Post 7 - The Collective Power of Shame, Remorse, Guilt and Sacrifice

As many of you will be aware when a person is taken through the UK criminal court system and found guilty they may have occasion to be "sent down" and be sent to prison.   

Prison, well first we have to decide what is a prison without stating the obvious and offending all of you before we get to the bones of this Blog post. Yes we have the physical prison with the road around it which is patrolled at night by vehicles ( HMP Belmarsh), then walls around it, then the internal fences which allow for a guard dog patrol in between them, and finally the administration and accommodation buildings.  

Though there are different types of physical 'prisons' (and I don't mean HMP), there are also the 'prisons' managed by the NHS (Broadmoor) though they would say it is a hospital.  Broadmoor Hospital would say "it is a specialist service that provides assessment, treatment and care in conditions of high security for men from London and the south of England.  It’s one of three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England, and is internationally recognised, both for work with patients and for our extensive research activities" (some may say on people who may not have the ability to consent?).  Then there are of course the privately run institutions for children called STC's such as Medway (recently in the news), and also Immigration Removal Centres where people (asylum seekers/migrants) are taken to be processed and deported despite the fact they are not all convicted criminals but many are fleeing war zones or persecution.  Though now throughout Europe they are blamed for any upsurge in crime statistics or criminal events without having undergone due process such is the fear rampaging across the world of ISIS and their infiltration of Europe using the war in Syria and the subsequent refugees as camouflage for their operatives to gain entry.  All a subject for another Blog post.

They are all in our opinion a form of 'prison', but there are many more and some not so obvious.  The obvious aside from physical environments could be said to be the person confined to a wheelchair (though they may disagree), or a blind person (again may disagree), or someone with Alzheimer's disease, Cancer, a terminal degenerative disease, or a Mental Health condition, the list is endless as they all are human tragedies and effect millions on different levels across the world not just here in the UK so have good reasons to be included.

But I want to tell you about one prison I visited the other day, and the shame it engendered within me so much so that I was reduced to tears and resolved to refer the situation to you the public for Judgement.

It was a particularly cold wet and windy day when I drove into town just going about my business food shopping, as I live alone it allows me to buy fresh stuff daily and if you pick the right time of day you get the 'deals' in the supermarkets so I have a routine and always go in the hope I get a warm chicken every other day and it lasts me for curry, salad the next day etc.  Usually I park my car in the multistorey car park get the lift and straight into the food hall on the ground floor, however this day there were limited spaces so rather than wait in the queue I parked in another car park which meant a short walk over a bridge (in the rain with my brolly) and into the shops.  On crossing the bridge I couldn't help but notice a figure sitting huddled on some blankets, on the floor against the wall, knees to his chest cuddling a Jackrussell dog. The reason he was easy to see was the stream of pedestrian traffic on the bridge was on the opposite side jostling through each other obviously avoiding this person huddled by the wall.  Most of us in our minds would see a 'tramp' and that's exactly what I saw, he had the stereotypical towel over his head as a scarf, tucked into what looked like a heavy military overcoat, (a technique employed in prisons on the exercise yard to keep out the wind), dark thick fleece type tracksuit bottoms, boots with huge soles on, thick socks outside with his tracksuit bottoms tucked into his socks.  As I got closer I bolstered myself and thought to myself I will give him some coins in his tin poor sod.

But as I got closer I couldn't see a tin and he wasn't holding his hand out, this guy (as I could see now it was a man) was absolutely filthy, his beard made Bin Laden look like a clean shave, I mean he was filthy, his clothes were filthy with mud and grease, his face was red with cold and pockmarked skin, the hair matted - but he wasn't begging, he was whispering to his dog and feeding him what turned out to be a roll.  Next to him was a military rucksack which had also clearly seen better days.  As I came level he glanced up at me (probably because everyone else was avoiding him) and we had eye contact...but this guy was not broken, this guy had clear blue eyes and a straight gaze (not a user or a drinker as I've seen many of them in my day) "alright mate" I asked expecting his hand for money, "seen better days" he replied... and I stopped "so what's going on then how come your sat here in the rain"...

This isn't about me so I won't repeat the whole conversation... 

