Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Question Time

As a result of Ben's request for help with his PhD funding, which was reported on CiF at the Guardian, we now have a lot of new readers. Hello and thanks for joining. If any blog followers, old or new, have any questions they would like to ask Ben about himself or prison in general, please leave them in the comments and I will send them to him for his answers.

Please appreciate that we rely on Royal Mail as opposed to e-mail, so the answers may take a week or two.

Ed.

15 comments:

  1. We know "if" land doesn't exsist, but i would like to ask Ben what he thinks he would be doing with his life if "that day" didn't happen?

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  2. Hi ben, why do you think that you will not commit a serious crime in the future, if you are released?

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  3. What does Ben think about 'Top dog' positioning in prisons. Does it go on? has he ever been in one? and what is it like if he has. What does it involve?

    My understanding is that they (top dogs) can be essential to the smooth running of institutions such as prisons, but can be tough going on the one who gets into that position in some ways i.e keeping order among fellow prisoners.


    (Thinking about Bee from Prisoner Cell Block H which was one of my favorite TV shows back in the day!)

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  4. What proportion of people in prison claim to be innocent, what proportion genuinely are, can you tell which is which and how?

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  5. Hi Ben, I read nearly all of your postings last weekend. So informative, engaging and rather humbling in a strange fashion.

    I expect a 'pecking order' goes on with respect to crimes that people are inside for and which are deemed of 'higher status' than others. However an insight into that 'order' and maybe a rationale (if that is possible) would be very illuminating.

    Thanks for posting and giving someone on the outside such an insight. I used to live in Aylesbury quite near the prison and it struck me, even at such a young age, that I knew nothing of what went on inside the grim exterior.

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  6. To what degree do you genuinely feel as a middle-aged man that you are responsible for the actions of a 14 year old boy in a fit of anger? I mean, sure, that collection of cells eventually became the collection of cells that now constitute "you", but aren't you essentially different organisms: your brains do/did different things, you believe different things, and the current you probably dislikes the person you "were" in that moment enormously.

    Given that, does the state reeeallllly have the right to imprison you now on account of the immoral actions of a different you?

    Er, long question! Sorry if it's too wanky!

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  7. If prisoners suddenly had access to all the educational resources they could ever need, what proportion do you think would make use of the opportunity?

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  8. Andrew F: Your question reminds me of the speech Red made in Shawshank redemption, when he went for parole and got it. So true...Ben is not the person he was then and keeping him locked up is inappropriate and a waste of taxpayer's money.

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  9. What are Ben's views on prison charities or other organisations supposed to represent those in custody? Which ones does he think really have their interests at heart and which are just a cash cow for the employees?
    In other words, who is worth donating to froma prisoners perspective?

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  10. I have the same question as the one directly above, but with reference to thinktanks?

    PS - Ben, I found your blog via the Guardian, and instantly rate it as one of my favourites. It really makes me think, and see things from a different perspective.

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  12. Have you ever encountered any prisoners who take pride in what they have done rather than show any kind of resource? The type of person the Daily Mail has us believe all prisoners are.

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  13. Ben, do you get strip searched much, and does it bother you, or don't you care?

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  14. Ben, how would you define 'justice'?

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  15. How often do you get a "town visit" and is this for you to wander round the shops, are you escorted by staff, and if you prefered, could you do as you wish, ie see a hooker or day at a theme park or something ?

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