Why are we issued with razor blades and permitted hobby knives, but are prohibited from having coffee in a glass jar?
Why do the staff go barmy if they catch us having a spliff, but then dish out psychotropic medications to women prisoners as if they were sweets?
Why do Governors NEVER just say "yes" to anything?
Why, in every new Parliamentary intake is there one MP who adopts the "rent a quote" role on prisons, despite knowing bugger all about the subject?
Why are the psychologists 'treating' sex offenders invariably young women?
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1. There is no reason
ReplyDelete2. It suits the regime to keep them quiet
3. Against the rules
4. someones nephew
5. That one has me stumped!
As I see it of course.........
Hi Ben,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the posts. Its all barking mad really, a mushroom on the ground is legal but in your house its a crime! George Orwell and Kafka have been saying it for years, but we're too hooked on Ferdinand & Scholes and their 90minutes of fame to raise our eyes to the bigger game. If Julian Assange gets a good break perhaps he will keep the rent a quote mob in check?
Be lucky n take good care,
Dave
Can i also add another why? Why are the rules in all prisons not the same? Why can you send in say, envelopes and stamps in one prison, then the prisoner moves jail, and there is a completly new set of rules about what you can send in?? Oh, and another Why, Why don't the staff in private run prisons have the faintest idea what they are doing?
ReplyDeleteGood questions Anonymous above, there doesn't seem to be much consistency at all. This makes things very confusing for friends and family. It can lead to people sending in disallowed items by mistake and having them confiscated, causing needless misunderstandings they could do without.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous and Jules thank you! This is just a microcosm of how fucked up this world is. You take a bunch of greedy liars with big balls and big guns, they force everyone at gunpoint to lie and obey them, hence for centuries very few people have asked any questions for fear of being incarcerated or crucified like Jesus Christ and his followers. Now, questions are being asked, and yet no one has got the answers. Why? Beause liars are conjurers. It takes someone like ben to penetrate through their magic trick only to find out that there is no substance.
ReplyDeleteDare I say that someone like me was born knowing. Apartheid was my window to that knowing. We live in a world governed by fools, conjurers and lying thieves. What solid answer can you get from a fake magician? Ben you are worth more than diamond and gold to other prisoners. You hold the key to their liberation. If you ever feel physically and mentally exhausted, think about a black woman trying to stand up against the establishment. We need more of you because prisoners who are guilty of any crime must be set free when they have served their sentence. The reason why you are still behind bars is because you ask questions than liars cannot answer. Good luck mate, at least they have not tried to silence, poison or kill you like they have tried to some of us!
Well yes, so many questions ... who was it who said 'ask no questions and I'll tell you no lies'? Its all enough to drive those 'born aware' to insanity eh Flo and it takes one to know one : )
ReplyDeleteWell Sophs, there are many kinds of questions; if you ask me about my personal life, something that has nothing to do with you, I have a choice of telling you the truth, remaining silent or lying. On the other hand no one has a right to make up a story about my life just because I have refused to talk to them. I don't need to know about anyone's personal life- hence I don't ask. But if I ask why I am being oppressed just because of my colour, then I need to know the truth. If I say to people, I don't want to be your friend, do I really need a question as to Why? No. The difference here is that ben is in prison, has been incacerated for 3/4 of his life. He has a right to ask questions, just as I have a right to ask the establishment questions as to why they colour coded me so as to discriminate against me, steal from me and oppress my people.
ReplyDeleteYou and me cannot answer ben's questions. What we can do if we are that way inclined is empathise with ben. That is exactly what I am doing, for I have lived my life with many questions and no one to answer them. I have gone past the insanity bit for I know who I am and I know the truth that I stand up for - hence no lies, poison or slander can succeed in silencing me!
Oh well then ... Good, I'm glad!
ReplyDeleteSorry to change the subject, but I have just read this tweet from the Howard League:
ReplyDelete'Fact of the day: 71% of children in custody have been involved with, or in the care of, social services before entering custody'
What can we do? This is a tragic statistic. If there is anyone with any influence or power reading this please, please do something. It is shocking and inhumane that we treat vulnerable young people like this in our so-called civilised society. They need help and therapeutic treatment, not more punishment.
Jules, did you know Ben was in a care home when he committed his crime? No-one in authority cared much then, or now, it seems.
ReplyDeleteYes I did know Ben was in a care home, and I have also worked in one, so I know first hand the issues these young people have which is why it upsets me so much.
ReplyDeleteHere's another statistic involving those in care 50% end up in prison yet less than 10% are in care as a result of their own behaviour.
ReplyDeleteI would say that even with that 10% we should look at the reasons behind their behaviour, and ask ourselves if prison (as it is at present anyway) is going to do anything whatsoever to help them live fulfilling and dignified lives in the future.
ReplyDeleteWas going to comment on this, but realised that anyone who had even a vague idea of the 'care' system in UK would realise that the only surprise in these figures is that only 50% of kids in care end up in prison. The system is so screwed up, it's surprising it's not more.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous above, I do have more than a vague idea of the care system and agree with your comment above. My experience of working in a crisis unit for young people was the most challenging and painful in my life, and ended with me becoming ill. What you don't know can't disturb you, and now Pandora's box has been opened for me. However I must say I met many caring and dedicated people working on the 'front line', doing their best for the young people but struggling with a totally inadequate system. We also have to remember that when a young person comes into care often much damage has already been done, so the 'care' system cannot take all the blame, it is the whole of society who should share the burden of guilt. Saying that, care should be much more theraputic and less about just providing food and shelter, howewer vital that is.
ReplyDelete