Does Prision
Work?"Young offenders either get released from prison, totally full of themselves and think they own the world, or are totally broken by mental or physical bullying. They have so much suppressed resentment and anger all they want to do is to blame someone" Martin speaks from first hand experience; he was first locked up at the age of 14 and has been in and out of prison for the last fifteen years. Recently released he is now desperately trying to build a new life. Does Prison work? Not for Martin, Prison introduced him to drugs and initiated his life of crime. Because of physical abuse he was put into care as a baby. His rebellious childhood and adolescence was the result of trying to make sense of situation that confused him. "No body really understood me and I didn’t understand myself. Crime became a way of releasing my frustration", says Martin. Drugs blocked everything out for him. His most difficult times were being locked in a cell with people he did not choose. He tells me that he had to endure the mental torture of not being able to escape", However, Lord Woolf, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, addressing the Prison Service Conference, last February spoke about the positive aspect of Prison. He said "society needs punishment which will reduce offending. Most objective onlookers recognise the limits of what can be achieved by deterrence and retribution alone. We have to focus more on rehabilitation." The Prison Service needs the support of the community. Many Prisons in England and Wales are now opening their doors to community groups and inviting collaborative approaches to resettlement. For the first time Martin has used Prison to change his life. Whilst serving his last sentence he engaged on a nine month drug rehabilitation programme. A community rehab project was there to meet him at the Prison gates and has helped him re-adjust to the challenges of freedom. He is now preparing to undertake a residential college course. After being locked up for almost four years, he felt alienated and not part of society. On his release he felt lost. The noise of traffic and crowds of people left him with an inadequacy that tempted him to take drugs. Martin feels everyone needs rehabilitation when they re-enter the community. With over fifteen years of prison, for petty theft, burglary, drugs and violence, it became a comfort zone of safety. Nevertheless, it’s no longer an option for him. He now believes its time to discover life and fulfil his ambitions. College is his goal and a career in youth and community work is his ultimate aim. We lock up more than 10,000 15 to 21 year olds each year. For some it is the appropriate place. Yet for others it can corrupt and destroy their human potential for growth. However, Young Offenders Institutions can provide people with stability and new opportunities. I first met Shehwah four years ago soon after his release form Lancaster Farms. He has now graduated from university with a 2:1. Angela Neustatter’s new book highlights this fact. After eighteen months researching the experiences of youths locked up, she has discovered how many find the environment a welcome escape from chaos. Nevertheless, they are the lucky ones. It takes tremendous will power and determination and many young people are not equipped with the ability to change. They lack the motivation. Prison is not able to deal with such people. Sadly, many get lost in the adult world of crime where prison is no longer seen as a punishment. It becomes a place called home. |
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