Now Ye're Talking - to a Prison Officer

sporter1

Do prisoners get to watch pay per view boxing matches on sky sports or is it just a myth ?

Fantastic thread and thanks Omackeral. Some great questions and great answers. Sorry, but I burst out laughing when you said you found a George Foreman grill in someones cell!

Anyway, its common knowledge that members of the same families across the country are serving sentences. Would the likes of the Dundons and their relatives be in the same prison as each other? If so, are they allowed to interact with each other or even share a cell? I know you mentioned that a father and son were next door neighbors a few posts back. Or better again, do feuding families end up in the same prisons?

Also, do wardens carry a huge bunch of keys around on a giant keyring of are ye now part of the 21st century with swipe cards and keypads etc (I'd imagine the cells have keys).

biketard

Fascinating thread. Thanks Omackeral.

franklyon

r2d2c3po wrote: »

Are you for real on a forum answering questions.Check your terms and conditions.

He is being non specific and it could help some of the people here decide if they want to do this as a career, not to mention it gives a great insight into a physically and mentally demanding job.
I don't see how he is breaking any 'terms and conditions'

Cpt Sh!t Craic

Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or one horse sized duck? and why?

FanadMan

This thread has kept me up until 5:15AM........thanks a lot Omackerel

John_D80

Fascinating thread. Thanks a mil.


If you were on the interview board selecting new candidates for Prison Officer training, what qualities would you look for in a potential recruit? Also what traits would you not want to see in someone.

Are new Prison Officers watched closely to see how they will react to a violent incident? As in to see if they freeze when it kicks off and leave their mates in the ****?

What happens to Prison Officers who have shown themselves to be unreliable when their colleagues are in physical danger?

John_D80

Fascinating thread. Thanks a mil.


If you were on the interview board selecting new candidates for Prison Officer training, what qualities would you look for in a potential recruit? Also what traits would you not want to see in someone.

Are new Prison Officers watched closely to see how they will react to a violent incident? As in to see if they freeze when it kicks off and leave their mates in the ****?

What happens to Prison Officers who have shown themselves to be unreliable when their colleagues are in physical danger?

seventeen sheep

What's your favourite part of your job? And what parts of it do you hate?

Do you get the same meals as the prisoners?

What security screening do the officers get on a daily basis - do you get searched on your way in and out every day?

If, in the future, your son or daughter wanted to be a prison officer, would you encourage them to do so?

What kinds of shifts do you work? What shifts are most/least popular? And say on the night shift, how frequently do you have to check on each prisoner?

What are family visits like? Is it like on some TV shows where they talk on phones through a glass screen, or like on others where they're all in a big room with lots of tables, one for each prisoner/visitor? How often is visiting allowed, and is physical contact allowed? How about, er, conjugal visits?

What can prisoners spend the money that they earn on? Can they buy things from each other or only from a special prison shop? Can they bring money in with them?

mikemac1

I think the Republican prisoners are in Portlaoise. If there any in your prison in Dublin do they be demanding different conditions to everyone else?

mrsdewinter

What's the most accurate portrayal of prison life that you've seen in a mainstream movie or TV series? Do the likes of Love/Hate, Oz, etc, make you roll your eyes in frustration at the endless recycling of prison cliches?

Omackeral

Kaitlyn Loose Viking wrote: »

What do prisoners actually do during the day? Must they follow a schedule? How much time do they spend outside their cells?

Here's a timeline.

8am - Prisoners called and unlocked for breakfast, which they collect from the servery and eat in their cells. They're locked up about while staff go for their breakfast.

9am - Unlocked. Prisoners will get ready for their day and see the Governor/Doctor if they have any requests or issues.

10am - School/Work/Gym starts at this time. Also visits are run from around this time. Any prisoners not working will go to the exercise yard.

12noon - Fall in from yard/work detail. Prisoners get their dinner at this time. Locked up around 12:30 and a head count taken.

1pm - Dinner break. Skeleton staff man the prison while inmates are locked back.

2pm - School/Work/Visits resume as before.

4pm - Fall in for tea. A smaller meal is provided at this time. Locked up about 4:30. Staff will get a small tea break too.

5pm - Unlocked for evening recreation. This includes the gym and the exercise yard, where they can play soccer. Then the rec hall itself has snooker, pool, table tennis, TV and poker tables. They can choose to stay back in their cells too.

7pm - Fall in from recreation. Prisoners will get ready for the night and shall be locked back until 8am the following morning where the cycle starts all over again.

8pm - Staff are off duty and night staff take up their duty.

Omackeral

letsgetloud wrote: »

Im looking at my facebook newsfeed and there is a chap posting things up under an assumed name. This chap is in mountjoy how is he getting away with that ? genuine question

He must have a mobile phone capable of going online. I've explained was contraband gets in so that must be how. It's a matter of time until he's caught though.

Omackeral

Agent Smith wrote: »

Are there many/any Prisoners with HIV?

Are they separated from the general population?

There used to be a HIV unit in Mountjoy Prison. All staff wore boiler suits im led to believe. The stigma surrounding it was terrible and education was less available at the time. There are inmates with HIV and Hep etc though. Just precautions need to be taken. All staff get relevant injections before they start.

Turtyturd

Omackeral wrote: »

Ha I've never been on that post. Just bring your brolly with you next time TT.:p

That's one of the biggest complaints I hear.

