Winter 2005 Newsletter

PRISONERS ABROAD
Caring for Britons
held overseas &
their families
news
A day in the life
To contact us
To kick off our “A day in the life”
special issue, DA writes about life
in an Ethiopian prison.
Tel: 020 7561 6820
Fax: 020 7561 6821
info@prisonersabroad.org.uk
www.prisonersabroad.org.uk
It is still dark as a flock of purple-headed
ibis take off on their first flight of the
89-93 Fonthill Road
London N4 3JH
day. They are such elegant birds but
sound as hoarse as common crows when
Charity No. 1093710
they open their long, gracefully curved
Our Family Freephone
beaks. Once they have gone an orchestra
of other birds start practising their day’s
I settle down in the library and spend the
musical programme. Now the first shafts
morning writing my second book since
of
barred
arriving here four years ago. “Two Dead
windows in a brave but unsuccessful
Emperors and a Cardinal” is going well (no,
attempt to dispel the custodial gloom. I
it’s not a thriller) and I aim for 1000 words
put my head under my pillow and try to
a day, but sometimes achieve double that
pretend I’m elsewhere.
target. I write against the background noise
sunlight
punctuate
the
Vol 16 Issue 3
Winter 2005
0808 172 0098
for use by members
of a prisoner’s family.
All other callers please call our
main telephone 020 7561 6820
of the other inmates. The fortnightly meat
An hour later, to the noise of clanging bells
ration has been delivered and the group
and the janitorial jangle of keys, I get up for
suspend their altercations and are dividing
roll call and to face the reality of another
up the corpse of an elderly cow.
day. My young Sudanese friend has already
lit a fire and prepared a flask of tea. I drink
After a lunch of stew, prepared once a
a cup to dispel the morning chill and chew
week and reheated daily, I give French
my way through two bread rolls served
lessons to a selection of the other
with marmalade that has only the faintest
prisoners. One of them who is very good at
aftertaste of Dettol. Then I inspect the
French, tells me he speaks 25 languages in
flower garden I have created outside our
total. Our 1930s textbook may be old-
library. The flowers are ostentatiously
fashioned, but the grammar is sound. After
flaunting their lurid, tropical colours despite
the class I edit and correct my morning’s
the hungry blades of grass which have
writing. At five I go to the prison school and
clawed their way through the heavy black
give a lesson in English to some of the staff,
soil overnight. It is too early to spot the
then back to the 13 foot by 13 foot room I
huge articulated insects against which I
share with nine others. I eat my two cheese
wage a continual war.
rolls and alternately read and listen to the
BBC World Service until sleep overtakes me.
Contents
2
3
4
5-7
8-9
10
11
12-13
14-15
16
Your letters
British ConsulateGeneral, Bilbao
Writing a diary
Prison without bars
2006 Calendar
Family and friends
A day in the life
Poetry corner
Games and puzzles
Backpage bulletin
Your letters
Hello and welcome to the Winter 2005 edition of ‘Prisoners Abroad News’. Last time around, we asked you for your
diary extracts, and we’ve been delighted with the response. You can read about typical days in Ethiopia and Spain,
find out what keeps a British Pro-Consul busy in Bilbao, and discover how a prisoner in the USA manages to publish
his diary on the internet (with a little bit of help from his father!). You can also learn about a day in the life of one
of our team, as our Direct Services Administrator writes about her work at Prisoners Abroad.
Alongside this you’ll find all the usual features, including poetry on pages 12 & 13 and puzzles on pages 14 & 15.
And this being the last newsletter of the year, in the centre pages you’ll find a 2006 calendar, decorated with
artwork that has been sent in by our readers. We hope that you’ll be able to hang this where lots of people can
enjoy it over the next twelve months.
I’d like to close by wishing all our readers, wherever you are, a very merry Christmas and wish you all the very
best for the New Year.
In the previous edition of PA News, AK in France wrote
about the difficulties he faced telling his son that he was in
jail. Here, a reader offers his thoughts and advice.
