With thanks to Will Storr
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/15/ben-gunn-murder-love-life-after-prison
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Ben
Lecturing
About Me
- prisonerben
- United Kingdom
- Previously known as "one of Britain's best known prisoners...he constantly questions authority and exposes the futility of the system" The Times, Ben was finally released from prison after 32 years in August 2012. Pleading guilty to the murder of a friend when he was 14 years old, he renounced violence and fought for the recognition of the inherent dignity of all human beings. As a result of speaking truth to power, he served far longer than the recommended 10 years, leading Education Secretary Michael Gove to argue that he had "been punished excessively for a crime committed as a child". One of the more intellectual of prisoner-campaigners, Ben chose to educate himself from schoolboy level to having both undergraduate and post graduate degrees. He is currently one of very few prisoners in Britain ever to attempt a Doctorate. Ben's speciality is non-violent action and the Human Needs Theory. Now on Life Licence, He is forging a career as a CJ policy consultant, writer and - as ever - campaigner.
Great article. Obviously horrid to hear the trauma going on in your personal life. At the time of, and before your release you were very confident of you ability to adapt into the outside world. I would guess that the classes you took before you left on how to adapt to life after prison weren't ideal. Do you think they could be altered to help ex-cons come to a more clearer understanding ? Its probably something one just has to experience and there is no easy answer.
ReplyDeleteps Better with the shorter beard me thinks
JAmes S: I thought it was rather sweet that you imagined that there were "classes" to help Ben cope with release. Ha Ha. The article highlighted the damaging effect of long term imprisonment, I think, especially one that started in childhood. Unlikely to happen today. I thought it showed how ill prepared Lifers are for the real world - survival, life, relationships - and how little support there is out here for them post release. It is a testament to Ben's inner strength that he is still standing and starting to take control; take the reins of his life at last. Long term imprisonment is damaging as it deprives people of that opportunity, but Ben hung on to a certain amount of control by his non-compliance and this helped see get him through it and keep him sane.
DeleteI agree about the beard!
I hope that in time you will be able to leave the 14-year-old behind, as well as the person prison forced you to be. You obviously have enormous strength. But it does take time and patience, and self-forgiveness. You aren't the child you once were. Classes about rehabilitating yourself can only go so far -- for anyone. The real work goes on inside you. Believe it or not, even people you see on the street, who appear to you to have it all together, may be going through the same slow, painful process, for their own reasons. Welcome to a very flawed human race.
ReplyDeleteLooks like some of the 'usual suspects' have turned up in the comments there; and showing no more reading comprehension ability than they show here.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you need to imply as you do that you have a higher reading ability than the other two contributors? Seems sad to me.
DeleteI suggest you try reading what I wrote again. *Carefully*...
ReplyDeleteReally good article - and you may not realise it but it helps others (like me) to understand what happened to our family following the release of our family member from a prison sentence. We have spent time adjusting to a new life and our ex-prisoner member is taking longer to adjust. Keep going Ben, listen to the advice from Catana above - you have done much to help others and must make sure that you look after yourself too.
ReplyDeleteSociety has a duty to help you (and all other ex-prisoners) to live a fulfilling life and be a positive member of our society so do not be put off by 'anonymous remarks' - I sometimes wonder if all these anonymous people are so perfect that they are entitled to criticise/belittle others.
Keep strong Ben and please let us know how you really are. xx
"I'm imploding"? I'm worried about you, Ben. We've never met,
ReplyDeletebut your blog has moved me to tears more than once.
You're an inspiration.
As Mary says: "Keep strong."
- First-time commenter, long-time reader