Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Freedom and Censorship

Freedom is something longed for by those who lack it, yet a nebulous conception that slips through the gaps in the mind when one attempts to grasp it. Is Freedom the absence of constraints? Or a suppression of fundamental needs? Or is it more positive, is Freedom the ability to move in whatever direction one chooses?

I am driven to ponder the nature of freedom all the more now that I am "free". The parenthesis inevitably exists due to the legal nature of my freedom - Life Licence. My liberty is conditional. And this causes some difficulties, setting aside weekends in Cornwall or Spanish holidays.

Paragraph 5 of my Life License stipulates I must seek prior permission before engaging in any work, paid or unpaid. And this is causing some befuddlement among my Probation supervisors. It seems that few of their charges are called upon to "consult" for various people or organisations, or who blog, or who have the odd piece in The Guardian. That I do all of these things is the source of confusion, stretching what is usually regarded as being plain and simple "work" into new areas for my keepers. I cheekily asked as, during my last Probation chat I exchanged emails with a Guardian editor - just how many Lifers are in this situation?

The essence of the most pertinent dispute with Probation centres on my writing. I have never, ever asked permission to write a single word. And there were more than a couple of prison staff who felt that this stance was in some way offensive, as if they should hold control of my mind as well as my body. Regardless of the consequences, the subtle and not so subtle pressure, when I sat to write in my cell it was without a moment's regard for my keepers.

On the day of my release I continued this tradition. The Guardian commissioned a piece to be written that day and I obliged. A fee changed hands for this effort, a standard arrangement for any freelance writing. And in that casual, unthinking way I managed to breach my Licence within hours of release!

The latest comment piece raises the same issues. Writing for publication, whether paid or not, constitutes "work". And work must be agreed beforehand by my supervisors. I obviously think that this whole condition in Life Licences is a nonsense but in relation to writing it is dangerous nonsense.

Because what I am being asked to do (on pain of being recalled to prison) is to clear beforehand anything I may write for the public gaze. A more fraught potential for censorship I cannot imagine in a democratic society.

12 comments:

  1. Good post Ben; thought provoking and well written. I disagree with your view that condition 5 i( along with other safeguards) is unnecessary... the worst case scenario if it wasn't there would be ( for example) a sex offender getting a job in a children's home or similar. However, aside from that, I doubt that continuing to blog would prove sufficient grounds for your recall, as my understanding of recall procedures is that they are usually based on risk of harm in the absence of reoffending and given that you seem unlikely to reoffend, have already satisfied the parole board that your blog poses no real harm ( except maybe to some people's sensibilities) , I doubt that a continuation of you writing (paid or otherwise) will constitute grounds for recall.. Cynic-Al ...

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    1. 'I doubt that continuing to blog would prove sufficient grounds for your recall, as my understanding of recall procedures is that they are usually based on risk of harm in the absence of reoffending and given that you seem unlikely to reoffend, have already satisfied the parole board that your blog poses no real harm'

      Your faith in the system is endearing but, (again) the fact is; many people languish in the system as we speak having been recalled for far less and sometimes nothing. Some have been back there many years.

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    2. Kinel Darby, is your glass ever anything other than half empty???? Cynic-Al

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    3. My comments are based on experience, fact and common sense.

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    4. What experience?? You're not a lifer... What facts??? The fact is the majority of prisoners released on life license aren't recalled to prison, and those that are recalled are only recalled after the Home Secretary has been satisfied that they have either reoffended or they present a higher risk of harm or risk of reoffending than they did when released on license... What common sense??? Take off your blinkers and some common sense might become visible to you ... Cynic-Al

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    5. Are "Darby" and the editor one and the same person I wonder???? Cynic-Al

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    6. If these type of draconian parole conditions only applied to Lifers, you might have a point.

      Many people, serving all different lengths of (parole-able) sentence, have been recalled for the most petty infractions.

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    7. 'Are "Darby" and the editor one and the same person I wonder????'

      As stupid as you thinking you had to divulge that the first post was from you when it

      It had your grubby fingerprints all over it.

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    8. Doesn't quite answer the question.... Or maybe it does eh??? Lol Cynic-Al

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  2. Petty infractions or not-the fact remains that if some cannot/will not abide by restrictions imposed on them,then perhaps they are not at all fit to be in the public domain & certainly not 'rehabilitated.'

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  3. So ask for permission then, Ben? Get the facts, as they are, "Totally". Writing, is not an offence, unless you are in China, Burma, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. You know the rules, of what you cannot say, we all know that!

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  4. Perhaps one perverted solution would be to form your own limited company and contract with it to supply services. Get that approved by your Probation bods. And then the limited company can freely go out and offer to provide services.

    Nonsense, of course, but it might well be legal. And if you're causing your watchers that much hassle, they might even agree.

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