Do staff feel the right people get put forward/accepted for TR or Community Return or are they used to get rid of prisoners who cause hassle?

r2d2c3po

Will you cop on and stop this tread.your on a public forum talking shop.Not you place to do so

Lucena

@r2

I don't know what the OP's 'terms and conditions' are, but he's talking about his job without giving anything too specific away.

He's also painting things in a good light, and I certainly would have a higher opinion of the prison service based on his remarks.

Gloomtastic!

Another classic Boards thread. Fascinating reading, well done!

I've met some prison officers in your Millmount House social club, great bunch of lads. Wouldn't mess with any of you though!

Do you know if drugs are cheaper in prison than outside? €18.00 per week is not going to buy you much so does the market price reflect this.

On a related topic, if they decriminalised drugs, do you think you'd see a huge drop in the prison population or would they just make other prisoners serve longer sentences.

Omackeral

December2012 wrote: »

Do you like your job?

Do you feel like you're making an impact on your city, your inmates, or society (either cumulatively or under separate headings)?

I wouldn't have delusions that I'm improving my city or anything but if I can get through to even one inmate and encourage him to learn to read or write then it would be fantastic. A lot of these guys have never had a support network growing up and are quite shocked and encouraged if shown some by a particular staff member.

Omackeral

forgotten password wrote: »

hi omackerel,

i'm thinking of a number between 1 and 1 billion, can you guess it?

42

Omackeral

rolliepoley wrote: »

Do you fear the PRG?

You don't hear about them this weather. For anyone who isn't aware, the PRG was a group of inmates known as the Prisoners Revenge Group but they're before my time.

Omackeral

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Ever cross paths with any infamous cons, are they quite or are they like they are portrayed in the media, nut case head bangers etc?

Most of them, if they are really big time players, won't get their hands dirty. They'd have deputies that can do that for them. Have met a few mad ones too but can't name names here.

Lovely Bloke

Omackeral wrote: »

5pm - Unlocked for evening recreation. This includes the gym and the exercise yard, where they can play soccer. Then the rec hall itself has snooker, pool, table tennis, TV and poker tables.

Are there any organised 5-a-side leagues, or snooker/pool tournaments and the like?

Omackeral

KomradeBishop wrote: »

What's the view of prison officers on drug prohibition vs decriminalization (or even partial legalization)? Do they think it's a good use of police/prison/public resources?

That would differ from person to person. I'm not a drug taker nor have I ever been but I dont have particularly harsh views on it. Obviously heroin is a scourge but marijuana not so much. Maybe it could be looked at in the future. It's more of a societal question I think.

Omackeral

sporter1 wrote: »

Do prisoners get to watch pay per view boxing matches on sky sports or is it just a myth ?

There's no PPV events no. The sky sports thing has a bit of truth in it as they can watch it during recreational times in the rec hall, but truth is most don't bother. It's very noisy and the TV's are tiny. You'd need to be huddled up at it to watch. It's vastly blown out of proportion when it comes up. They do all have terrestrial TV in their cells though. I've zero issue with that. They're behind a door, what harm? Plus it gives them subjects to talk about and occupied them rather than staring at a wall and getting dark thoughts. It's the biggest suicide preventer I'd say since they've come in.

Omackeral

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Fantastic thread and thanks Omackeral. Some great questions and great answers. Sorry, but I burst out laughing when you said you found a George Foreman grill in someones cell!

Anyway, its common knowledge that members of the same families across the country are serving sentences. Would the likes of the Dundons and their relatives be in the same prison as each other? If so, are they allowed to interact with each other or even share a cell? I know you mentioned that a father and son were next door neighbors a few posts back. Or better again, do feuding families end up in the same prisons?

Also, do wardens carry a huge bunch of keys around on a giant keyring of are ye now part of the 21st century with swipe cards and keypads etc (I'd imagine the cells have keys).

Thanks for the kind words. I won't mention specific names but sometimes families and groups could be split up for operational reasons, sure. Can't have one set of people dictating prison life. As for feuds, it's in everyone's interest if they're segregated accordingly. You'll be placed on a given landing following a quick interview asking if you've any issue with anyone inside and if you're aligned to anyone.

There is a mixture of keys and hand scanners. Keys for cells is commonplace in any jail I've been in. The oversized ones are gone though for the most part.

Omackeral

Cpt Sh!t Craic wrote: »

Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or one horse sized duck? and why?

The ducks, it would be great quack.

Omackeral

I'm gonna leave it there as there's a bit of upset on behalf of a poster who may be a colleague. If they're not happy with it, then it's probably not right to continue on, especially if there are others who feel the same. I'm happy with the answers I've given and, as stated, didn't give any specifics away. Thanks to everyone who contributed and hope you all have a more rounded view of what it's like in general. I'm looking forward to seeing some more good threads from other posters on this forum.

Thanks everyone!

GLaDOS

Hope you're not in trouble mate! Really interesting read, thanks for answering the questions.

John_D80

Omackeral wrote: »

I'm gonna leave it there as there's a bit of upset on behalf of a poster who may be a colleague. If they're not happy with it, then it's probably not right to continue on, especially if there are others who feel the same. I'm happy with the answers I've given and, as stated, didn't give any specifics away. Thanks to everyone who contributed and hope you all have a more rounded view of what it's like in general. I'm looking forward to seeing some more good threads from other posters on this forum.

Thanks everyone!

Aw, you were getting so close to my questions!! :-(

Thanks for this thread. Very interesting. For what its worth, I for one certainly do not see any way that you compromised the security of anything or anyone connected to the Prison Service, and if anything, all you did was educate people a little bit on one of the more closed areas of our society.

Thanks again.