WOMEN IN PRISON
By ONE OF THEM
Through introspection and intense thought came first a new sense of values and of proportion, a gradual renewal of health of mind, of poise and of balance, under the guidance of the chaplain, together with the solace of the admirably conducted week-day and Sunday services in the chapel. I am not out, therefore, to attack individuals, but I do want to try to point out serious defects in the system which cry aloud for reform. It seems invidious t make distinctions when everybody concerned in the administration labours wholeheartedly with but little thanks ; indeed, with sometimes considerable abuse from those in their charge. But special tribute must be paid to the chaplain, to the doctors, and the nursing staff, to the Church Army visitor, and other " official " visitors, all of whom are more or less hampered by the defects of the system as a whole. This gives rise to the reflection that if Elizabeth Fry were to return to this world today she would probably say that Prison Reform has made little, if any, progress.
I was told that among the " old-timers " the prison in which I spent that two months is spoken of as the worst in England, because of the incessant nagging and shouting, on the part of only a very small proportion of the officers, be it said—and I am bound to say that this was very hard to bear with grace and patience. Further, it does not appear that the nagging type of officer gets such good results as the officer with a quieter method. Noise does not necessarily signify authority. It may suggest that the "nagger" feels a sense of impotence or inferiority, or both. Napoleon said that so ,long as he could keep his anger below his chin he could control his army.
But, considering that some of the " old-timers " are long past their hundredth conviction, and are well on in the two hundreds, they obviously make no attempt to amend their lives. In fact, they say openly that they much prefer prison to the Poor-Law institu- tions, "especially for the winter," for they are compelled to work very hard in the Poor-Law places, and are summoned if they don't. So it seems that for habitual offenders the whole prison idea breaks down. Where are we, then? How are others, better educated and so on, affected by it?
For some, as I have shown, it can prove to be a spiritual retreat of lasting value. For others, unable to transcend the environment, it is demoralising and disintegrating. For me, the foul language among prisoners in the workroom, and on the exercise ground, was harder to bear than anything else. It is not the locked-in periods which are the hardest part of prison life, though it is with that that anyone who either consciously or unconsciously breaks a rule is threatened. I often heard prisoners say how thankful they were when the time came to be shut in, and they could escape from the noise and bad language in the workroom. I often felt tempted myself to try to do something which would get me sent out and locked in my room.
, Now, to try to set down the first' beginnings of the badly needed reforms. I am sure that most, if not all, prison workers with inside knowledge will agree that the present practice of giving prisoners their tea at 4p.m. (the last meal of the day), and immediately locking them in till about 7 o'clock next morning, should be abolished. I have already said that I was thankful for it myself because it afforded a measure of quietude and privacy never possible at any other period of the twenty-four hours. Those who felt as I did about it were educated people with interior spiritual reserves upon which to draw. (Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress in a prison cell, and Tyndale did much of his translation of the Bible there.) But for the very large majority it can, and sometimes does, have a disastrous effect. In my opinion, it savours of barbarism. There is first the question of food. It is too long for anybody to go without food, especially when that last meal is only a mug of cocoa, a slice of bread, and a tiny piece of margarine. Then there are people with a tendency to claustrophobia. It is dreadful for them. And during double ,ummer-time it means that prisoners are at the end of their day, so to speak, at 2 p.m. by the sun.
I would suggest an evening exercise, after tea, for all prisoners, during the spring and summer, with, in the winter an equivalent easily provided by the installation of " wireless " on every landing, and the opening of all doors for an hour for everyone to listen to the news, and to part of the programme following. I hear that this is being done at Holloway with good results.
Next there is the matter of clothes, and especially shoes. Why should not prisoners who arrive in decent clothes and shoes be allowed to wear them? It would effect considerable saving in wear and tear of Government property, and so far as the shoes are concerned, would be better for the future health of the prisoners. Heavy, ill-fitting shoes which have already been worn by many others can and do play havoc with some of the feet. The patient nursing staff have continually to cope with foot troubles. I speak feelingly, for I was in their care myself, and even now, after several weeks at home, am still unable to walk comfortably.
The food, taking into consideration war conditions and rationing, is very good, and nobody would be justified in complaining about it. But certainly the manner in which it is served should be altered. At present it is carried round in tins, sometimes cold before it is received, and the tins are not always as clean as they should be. I would suggest some form of refectory plan by which all good conduct prisoners, anyway, could eat a middle-day meal of a com- munal character, properly laid and served, and, of course, With an officer in charge. To many this would be a real privilege to work for ; the " old-timec3" and recalcitrant might also learn something helpful from it.
However grave the offence may have been, I cannot see how the present methods can help anybody to a better outlook and a fresh start in life, apart from the chaplain's work. It certainly does not help anybody to recover her self-respect, no matter how hard she may try. Indeed, it tends to kill it stone dead. If all prison officers were compelled, before taking up their duties, to undergo a course in practical psychology, I feel sure that the results would be very different. It must be remembered that splendid as the work of the chaplain and the visitors is, the prisoners are only with them for a few moments once or twice a week at most ; they are cribbed, cabined, and confined by the antiquated system all the rest of the time. That aspect of the problem urgently demands further study, and at once, for time for reforms is now.
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