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Now Ye're Talking - to an ex-prisoner

  • 07-09-2017 10:02am
    #1
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 5,461 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mark
    Boards.ie Employee


    Our next AMA guest is an ex-prisoner who was sentenced to six years in prison, serving 39 months of that sentence. Our volunteer is relatively newly released and is eager to share insights into their experience.

    An ex-prisoner was on your AMA wishlist, so there should be plenty of interest in this AMA and it promises to be an eye-opening thread.

    Please remember, however, that they are under no obligation to answer every question posed to them.


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,121 ✭✭✭amcalester


    Do you feel you deserved to go to prison? And did it serve any purpose beyond punishment?


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,881 ✭✭✭✭GBX


    Do you feel any remorse for the crime you committed ? Has prison put you off offending again for fear of going back inside?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,375 ✭✭✭Sin City


    Did you drop the soap :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Faith+1


    Do some inmates make it a lifestyle choice to want to stay in prison?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,430 ✭✭✭RustyNut


    What positives if any did you take away from your time inside?


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  • Moderators, Music Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,717 Mod ✭✭✭✭Boom_Bap


    Is there alot more freedom in prison than what you expected?
    Is there any respect for the prison officers?
    How many plans for escape or getting contraband in are in the works at any one time?
    Did you do what they say in the movies and just batter the biggest guy you see on day 1?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,314 ✭✭✭davo2001


    Do you feel that serving a little over half of your sentence is appropriate to your victim? How do you think they feel about this?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,020 ✭✭✭Call me Al


    Was this your first time to go to jail and do you feel its enough of a deterrent to committing crime in the future?

    What's your opinion on the punishment v rehabilitation function of prisons?

    If the gang you are pally with are the criminal type have you changed your habits, or are you back in touch with the same group again?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    How are you all doing guys?

    I have about two days to do this so I will answer as much as possible, it might be at interval stages as I am in work at the moment so will be fitting as much in as I can without the boss over my shoulder :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 42 Maximus277


    Now that your on the outside how do you plan on getting a job?

    Is it difficult for ex prisoners to get back into the workforce?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 887 ✭✭✭Jobs OXO


    What's the bullying culture like? Is it anything like Americas Toughest Prisons - either you're the shark or the food?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    GBX wrote: »
    Do you feel any remorse for the crime you committed ? Has prison put you off offending again for fear of going back inside?

    Yes I definitely feel remorse, it was a life lesson also. It thought me alot about myself. I wasnt neccessarily cut out for prison but I learned to adapt fairly quickly.
    amcalester wrote: »
    Do you feel you deserved to go to prison? And did it serve any purpose beyond punishment?

    Yes I definitely deserved to go to prison, it was one of the biggest drug seizures in the state at the time. There have been bigger since though in fairness!


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Maximus277 wrote: »
    Now that your on the outside how do you plan on getting a job?

    Is it difficult for ex prisoners to get back into the workforce?

    I am actually working at the moment, in fairness I got the job through a friend and my employer knows my past issues etc, I am doing quite well in that regard but in general its a nightmare for ex prisoners to get a job unless its through someone they know. Thats my experience anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Call me Al wrote: »
    Was this your first time to go to jail and do you feel its enough of a deterrent to committing crime in the future?

    What's your opinion on the punishment v rehabilitation function of prisons?

    If the gang you are pally with are the criminal type have you changed your habits, or are you back in touch with the same group again?

    Yes it was my first time. Id be fairly sure it is my last time too. I have cut all ties with previous associates. It most definitely is not the type of life I want to lead, in fact, it wasnt then either , I just sort of fell in to a trap being young and naive I guess.

    There definitely needs to be an overhaul of how prisons are managed regards rehabilitation and reform. The only prisoners I know that have taken a half decent path since release are ones who got involved in the few good things that go on in prison like courses and projects etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,325 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    What was your daily routine?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Jobs OXO wrote: »
    What's the bullying culture like? Is it anything like Americas Toughest Prisons - either you're the shark or the food?

    Nothing like America at all! its very intense in a way, its like everyone is just feeling everyone out all of the time. there was some fights and some gory things I witnessed like attempted suicides, stabbings and severe beatings etc. Alot of very humourous situations too though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    What was your daily routine?

    Breakfast at 8.15am-collect it and bring back to your cell to be locked back up
    9.30am School or workshops
    12pm Dinner in cell and locked up
    2.15 School, workshops or recreation yard
    4pm Tea and locked up
    5.30 Recreation or Gym
    7pm locked up for the night.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,758 ✭✭✭Pelvis


    Have you caught up on Narcos yet?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Faith+1 wrote: »
    Do some inmates make it a lifestyle choice to want to stay in prison?
    Definitely!! Some know no different, they probably feel more comfortable inside than they do outside. Alot of them are homeless or have noone on the outside. Its a community spirit in there in one regard.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭Sabre0001


    Breakfast at 8.15am-collect it and bring back to your cell to be locked back up
    9.30am School or workshops
    12pm Dinner in cell and locked up
    2.15 School, workshops or recreation yard
    4pm Tea and locked up
    5.30 Recreation or Gym
    7pm locked up for the night.

    What did you do to occupy yourself and your mind with so much time in your cell?

    Did you have a cellmate? Did you get on with them? Any interesting / unexpected interactions?

    🤪



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  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Pelvis wrote: »
    Have you caught up on Narcos yet?

    Watched the first few seasons, havent started the latest yet!




  • How hard is it to keep your head down in prison and just serve your time, without getting involved is any hassle inside?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Sabre0001 wrote: »
    What did you do to occupy yourself and your mind with so much time in your cell?

    Did you have a cellmate? Did you get on with them? Any interesting / unexpected interactions?

    I had a cellmate at first, he wasnt too bad, we got on well enough. no interactions out of the ordinary.

    Watched alot of tv and slept alot when I had a cellmate, when I had my own cell I got stuck into studying, repeated my leaving cert in English and went on to do an Open University course in Business.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    How hard is it to keep your head down in prison and just serve your time, without getting involved is any hassle inside?

    Ya know most of the trouble in prison is actually drug related, "parcels" not divided up as they should be or people owing money for drugs in prison etc, not like they can hide! if they get moved to another prison they can still be "got". There is no escaping in the system.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Boom_Bap wrote: »
    Is there alot more freedom in prison than what you expected?
    Is there any respect for the prison officers?
    How many plans for escape or getting contraband in are in the works at any one time?
    Did you do what they say in the movies and just batter the biggest guy you see on day 1?

    1. Theres not that much freedom at all!
    2. Escaping is a myth from prison unless its an open prison then you can literally just walk out. Contraband is a daily thing, parcels come in every day. Every SINGLE DAY!!
    3. Nah I was ****ting myself! was more of a jack the lad and messer than a fighter.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    Sin City wrote: »
    Did you drop the soap :D


    I never expected that question at all!! I kept it tied to a string around my little finger!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭McCrack


    Did you get a P19?


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭GypsyByName


    McCrack wrote: »
    Did you get a P19?


    No I never got one, I was kind of a model prisoner, sorry if thats not dramatic enough for you :)

    But I did steal a blank one from the landing office and fill it out in my cell mates name. I took his priviliges off him. Stating that he had to stay in his cell in the evening at 5.30pm
    I said it was punishment for rooting in the bins!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 887 ✭✭✭Jobs OXO


    What's the grub like ? Would love to see a weekly menu? Any choice? Any hope of KFC?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭McCrack


    Which prison were you in & did you get transferred?

    Did you get TR, did you do work/classes?


This discussion has been closed.
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