I spent over 2 hours sat in the rain with this guy well into the dark, he was born in 1970 but looked 65, his dogs name was Tom, he had fought in the first gulf war and left the Army in 1995, married with a little girl.  Due to his behaviour his wife left him and they divorced, he lived rough around Colchester for some years, he said initially friends helped him out with a couch or a night here a night there but eventually he moved on as he felt embarrassed! A military war veteran embarrassed!  One of the hardest things I have done in a long time was walk away and leave the guy there in the rain, but I did, cold hearted I went and got my shopping, grabbed a coffee in the Costa and went home, not looking at him as I went past.

When I got home and got sorted I started to tweet and for some reason he stayed in my thoughts and eventually after an exchange with someone in New York on twitter (roisinmurphy) I decided to go back and find the guy and take him and Tom some food.  I stopped at McDonald's and bought a Chicken sandwich meal and a coffee and I went into town to the bridge, he'd gone, but not too far as I could see him in the doorway of a bakery just of the bridge out of the rain now the shops had shut.  He recognised me but resisted my offerings at first until I assured him he could wash my car for me on Saturday, I gave him some mince for Tom which he wolfed down sharpish, and he ate the chicken meal I had brought along.  I offered to pay for a travelodge so he could clean up and he refused (he'd rather be homeless), I offered him money (only £20) and he also refused, the guy was a completely decent man, bright, articulate, but tired of everything.  My guess is most of all he's tired of being taunted and tormented by his memories as he explained that he had beaten his wife, but it was the Iraq war not him, and I know this is trite but I believe him.  I have heard of PTSD I don't know enough about it but from what little I have read this guy definitely has it and it is with him every moment, as is his loss and pain. 

If anyone felt genuine remorse for what he had done it was him, he was punishing himself for it everyday and in my view he too is in prison!  I felt so impotent and so ashamed (still do in fact), and I have problems too in my life but I was astonished at the resilience and determination he displayed, not to succeed or to progress his life, but to remain on the streets and be anonymous because that's what he "deserves" according to him.

Charities are functional tools that in some cases do deliver their aims but many are simply making money to provide inflated salaries, pay rent to 'mother' companies that gifted their office property in trust, public and self confirmation/recognition, public honours for founders etc what we need to do is mobilise as a people.  If every single person in the UK gave a pound there is a fund for good.  If every single person in the UK did someone else a kindness today what effect would that have.  If we all took 10 minutes in town to engage with the homeless who are all around us we will grow too, we will never know the effect we may have on them, but it can only be positive, a conversation.  Take them a coffee from Costa, or some food from home, gradually we can bring them back into society by showing them a simple kindness.  There are clearly MH issues with many of those people, but they are suffering in many ways and they need help, we all need help now and again.

For those of you who wonder I have gone back everyday since but he has disappeared, he was hungry but proud, that is why he let me believe he would be there to wash my car.  I had never seen him before and he has simply moved on, I walked the town centre all the nooks aand crannies, the doorsteps, everywhere and cannot find him.  For me he is a hero and one his daughter can be proud of, I simply didn't have whatever it took to persuade him there are other ways and I regret that.  The UK is a good place to live, a good place to bring children up and have a chance to build a fabulous life if you are of a mind - but it takes effort, a joint effort.

Regardless of what anyone says you cannot do it alone, care for others now because the day will surely come when you need help because life has a habit of throwing curve balls and you never know what is around the corner, so be mindful at every opportunity.

Visit our Website and get involved in the debate and give a voice to those who are voiceless

Post 4 - Consequences of Shaking The Trees

As some of you may be aware a few weeks ago we started our own blog as we thought it right that we start to link social media with our website as we are new to the whole Internet/social media promotion game.  We were doing OK on twitter @boltsandbars and we were starting to get the hang of the whole tweeting thing (we learnt very quickly that capital letters = shouting not passion) and seemed to be picking up followers fairly quickly, so clearly some of the tweeters found our comments of interest.  As a result we engaged in talks with direct messaging etc, all tools of the twitter world and during one such chat with a follower he suggested we contact 'Jim Brown' (not his real name I am reliably informed) on twitter and see if he can assist us in progressing our objectives in relation to our website by way of an article or an interview, so we did.

