Now Ye're Talking - to an ex-prisoner

Lead

GypsyByName wrote: »

I kinda witnessed a prison officer saving a prisoner from suicide! It was probably the nicest and scariest thing I ever saw in prison. Shows we are all human!

Oh god, that's so sad

John_D80

If you were offered €50,000 to go back inside for a year would you take it?

GypsyByName

John_D80 wrote: »

If you were offered €50,000 to go back inside for a year would you take it?

Ive been asked that before! Simple answer...........there isnt one. If i had no children then yes! In a heartbeat!

Current situation....probably not! But id seriously consider it.

Lead

What kind of background are you from? Did anyone in your family or any of your friends ever spend time in prison?

GypsyByName

Lead wrote: »

What kind of background are you from? Did anyone in your family or any of your friends ever spend time in prison?

From a good family, private housing estate. working class. Suburbs!

John_D80

GypsyByName wrote: »

Ive been asked that before! Simple answer...........there isnt one. If i had no children then yes! In a heartbeat!

Current situation....probably not! But id seriously consider it.

Cheers for your honesty.

I'll be frank with you. My main motivation for asking was to find out if you thought prison was cushy enough that you'd be willing to sacrifice a year of your liberty for what is a relatively small amount of money.

Don't get me wrong, 50k would make a big difference to my life but it's probably not even double the average wage in this country.

GypsyByName

John_D80 wrote: »

Cheers for your honesty.

I'll be frank with you. My main motivation for asking was to find out if you thought prison was cushy enough that you'd be willing to sacrifice a year of your liberty for what is a relatively small amount of money.

Don't get me wrong, 50k would make a big difference to my life but it's probably not even double the average wage in this country.

Its far from cushy, believe me. I will probably never have €50k in my life so Id have to consider it. Its like childbirth, how many women said Im never doing that again! But once you have got over that the fact that you got through it the first time it appears less daunting!

Lead

Were you single when you got out and if so was it hard starting new relationships? Like any women just walk away when they found out?

John_D80

GypsyByName wrote: »

Its far from cushy, believe me. I will probably never have €50k in my life so Id have to consider it. Its like childbirth, how many women said Im never doing that again! But once you have got over that the fact that you got through it the first time it appears less daunting!

Haha good analogy.

Perhaps cushy was a poor choice of words. Certainly didn't mean to denigrated your experience. Bearable would have been better word on reflection.

Are former prisoners allowed to visit people currently serving time in prisons??

If not, is there exceptions made for family members??

GypsyByName

Lead wrote: »

Were you single when you got out and if so was it hard starting new relationships? Like any women just walk away when they found out?

Yes I was single, I found relationships really difficult to be honest! Its really hard trying to gauge when to tell someone! How are they going to take it! Ive probably ruined a few relationships by not being honest if im being honest, one in particular! Still regret it to this day the fact that I was not honest, but you just dont know where to start! She is probably reading this and knows too. Its probably the toughest thing I have to deal with since I have been released!

GypsyByName

John_D80 wrote: »

Haha good analogy.

Perhaps cushy was a poor choice of words. Certainly didn't mean to denigrated your experience. Bearable would have been better word on reflection.

Are former prisoners allowed to visit people currently serving time in prisons??

If not, is there exceptions made for family members??

Im not 100% sure to be honest I think they are, but thats only from something I read in the media recently!

Foweva Awone

If you'd been given a choice, given your addiction issues, would you have chosen prison or rehab?

(I ask because I've never been to prison but have spent loads of time in rehab, routine seems not dissimilar. I have often heard of lads choosing prison over the likes of Cuan Mhuire, when the judge gave then the option.)

Sono

How long are you out?

Do you feel like the time you served was vindicated for the crime?

GypsyByName

Foweva Awone wrote: »

If you'd been given a choice, given your addiction issues, would you have chosen prison or rehab?

(I ask because I've never been to prison but have spent loads of time in rehab, routine seems not dissimilar. I have often heard of lads choosing prison over the likes of Cuan Mhuire, when the judge gave then the option.)

More chance of having a mobile phone in Mountjoy than Cuan Mhuire
When I was sentenced I was not ready for recovery!

GypsyByName

Sono wrote: »

How long are you out?

Do you feel like the time you served was vindicated for the crime?

