LIFE INSIDE UNDER-FIRE PRISON
Ex-inmate tells of experience in Welsh jail slammed by inspectors:
IT IS the most powerful deterrent our justice system possesses and is the fearful fate that awaits thousands of criminals every year. But for law-abiding citizens the harsh realities of prison life will forever remain a mystery. So what is it really like? Former paratrooper Mark Lloyd, 33, was jailed for f 20 weeks last August after fraudulently claiming in thousands of pounds in disability benefits. The ex-soldier, from Pontypridd, denied the offence off but was found guilty of dishonestly failing to d disclose information to make a gain for himself. His trial heard he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and won wo a triathlon while on disability benefits. He H spent eight weeks in jail, serving his sentence in Swansea Prison, which earlier this month was heavily hea criticised in a damning report. Inspectors I found the jail had a “complacent and inexcusable” ineiex approach to the safety of vulnerable prisoners. priiso Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons uncovered ununco high levels of suicide and self-harm among amo new prisoners and described “four selfinflicted inflic deaths” since the last inspection in 2014 – all of o which took place “within the first seven days of arrival a at Swansea”. In addition, 134 incidents of self-harm sel were recorded. Those considered at risk of suicide could be put p in a “constant watch” cell that was “unwelcoming, c dirty and unfurnished”. The inspectors also found that far too little attention was paid to ensuring that the 458 men had basic items such as socks, boxer shorts and sheets. They described how “prisoners usually had to eat their meals next to their toilets, which did not always have seats or lids”. Prisoners who did not have jobs were kept locked l in their cells for around 22 hours a day. Mark’s story paints a vivid picture of these conditions. c This is what going to prison is really like:
Before you get there
According A to Mark, one of the best things you can do is learn what you are entitled to before you go in. in
“Learn “L your rights and take documentation in,” he said. s “I did a lot of research before I went. You can t take toiletries, notepads and books.
“Unfortunately, “U all that wasn’t allowed when I got to reception – it is up to their discretion and I was only allowed to take some items. If they take your list of rights off you make sure your family send you it by letters. If you don’t, they will not tell you what you are entitled to and you will never be treated fairly. Once you are able to quote things then suddenly they have to cater for you.”
When you arrive
According to Mark, your initial search when you arrive is not as thorough as you may imagine.
“You walk in the door and you get strip-searched,” he said. “It is not a proper search – there are no fingers inserted. I would almost welcome having my person invaded if it eradicated drugs from prison. You hand over all your possessions. Then you fill in several documents that you don’t necessarily understand or have time to read. You sign all your kit away to them and get issued with your bedding.”
Drugs in prison
The reason Mark said he would welcome a proper search is that he believed almost all the drugs in prison were entering inside the bodies of inmates.
He said: “It was reported in the media that drugs were been thrown over the fence. There is a fence in between the outside perimeter and the inside. If the drugs are landing in that part then prisoners have no access to it. They are coming in because people are putting them up their a****.
“They have a condom or a couple of condoms so they don’t break, fill them with drugs, insert them. Then when they get to a cell in a couple of days’ time, when they know it will be their cell and they are not going to be moved, they remove them and sell them to the other prisoners.
“They can then create wealth in prison within a couple of days. Obviously there is no money, but they can have their cell kitted out with tea bags and coffee within a short space of time.” The prison economy
Without pounds and pence, new inmates find themselves needing to build up some wealth.
One of the key items inside are nicotine patches, with smoking no longer allowed.
Mark said: “There are nicotine patches that get given to a smoker when they come in.
“They are a luxury. Patches are like a grade A item – they are like gold. People need them and can get three or four uses out of one patch.
“They are quite resourceful. It is quite fascinating and some of the blokes are really clever.
“It is true currency in the sense that the patches, tea and coffee are actually useful. There is a value accepted amongst the prisoners.”
Prison fashion
There are still sought-after garments behind bars. “There is something called prison fashion,” explained Mark. “Years ago there used to be these trousers. They were prison issued and had a serial number on them whereas now you just get grey tracksuit trousers.
“There are still some floating around and if you can get your hands on a set they are worth a lot.
“Prisoners that have been there 10 or 15 years have these cargo pants. Those are worth a lot – you would pay a few patches for them. It basically says you’re a senior prisoner, have served a bit of time, know what you are doing, and people will not mess with you. They are quite sought-after.”
Make friends and make them quick
Prison can be a boring, lonely and unforgiving place. A key way a new inmate can survive is to make allies.
“The first night is crucial,” said Mark. “When you join everyone knows you are a new person. We have a free period where you can go to the rec room and play pool. Just introduce yourself to people and let them know you are not a threat or a thief.
“You need to show you are decent bloke and will keep your head down.”
According to Mark you do not need to start a fight with the biggest man in the place.
“There is myth that you need to go up to the biggest bloke or the hardest prisoner and start on them to assert your dominance. That is the wrong way to go about it. A lot of prisoners don’t want to fight each other – they have had enough of that.
“It is hard enough in there – they want an easy life. They don’t want to get into scraps because they get punished for it and have privileges taken away.