'Jim Brown' also has a blog called probation matters where he reports on all manner of matters probation related.  We spoke, exchanged mobile numbers and arranged to meet, in a Northern Hotel lobby, all very MI5 ish.  We talked for 3 hours or so on mostly Criminal Justice System related subjects with a bit of privatisation of probation services within the UK thrown in.  Following our meeting, (the next day in fact) 'Jim' posted his blog which contained some references to our company, our purpose and our website referring to us as the 'New Kids on the Block' - and then life changed.

We received a text from 'Jim' that someone had posted an anonymous entry on his blog which contained offensive and abusive comments and remarks regarding one of the Bolts & Bars team, and 'Jim' informed us he had deleted the post and also now applied moderation.  Then the games began.

That night one of us received three abusive telephone calls from an unknown number, and thereafter abusive/threatening/intimidating text messages on a frequent and regular basis which continue to this day.  Another member of our team has had his house (where he lives with his partner) broken into and items stolen, and then on a second occasion broken into but nothing taken. Then recently two known offenders turned up at the company registered office intimidating our director and demanding the residential address of team members. 

Now of course we are not suggesting for a second these events are connected or have anything to do with 'Jim' personally, for you could not meet a nicer man.    Some have suggested events are connected with ex-employees (since dismissed) or victims/extended victims disgruntled that we employ ex-offenders, or even potential jilted admirers.  Whoever it is , it's getting 'old' and is creating anxiety and distress for colleagues, friends and family and we are saddened and dissapointed that people cannot see the good in what we are trying to do and support us as oppose to attempt to hinder us at every turn.

So what do we do? We have read the entries on 'Jim Brown's blog, and of course all the negative views expressed therein regarding our company, ex-offenders, 'carpetbaggers' etc, but there are also entries from other probation people who encourage debate, welcome positive constructive comment, change and debate, so therein lies the problem which as we see it is twofold.

One is, who is our ominous, threatening, intimidating and boring observer?  

Two, how do we engage in any meaningful way with those who apparently have contempt for us as a whole (ex-offenders) and contribute in any way to making the situation more accessible for those who find themselves without reasonable access to the law and thus justice by virtue of their circumstances in being incarcerated by the UK, many of whom are not criminals but are asylum seekers, migrants, children, or Mental Health patients?

The answer to one is fairly simple, and we can only say hopefully this will cease as it is causing much anxiety and distress to those in receipt and also our colleagues, friends and family.  

Two is somewhat more complicated.  You see we spent many years in small boxes circa 10ft x 6ft engaging in self analysis, introspection, education, reading, growing, developing and engaging with thoughts and feelings we had not until that point encountered with the exception of many years before when we were very young. We do have opinions about the system that many of us lived in and of course some of us are motivated to engage in a pro-social and positive manner to get involved as it is fair to say, the CJS is facing difficulties and you can never have too much information from which to make informed decisions.  Some would say the perspective of service users would be a very valuable tool indeed.  We are not hear to 'beat up' or bemoan the probation service, or anyone else for that matter, we are simply trying to shed light on certain areas of public life of which the public are unaware.  Our main area for concern is the fact that there are quite literally tens of thousands of people who are unable to share/voice their concerns and fears for their friends/family members/loved ones in a focused manner to bring attention to trends or patterns of behaviour emerging within institutions nationwide.

If NOMS or HMP, or the Immigration Service for example supported our project and gave us access to those incarcerated as they do with other unnamed charities, dot.orgs, publications or private companies then they may not have the amount of discontent, violence, suicide and levels of complaints which they currently encounter which indirectly costs tens of millions of pounds a year to the treasury.  They would be able to monitor, thus note from the posts of those visiting, or corresponding with others incarcerated or detained what is going on, what their concerns are, 'temperature feel' the environment and react BEFORE matters have escalated or deteriorated.  Surely it would be a vital tool?

In so doing that would thus improve circumstances for everyone incarcerated by the UK government, but also for the Staff working in those places, less friction, less complaints, less sick time off, less malcontent, less despair and anguish as everyone will feel they are being heard.  Instead of weeks or months to resolve a complaint, someone in authority has had it brought to their attention by a site observer within hours, thereby saving millions in man hours and paperwork throughout several different establishments and systems.  The site could even be incorporated into the 'virtual campus' loop, and monitored internally by individual establishments?  The possibilities are endless.