“I am in a similar position to AK. I have a daughter of
thirteen (going on 25!) and a son who is nearly seven.
The way my wife and I did it is to make light of it all.
We have as many visits as financially possible and I
talk to the kids at least once a week on the phone. In
our case it is our little secret, just the four of us. Just
don’t make a big deal about it all. I hope this helps”
RC, France
I keep a diary, and maybe one day I’ll let my significant
other and family read it. They (like so many of our
families) have no idea of what goes through our
minds. I believe this would help them understand us. I
suggest if you choose to write a diary that the
following may help:
1. Don’t let anybody else know you are keeping a
diary.
2. Try to stick to the “I” perspective and deal with your
feelings. This helps later on when you decide to look
back on situations. Did you act appropriately? Were
your feelings justified? Could you have avoided the
problem?
3. Never write a guard’s or another prisoner’s name in
your diary – use your own nicknames instead. This is
in case the book gets into the wrong hands.
4. Find a quiet, out-of-the-way place to collect your
thoughts before writing them down.
I hope this has been informative.
Anon, USA
2
Your contributions please
Future editions of Prisoners Abroad News will
feature the discussion points listed below. Please
send any comments you have to the editor at the
address below. If you have any ideas for future
discussion points, please also feel free to write in
with your suggestions.
Spring 2006 – “How I ended up in prison”
We get many letters from people explaining the
circumstances that led to them being arrested in our next issue we will be printing a selection
of personal stories of how people came to be in
prison.
Summer 2006 – “Prison visits”
We’d like to hear what visits mean to you, how
often you get them, and how you prepare for
them. If you are a friend or family member, how
do you feel about visiting a prison? How much
time do you get? And what is it like seeing your
loved one in a prison environment?
Send your letters to:
The Editor
Prisoners Abroad News
89 – 93 Fonthill Road
London N4 3JH, UK
We will usually only print your initials and the
country you are in. However, we will not print
these if you ask us not to.
We’re sorry that we cannot reply to every letter
personally, but we do read them all and take all
your views into account.
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
A day at the British Consulate-General
Continuing our series of “a day in the life”
articles, Flora Dorronsoro, Pro-Consul in Bilbao,
Spain describes a typical day in her office.
“
I suppose lots of people, including those I visit in
prison, wonder what we get up to – apart from
prison visits – in the Consulate General in Bilbao, or
anywhere else for that matter, during a "normal"
working day.
Let's see if I can give the reader a feel for the
broader picture of what a
day in the office at a
Consular section - in this
case Bilbao - can be like.
Before getting in touch with the hospital for details,
there is a call from the Police to notify us of a British
national’s death from a heart attack in a town near
Bilbao. We now have to locate and inform the next
of kin of the deceased. Meanwhile, our first caller is
becoming more and more concerned about her
husband's plight - and calls again.
Then, there is a knock at the door and a youngster
comes into the office to say he wants to go home;
his parents have registered him with a drug
rehabilitation programme at a centre in Bilbao and
he no longer wants to
continue with the programme.
All in a day's work! We have
visitors seeking certificates
The first thing to realise is
that show no impediment for
that a Consulate-General is
their marriages, those that
a sort of mini Embassy
wish to register the death of a
divided into sections that
loved one or those that have
deal in general terms with
to demonstrate to us in person
Consular, Commercial and
that they are alive to continue
Political / Economic matters
to receive their pension. We
in a given geographic area.
also regularly help UK lorry
In the case of Bilbao, this is
drivers who might have
an area in northern Spain,
encountered problems with
which is the size of Scotland
local police. A busy sort of day,
and has eleven prisons
you may well say, but by the
distributed throughout it.