3 years today funnily enough! This AMA is kind of a way of putting it behind me but also a way not to forget what Ive come through and serve as a deterrent to go back!

Vindicated???? I served my time! its up to society whether to say whether Ive been vindicated or not!

John_D80

Loving this thread. Not getting a jot of work done today!!

Conjugal visits, what's the story??

Are they conditional or can anyone get them??

Do you have to be married??

Can prisoners in same sex relationships get them??

Do you have to be serving a minimum sentence??

Where does the 'visit' take place??

Sono

3 years today congrats and keep up the good work.

Did you tackle your addiction issues when you came out or was there help inside for you?

Thanks for doing this btw it's fascinating to read.

GypsyByName

John_D80 wrote: »

Loving this thread. Not getting a jot of work done today!!

Conjugal visits, what's the story??

Are they conditional or can anyone get them??

Do you have to be married??

Can prisoners in same sex relationships get them??

Do you have to be serving a minimum sentence??

Where does the 'visit' take place??

I had a conjugal visit every day! With my wrist! other than that there is no conjugal visits in Ireland for any prisoner.

Sono wrote: »

3 years today congrats and keep up the good work.

Did you tackle your addiction issues when you came out or was there help inside for you?

Thanks for doing this btw it's fascinating to read.

It took a while for me to come to terms with my addiction, a little over a year actually before I tackled it. Im winning the battle today. Tomorrow is another day but Ive beaten it every day since 16th December 2015!

SpliffPolitics

Is drug use ignored by the prison officers?

I knew a guy who said he smoked weed most nights in his cell.

GypsyByName

SpliffPolitics wrote: »

Is drug use ignored by the prison officers?

I knew a guy who said he smoked weed most nights in his cell.

Its mainly ignored yes, probably helps the prison officers in a sense if some prisoners are not so much allowed but its tolerated to a degree, also depends on the prisoner. If hes not liked by staff well then...........

ginger_hammer

Does time slow down or speed up inside?

brownbinman

Chipper, Chinese or dominos when you got out?

like others said, thanks for doing this. not often can you ask an ex-prisoner questions like these, very honest of you

Lead

Do you kids know? And if not will you tell them?

GypsyByName

ginger_hammer wrote: »

Does time slow down or speed up inside?

It stands still to a degree! Ya never know what day it is! sometimes you only realise its Friday when you get handed fish! Every day is the same. There is an old phrase coined in prison. "every sentence is 2 days long!, the day you come in and the day you get out"

Other times it speeds up. It all depends on your mindset. When I had a routine it was great it flew! When you dont have a routine it drags.

GypsyByName

Lead wrote: »

Do you kids know? And if not will you tell them?

In time I will tell them when they can comprehend their daddy is not a bad guy!

Tell me how

We read a lot about people with 3 figures in convictions. Did you find that some guys wear their crimes like a badge of honour?

GypsyByName

brownbinman wrote: »

Chipper, Chinese or dominos when you got out?

like others said, thanks for doing this. not often can you ask an ex-prisoner questions like these, very honest of you

Guinness and seafood chowder! last meal minutes before court, and first meal out the gate!

Tell me how wrote: »

We read a lot about people with 3 figures in convictions. Did you find that some guys wear their crimes like a badge of honour?

Not really for me to say, my opinion is that you get no medals for being in jail. Others may have a different view!

Lead

I know a guy who is an absolute nutjob. Has no fear and spent most of his life in prison. Think he was in the joy same time as you actually. I was drinking with him one night asking him all about it and he was telling me he’d prefer to be in there than out here as the routine suited him. Feel so sorry for him seeing his life that way. It's all he knows.

GypsyByName

Lead wrote: »

I know a guy who is an absolute nutjob. Has no fear and spent most of his life in prison. Think he was in the joy same time as you actually. I was drinking with him one night asking him all about it and he was telling me he’d prefer to be in there than out here as the routine suited him. Feel so sorry for him seeing his life that way. It's all he knows.

Not uncommon at all! Met many like him! I know one or two who went straight out just to come back within days. They cant handle the outside!

Sinister Kid

Did it take you long to adjust?
Were you in the same cell all the time?
What kind of stuff were visitors aloud to bring you?
What did you miss most?
What did you look forward to most when you were released?
What was the biggest change with the outside world that you noticed?