I guess what we are saying is if somehow we have shaken the trees and unwittingly upset someone somewhere, it was unintentional, and we are not here to lambast or criticise generally.  We are here to help in a constructive and pro-social way as we believe that just because someone is incarcerated (and remember not all are convicted criminals, some are migrants, children, MH patients) then they deserve to encounter decent standards of care by those responsible for their care, and in our view 'care' encompasses a multitude of ingredients.  When you take away the ability for someone to manage their life and that of their families etc for themselves, in doing that we then have a responsibility to them and society as a whole to ensure when they are returned into life outside the walls that they are able and that 'life' is viable for them.

You may not all agree, but hopefully someone out there does and will assist, support and promote our initiative.  We are extremely fortunate in that some shares in the company bolts & bars are in the process of being sold as the deposit for the purchase of those funds was a huge benefit in bringing us to the point we currently find ourselves in, however as we all know money is tight in the current climate.  We do not claim to be a charity and then receive from trusts directly linked to the charity, we do not request donations or ask people to subscribe to us as a charity, we operate as a ltd company for that reason - to be completely transparent and open about who we are and what we are.  We will donate 15% of our net profit to charities, we still seek charities who are OK with working with and accepting donations from people who have been in prison, oddly they are hard to find despite the number of organisations, charities and dot.orgs making millions on the back of people who are incarcerated.  Many of them have provided invaluable tools over the years such as Insidetime and the Prison Reform Trust who produce fabulous material such as the Bromley Report , but there are many others who some might say have not really affected any real change over the last 30 years, but that is a question for other people to answer, suffice to say if they had, there may not be so many of them today.  Bolts and Bars are here for real change, to bring IT and all it can offer into the field of public life, namely our institutions which fail so regularly and cost so much and appear to have no real oversight in relation to the failures other than a few departments who publish reports/studies and white papers which are in general then ignored and left on the shelf to be brought out at the next crisis meeting, as crisis management seems to have been the norm for two decades within certain elements of the Criminal Justice system, NOMS, Border and Immigration and the MH arm of the NHS.

People (human beings who are still members of society here or abroad and who will one day return to live in those societies), regardless of who they are or where they are detained or what they have done, in any civilised society should be entitled to have their voice heard, our site provides that platform, that is why we are here.

Go to our website and see what difference you can make to the world of those less fortunate than us.

Post 3 - The Fraud of Justice - or Good Practice - You Decide

There was a very lively discussion with several 'twitterati' Saturday 17 September (in case you want to track back and read the discussions) generally centred around Probation "Good Practice".  So rather than repeat views and comment I thought I would simply give you a question and allow you to form a view and hopefully expand the debate.

Someone is charged with Murder, the case is fully investigated by the authorities, it results in charges being brought and court proceedings begin.  The evidence is supplied to all parties and is thoroughly examined in an open court by experts on both sides.  The decision is made by a jury of 12 having heard all the evidence tested before them in court, they decide guilty and the Judge passes sentence after a full examination of the evidence has taken place.

Cost for process circa £250,000.

The same someone goes to jail for say 20 years.  Throughout that time he is examined by experts, encounters psychological examination, psychiatric assessment, he is monitored closely for years by those trained in such matters.  His letters are examined, his phone calls are listened to, his visitors monitored, searched and vetted.  Copious and numerous reports are written about him during that time, until he is considered ready to be considered for release.

The Parole Board of experts are supplied with hundreds of papers in a dossier to be examined and digested by them, the same dossier is supplied to the prisoner and his lawyer in order for him to prepare and submit his representations and comment on the dossier.  Both parties can call upon experts and witnesses to take part in an oral hearing where all the material is examined and questions can be asked of witnesses and the prisoner, victims can comment in writing or appear in person to make their personal statement.  The Parole Board panel is chaired by a Judge, and following a full examination of the evidence the panel takes a view on risk to the public and the Judge orders release.

Cost for term in prison to release circa £1.2million.