Bilbao, Spain
end you suddenly notice your
"paper work" is piling up and has to be done and you
The day starts with a telephone call from the
think, “*#@*@!”.
distressed wife of a man who has been detained by
the Spanish Police. Our first concern is to try to make
Working in a small Post is a daily challenge. Maybe
her feel more at ease and then get the details of
one of the more difficult things is assisting people
what led to the situation. In this instance, the
who have no relatives to help and nowhere to go. It
husband had purchased antique religious objects
is also tremendously rewarding in the sense that I do
without realising that paperwork is required for the
what I do because I enjoy it - helping people. After
export of such articles and that failure to comply
so many years in the job I still come in to the office
with this regulation could be construed as an
thinking about the day ahead, but not with a feeling
attempt to steal.
of foreboding, rather one of expectation and
challenge. It goes without saying that dealing with
Having begun to pull together the strands of this
prisoners and their everyday problems is on the
case, suddenly, we get a telephone call from the
whole very rewarding and one of our main goals is
P & O ferry terminal to say that someone has been
to do our best to keep them in good spirits and
taken ill and rushed off to the Bilbao General
without problems. And I work in the knowledge that
Hospital.
if one of our Britons in prison calls, he/she will
always have a ready and supportive listener.
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
”
3
Writing a diary
ND in Spain was initially sceptical about
the populace and buscar algo a hacer (search for
the idea of writing a diary. However, he
something to do). For example, you might be able to
decided, for Prisoners Abroad News, to
try writing for one day. Here, he describes
a typical day, and offers his thoughts on
play a game of some sort: chess, draughts, Pachis
(ludo). You could read a book, watch TV (in Spanish),
use the gym, walk endless laps around the exercise
yard, talk with someone, sit in a corner on your tod...
the subject of writing a diary.
I could maybe add events that one witnesses or
hears about: the guy who got taken from the
modulo on suspicion of dealing; or the intimidation,
fight or argument over some rule in a game of chess,
draughts, ludo or football; or two people who
bumped into each other, neither willing to say
pardon; or a lucky soul who finally got his release
date; or the anticipated looks of eagerness as
someone awaits a visit from family, friends or just a
probation worker; the collection of a letter, card or
“
On reading the latest issue of Prisoners Abroad News
magazine.
I was drawn to the questions posed about writing a
diary. At first, I questioned why anybody would
If passing the day is easy, then the night-time must
chose to write a diary, and for what purpose
be equally easy you might think – and thinking is
someone would choose to write one. After all, each
exactly what you do. All of your own private,
day is the same, it’s only their name that changes.
intimate fears of loneliness, uncertainty, betrayal,
Then I sighed and thought I might’ve been a bit
mis-trust, lost loyalty, lust and that far away
negative and inconsiderate, and perhaps a little
wonderful day of freedom. Sad and happy thoughts
unkind to those people who do write a daily diary.
all intertwined.
So I decided to write about a typical day for me.
It’s just the same day every day, every week, every
The jail I’m in at the moment goes like this: they
month... My diary, for me and maybe many others,
open the doors, we wash, dress etc. We file
is one kept locked away in my own private prison,
downstairs and wait for breakfast – coffee, biscuits
and only written in my own private thoughts. It’s
and a sweet bun (bollo in Spanish, pronounced
one thing the prison authorities can’t take away
boyo). After we’ve savoured the luxury cuisine of
from you. As to the question, “Does it help?”, my
breakfast (desayuno) at approximately nine O’clock
answer is a variety of pros and cons. Well it certainly
we have free time, about 5 hours of it, which can be
helped pass the four hours it took to write this
spent in one of several ways. Unfortunately, those
extract, but it also reminds you of how long you’ve
who could do with a couple more hours kip will find
been locked up: one day you never forget is the
themselves disappointed, unless they are enfermo
time, day and date you lost your freedom.
grave (seriously ill). Otherwise, you join the rest of
4
”
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
Prison without bars
This article is written by Derick Attwood, whose son is in jail in the USA. Derick describes
how the experience affected him, and how writing a diary helped his son. Following this
article, we reproduce some extracts from Shaun’s diary.
“
I put the phone down and returned to the living room
to tell my wife and daughter that our son was facing
25 years in a U.S. prison. That was on 16th May 2002,
and since that day our life has been a rollercoaster ride
from one emotional episode to another.
