Steve

I have just had a letter from Steve he is serving life for murder and recieved a 17 year tarrif. This means he has to do at least 17 years before he can be considered for parol.

He has just been moved from this jail to a 'dispersal' prison for lifers. He has no friends there and misses this prison. He is in a 'Pad' (Cell) next door to a man who will never leave prison. It appears it is quite dangerous there and he is having to be very careful who he associates with. Jim who was in this prison and has moved to the same place as Steve has just been put in 'Protection' he was running a book (Betting) and has got someone after him.

Steve is an intelligent guy, quite, composed who went to far when a man (who had previously attacked a woman and left her for dead, in his community) attacked Steves partner. He has shown real remorse but his girlfriend is unable to stand about waiting for 17 years to get out.

Arron is truely dangerous. He passed me a poem in which he expresses extream violence. He has been in various childrens home as a boy and then straight to prison. He is looking at 8 years this time. He has no family except his grandmother and seems unable to express compassion. He desperatly wants to be loved and be part of a family, and have a wife and kids. I feel drawn to him in order to try to point out the positive in life and the potential for even him to have a family. He will take some time to work out that he has wasted so many years and that he has to conform to societys rules and expectations.

Solo

Foreign prisoner attempts suicide

The hospital staff have put him in a surveilence cell so that his every move is monitored by CCTV. He managed even then to make a serious attempt at killing himself.

He comes from North Africa in desert region. His Mother Father and siblings were murdered.
He recently saw a TV news item showing the village he left his wife and children in after it had been attacked and devistated. He has no means of just picking up a phone and checking if they are alive. He came here to try to start a new life and then call for his family to join him.

He is not a "desirable" person so he will be deported soon I guess.

Another man yesterday was informed his wife had been raped. Yet another that his partner had died.

Prison is not always the simple place we sometimes view it as. Its not a rest home.

Solo