“They just want to go to work in the day, do their job, get the small amount of luxuries with that money they earn, and just go to the gym at the end of the day when they can.”
Despite this it is still very important for prisoners to show early on they are not a pushover.
“Sometimes you do have to stand up and make a bit of scene,” admitted Mark. “Just so people won’t take the p***. The ones that do it are the manipulators, usually the ones with drug addictions. They are used to manipulating people outside of prison so they can get what they want, like conning people for money. They always try it on with the staff.
“You should make it not worth their while and show that you are not a pushover.
According to Mark, people do tend to spend time with people from similar cultures or backgrounds.
“I was lucky. I went straight to the lowest category wing and only because I happened to speak to an officer who was in the marine corps. Prison officers have always been sound. There is nothing wrong with 95% of them. He managed to get me into that wing, which is normally the last stop before you are discharged.
“The officers knew I was ex-military and introduced me to all the ex-military blokes on the wing.
They like to keep them all together.
“It means they support each other and noone will mess with the ex-servicemen so we all get left alone.”
“It is not just socialising with the prisoners – speak to the guards and staff,” Mark advised.
“This way they will know you and they are more likely to help you. They are more likely to help you if you are not an idiot, as there are so many idiots there. If you have a good relationship, humans are humans and they will be more likely to help if you are pleasant.”
Inside the cell Some prisoners in Swansea will spend as much as 23 hours a day inside their two-person cell.
With a bunk bed and toilet wedged into a 4m x 3m metre cell the relationship with your cellmate can turn a tough experience into a nightmare. Within prison cells there is a strict hierarchy, with longest resident getting priority.
“When your cellmate leaves you are now the senior, your rules apply. You get the best bed.
“When you are new you can’t just pick the TV remote up and change the channel. That will not go very well for you. I had a bloke who was only 18 come in with me and he was sound.” Meal time You may have an image of a crowded cafeteria with new inmates nervously working out where to sit. This is not a very accurate reflection. In Swansea most inmates eat in their cell.
“On the high-security wings they will get let out one cell at a time for food so they can’t fight or slip drugs to each other,” said Mark.
“There are three meals a day and the menu is alternated between two days. The best day you get two hard-boiled eggs for breakfast, a scoop of porridge and a bread roll.
“On the second day you get two small sausages and a scoop of beans – they are not real meat. I know they have to save money on food but the standard of food is ridiculous in terms of nutrition.
“You get an apple at lunch, but not five fruit and veg a day. I didn’t see a green vegetable in the eight weeks I was there – it is all white potatoes.
“You have people in there for 10 years and they develop health problems regarding their diet. If you have this diet for 10 years you are not going to be a healthy person.”
According to Mark, the cell is not the most pleasant dining experience.
“You are only one metre from the toilet. You have a curtain – it is all right but you can’t get away from the sounds,” he said.
“It takes a bit of getting used to. You are just finishing your food and having dessert and suddenly there is a bloke having a s***.”
Not all crimes are treated equally Mark says that many of the inmates knew his face when he arrived because they had seen him on the news. This was fine for him but for certain criminals this could be devastating.
He said: “Some sex offenders, in my opinion, get what they deserve, but say you had just appeared on the news everyone will have seen your face on there. Any sort of sex offence against women or children and that person would be given a hiding or life made hell for them. From what I have heard they just would not trust that person. They are the lowest of the low in their eyes.”
Keep busy Much like in normal life, spending all day watching TV won’t keep you stimulated.
Mark advised: “Try and keep as busy as possible and engage with what they offer. If you sit in your cell time will go really slowly watching Jeremy Kyle. If you go out in the day and do art courses or English courses you will get paid because it counts as education and keeps time ticking along.”
Changing your appearance Many people think they should try to change their appearance before they go inside to look tough. But what does Mark say to the babyfaced lads who try and grow a beard?
“Don’t do it because you will just look like a 12-year-old with a beard and people will take the p*** out of you,” he said. “It won’t change anything.”
And most importantly – make yourself useful The best thing you can be in prison is valu- able to other inmates. This will help you survive and build alliances. Mark was the person who people went to for help in negotiating things with the prison authorities.
The Afghanistan veteran is still using this skill now. He volunteers to work with veterans who have mental and physical disabilities.
“Everyone has a way they can help other people,” he said. “Not just in prison but in life. It may be if you have certain skills. Mine was getting what they need from staff. As long as you have something the other prisoners will stick up for you.”
The Ministry of Justice did not wish to comment on what Mark had to say.
But following the report into Swansea Prison this month, the chief executive of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, Michael Spurr, said the governor and his team had taken immediate action since the inspection to strengthen safety arrangements in the prison and reduce self-harm.
“This includes work to improve the level of care and support given to new prisoners,” he said. “A new senior operational manager has also been recruited to focus on safety, and enhanced suicide and self-harm prevention training is being given to staff to increase interventions and support available to vulnerable prisoners. I’m pleased the inspector has recognised the progress that has already been made. A robust action plan is in place to address the recommendations in this report.”