Following his arrest, Shaun spent over two years on
remand in facilities in Maricopa County. Conditions in
this area are well-documented, and have led to
protests from human rights groups such as Amnesty
International.
The distance of 5000 miles from our son’s jail cell has
put constraints on the viability of visits, but in the first
few months after his arrest, we all managed to go
over to see him, behind a plastic screen, manacled to
the table and to speak with him via a telephone. It
was quite horrendous. But our son, being who he is,
always arrived in the visitation area wreathed in
smiles, with a joke never far from his lips.
My wife, Barbara, urged Shaun to write “to help keep
you sane”. This he did with a vengeance. Letters are a
constant in a prisoner’s life, and the ones that Shaun
wrote to us from his cell told us disturbing tales of life
in jail. But he never complained – he just reported to
us what happened and what he saw - it was the brutal
truth.
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
I had just read Salam Pax’s book ‘The Baghdad Blog’,
and I thought that a weblog – an online diary that can
be read by anyone with access to the internet - would
be a useful way to share Shaun’s letters amongst
family and friends, to let them know what it was like
in a US jail. Initially we feared for his safety, and so we
posted the blogs under the pseudonym of
‘jonsjailjournal’ which Barbara and I thought. up The
first batch of Shaun’s pencil-stub-written ‘blogs’ were
smuggled out with the help of my sister Ann, who
lives in Phoenix and who was a frequent visitor to the
jail. We typed up and posted the blogs regularly until
Shaun accepted a plea bargain from the prosecution in
June 2004. Shaun’s attorney explained to us that it was
vital that we attend the sentencing hearing, as we
could address the judge and perhaps have some
influence on reducing the length of the prison term.
It was the worst day of our lives. We stood up in court,
one by one, to plead with the judge for the lower end
of the sentencing range. Barbara went first and
heartbreakingly addressed the judge, begging leniency
for her son. Both of my sisters spoke up for Shaun, and
then my daughter Karen, who was quite distressed by
this time. As she spoke, her eyes brimming with tears,
it seemed as though the whole courtroom was awash
with emotion, sniffles could be heard and tissues were
used even by courtroom officials.
Finally it was my turn. I spoke of prosaic childhood
experiences I’d shared with Shaun, but this turned out
to be too much for him and he broke down with only
his attorney by his side to comfort him. This appeared
to have the desired effect, and after the sentence was
handed out we were allowed to talk to Shaun in the
court before he was taken away, his chains jangling
with each step. After he was sentenced Shaun was
moved to a State prison where conditions were better.
Away from the jurisdiction of Maricopa County, Shaun
went public and we posted his name onto the blog.
continued overleaf>>
5
Prison without bars
Not long after we returned to England, the blog
attracted the attention of The Guardian, who published
excerpts of Sean’s writing. This in turn attracted further
media interest including local radio, to whom Barbara
gave her first live interview, and she stood up well to
what was quite hard questioning. Then the BBC
interviewed us for the online news service. Now the
story was going not only nationwide, but worldwide,
as the email address I had set up for Shaun started to
receive emails from around the world. Most were
overwhelmingly supportive; people had been
genuinely inspired by Shaun’s words from his prison
cell.
The difficulties of being the parents of a prisoner are
many: the whole family serves the sentence; we are
in a prison without bars. Our difficulties have been
compounded by the distance, and only being able to
visit annually. But as we receive Shaun’s letters, and
we type them out, it connects us to him in a very real
way. The blogs put us alongside him, inside the chow
hall, on the rec field, playing chess with ‘Frankie’. We
see the characters he describes, some are tragic, many
are very funny, but there is an ultimate air of sadness
and frustration as we realise that prisoners –
everywhere – are at the bottom of the pile when it
comes to being treated with both dignity and
humanity.
As I write this in September we have just had a week
in which the Sheriff of the County was visiting the UK.
This visit in turn led to a Phoenix TV station requesting
a telephone interview with Shaun - they were running
a story about conditions in local jails. We were able to
see the broadcast on the internet and hear Shaun’s
voice for the first time in months.
