes of this are many, including uncaring and poorly-trained staff, lack of funding, and a general culture (both within the prison and out in the wider society) that emphasises punishment over rehabilitation. The result is that the prison has a “revolving door”. To give just one example, my neighbour (the one who tried to shave his head without water) was released from prison 2 weeks ago and within one week he was already back behind bars.

My next chat was with an inmate who has become my unofficial bee-keeping tutor! Three days a week I prepare a list of questions, based on the books and notes that he’s lent me. Today it was all about the benefits of different types of hive, and some of the different methods that can be used to generate new colonies. I find it absolutely fascinating and think that I’ve become a bee-geek :p