In the community on license and an allegation is made (not always) and then RECALLED on the recommendation of a probation officer.  Done without any thought to the human cost to friends, families, work colleagues, the existence painstakingly built up sometimes over years.  No examination of the evidence in court, without any testing of the evidence, often without sight of the evidence against him, always without the benefit of representations to the courts or the home office before the recall, and NO Judicial input whatsoever, no expert evaluation simply arbitrary imprisonment, the Guantanamo syndrome if you like.  You stand suspected, not charged, not remanded, no simply accused therefore we imprison you? Done in our name by bureaucrats in Probation and NOMS and often with complete disregard to the protocols in place for such a decision to be made. 

Financial and Human Cost to the taxpayer unlimited!

This is arrogance of the highest order by practitioners drunk on power.  Is this process right, Humane and Just in the world we live in today?  How can it be that a probation officer (could be 24 years old) makes a decision which costs us millions of pounds every single year, year in and year out, with no accountability, no transparency?

The core values of our website, are to allow access to Justice for everyone (Accessibility), to create transparent systems and processes where we incarcerate anyone, patient, child, woman or man (Transparency), ensure compliance with the statutory instruments and the integrity of practitioners and those tasked with the care of those who are voiceless in our society (Accountability) and try to ensure that those tasked with the care and responsibility for the voiceless wield their power with human compassion and integrity (Humility).

Go to our website and join us, make a difference and bring real change to a system which costs the tax payer (us) tens of millions year in year out, and do it in a pro-social way.

Post 2 - Author The Solicitors Journal about us on 20th August 2015.

Launched at the Law Society this week, Bolts&Bars is a new access to justice tool on behalf of the 'voiceless'. Designed as a one-stop-shop for those interested in the incarcerated - not necessarily by court order - including immigrants, children, the elderly, and those with mental health conditions, it aims to provide valuable information about the UK's detention centres and offer a transparent forum for the imprisoned to share their experiences.

'Some people deserve to be in prison for their crimes but they still deserve to be heard,' said Bolts&Bars founder. 'But there is no excuse for young children, mentally ill people, or migrants not to be able to access the law.'

One prominent supporter of the project is notable barrister Flo Krause, who successfully acted for former prisoner John Hirst in his high-profile and contentious action against the blanket ban on prisoner voting, which left David Cameron feeling 'physically ill'.

Providing specific examples from two decades of practising prison law, Krause said: 'To be truly voiceless, somebody is not only unheard but unseen. People are put away into institutions and become voiceless. The institutions subsume them. They disappear behind walls and under the weight of rules and regulations. There is no one to witness their plight and no one to record the dramas that go on behind those thick walls.'

Also speaking at the launch, Russell-Cooke partner Peter Cadman observed that even in the 'good-old days of legal aid' there was an element of abandonment of clients by solicitors after conviction. Now, with funding squeezed ever tighter, the ability for firms to provide aftercare to clients is nearly impossible.

'The timing of this venture is excellent,' he added. 'We are at a time when the public purse is not paying lawyers to assist and represent, and at a time when the cost of keeping a prisoner in prison is so astronomic that the balance between the spend and the save is just wrong.'

Cadman said he hopes the project will help offenders navigate the penal system and calm the 'ripple effect' that impacts on a prisoner's family and friends by providing them the information needed to cope with an incarcerated loved one.

Although the Howard League has benefitted greatly from this silliest of seasons, the same cannot be said for Bolts&Bars. The event, which took place within the Law Society's 'magnificent' Common Room, far from reached the venue's attendance capacity. Barring a couple of legal journalists and invested supporters it was empty, despite 'hundreds' of emails declaring an interest in the launch.

The Bolts&Bars team clearly face an uphill battle. If you cannot get lawyers into a room to discuss our rotten prison estate, what hope have you of opening up various important issues to the wider public who are predisposed to thinking prisoners should forfeit their rights upon incarceration. Maybe, as SJ's Kevin Poulter has suggested, solicitors should reflect on the ways they support access to justice, perhaps by giving consideration to the work of Bolts&Bars.  Go to their website

John van der Luit-Drummond is deputy editor for Solicitors Journal

john.vanderluit@solicitorsjournal.co.uk | @JvdLD