”
Extracts from Shaun Attwood’s weblog diary
Every day is similar. Much to the chagrin of my right
arm I try to scribble for five hours in the am. In the pm
I try to read at least one hundred to one hundred and
fifty book pages.
“
My in-cell breaks consist of yoga, meditation, and
catnaps.
Most of the out-of-the-cell time is spent between
chow, showers, and chess. On an alternating basis, I
get either two or four hours of rec [recreation time]
each day. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
afternoons, I am assigned to the education building for
independent study, where I practise Spanish or
Chinese using books and cassette tapes that I have
purchased. I am also enrolled in several Department of
Corrections programmes.
Shaun Attwood
6
My favourite study areas are: behavioural finance, the
classics, creative writing, economic history, forensic
accountancy, literary criticism, Mandarin Chinese,
military science, penology, psychology, political
philosophy, Spanish, and the subject that I’ve spent my
entire adult life studying: the stock market.
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
A day in the life
Why can’t I sleep? Did***
someone sprinkle speed into
this evening’s chow? Maybe the whirring noise of the
fan is keeping me awake? Should I shove more wet
tissue into my already blocked up earholes? Maybe I
should change sleeping position? But I’ve changed
position over and over for the past two hours – to no
avail. Actually, my left arm does feel a little dead. Go
on: move around one more time. Maybe it’ll work.
Why is my mind racing with trivialities? Who cares that
you got bland navy beans for dinner when it was
supposed to have been one of your favourite trays:
veggie chilli? Who cares if you can’t make phone calls?
Who cares that your Investors Business Daily arrives a
day late?
Calm your mind. Stop thinking about silly things. Didn’t
you just read Nietzsche’s words this evening, “the
worst things…are the petty thoughts”? Endure
gracefully like Nietzsche’s Ubermensch (Superman)
would. Easier read than done?
Why does the air feel as if it’s eating my skin? Why can
I feel pimples erupting on my head and face? Why are
my back hairs tickling me? I already tossed my cover
sheet, which was cling wrapping sweat to my body.
I’m so sick of scratching my clammy skin.
“It’s humid tonight,” mumbled my cell mate who was
also playing semi-naked Twister on his mattress.
Humidity! That’s it! Humidity has come to itch and
scratch and nibble my skin; to make me rotate like a
kebab; to bully me to make me stronger.
Now that I know my invisible enemy’s name, I can
move on. Silence petty thoughts! Ponder only this
mantra:
Om Nama Shivaya
Om Nama Shivaya
Om Nama Shivaya
”
Let me take you back
DS in the USA writes movingly about his memories of when he was younger.
“
Let me take you back to a time of lush green hills, and
cobble stone roads. A time of breezy warm summer
days. And bitter cold snow-filled winters. A time of
innocence, no cares or worries. A time when simply
hearing the ice cream man’s melody always made
your day. A time spent playing football, the sport I
loved with so much passion, just knowing that when I
grow up I will play for my favourite team, Man United,
and from there get picked to play for my beloved
England, and help bring the World Cup back home
where it belongs. Let me take you back to a time
spending the summer holidays at my nana’s house,
loving the way she always fussed over me, and
forever calling me her “little pet”. These are the
memories I will always cherish, and hold next to my
heart. The memories that bring a smile to my face, or,
I’m not too proud to say, a tear to my eye, when I think
back to those days long gone by. So when I’m feeling
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
trapped in this lonely world of steel and razor wire I
close my eyes and allow my mind to drift back to that
time of no cares or worries, and when that happens
there’s a very good chance that my mind’s eye will
see that little kid kicking that ever present football,
telling anyone who will listen how one day he will
bring that World Cup home where it belongs. I wish
with all my heart I could reach out to that kid and let
him know to always be careful of the paths you
choose in life and never ever let those precious
dreams fade away. If I could only have five minutes of
that kid’s time, I know he would choose a different
path. And if that was the case, then I guess you could
say that I wouldn’t be trapped here writing this poem.
But instead be surrounded by English team-mates, as
I held the World Cup high in victory. Finally, bringing it
home to England where it belongs.
”
7
Calendar 2006
Jan
M
T
W
T
F
S
2
9
16
23
30
3
10
17
24
31
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
S
1
8
15
22
29
W
1
8
15
22
T
2
9
16
23
F
3
10
17
24
S
4
11
18
25
S
5
12
19
26
W
1
8
15
22
29
T
2
9
16
23
30
F
3
10
17
24
31
S
4
11
18
25
S
5
12
19
26
S
2
9
16
23
30
Feb
M
T
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
Mar
M
T
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
Apr
M
T
W
T
F
3
10
17
24
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
S
1
8
15
22
29
W
3
10
17
24
31
T
4
11
18
25
F
5
12
19
26
S
6
13
20
27
S
7
14
21
28
T
1
8
15
22
29
F
2
9
16
23
30
S
3
10
17
24
S
4
11
18
25
May
M
1
8
15
22
29
T
2
9
16
23
30
June
M
T
W
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
July
M
T
W
T
F
7
14
21
28
S
1
8
15
22
29
S
2
9
16
23
30
3
10
17
24
31
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
W
2
9
16
23
30
T
3
10
17
24
31
F
4
11
18
25
S
5
12
19
26
S
6
13
20
27
S
2
9
16
23
30
S
3
10
17
24
Aug
M
7
14
21
28
T
1
8
15
22
29
Sept
M
T
W
T
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
F
1
8
15
22
29
Oct
M
T
W
T
F
S
2
9
16
23
30
3
10
17
24
31
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
S
1
8
15
22
29
W
1
8
15
22
29
T
2
9
16
23
30
F
3
10
17
24
S
4
11
18
25
S
5
12
19
26
F
1
8
15
22
29
S
2
9
16
23
30
S
3
10
17
24
31
Nov
Important dates
M
T
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
Dec
M
T
W
T
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
Family and friends
Families can be affected in many different ways by the imprisonment of a loved one, but as Derick Attwood writes
on page 5, many find themselves trapped in a “Prison without bars”, unable to escape the rollercoaster of emotions
until they are reunited with their son or daughter, husband or wife. Prisoners Abroad recognises the important role
that family and friends can play, and has a freephone helpline staffed by a team of trained caseworkers. Staff can
be contacted on 0808 172 0098 between 9:30am and 5:30pm from Monday to Friday. We are also always happy
to receive correspondence in the post from relatives or friends of those imprisoned. We would be particularly happy
to hear from you on the theme of prison visiting, as we are planning a special issue of PA News for next summer,
where we will be examining how visits affect all of those involved, including prisoners, partners, friends and
prison officers.
The following poem was written by the girlfriend of a
prisoner, who was thinking about what her boyfriend, and
other detainees, might be feeling.
Jail
I don’t believe what I read
I don’t believe what I hear
That ain’t no four star hotel
That much is very clear
Gone are the so-called friends
Gone are your family and friends
It’s hard being locked away
Stripped of your pride and dignity
No space to move, no peace to think
The system’s got you by the balls
No point in kicking up a stink
Your life’s dictated by four brick walls
They wind you up, they feed you crap
They decide when you eat and sleep
If the food don’t kill you, it will make you fat
But don’t stress you, they ain’t got you beat
There’s one thing they can’t take
No matter what they say
Freedom is a must
You’re going home one day
So when you get wound up
When the jailors go home at night
Remember, you’re there for a short time
The jailor’s there for life.
Family Linking
Just a quick reminder that Prisoners Abroad runs a
Family Linking scheme, designed to help family
members through the difficult situations and changing
emotions caused by having a loved one in prison
overseas. To learn more about the scheme, please
contact one of our Casework team by calling the Family
Freephone number, 0808 172 0098, emailing
casework@PrisonersAbroad.org.uk, or by writing to us
at the address on the front page.
Change of address
Don’t forget to let Prisoners Abroad know if your friend
or relative is transferred to another prison, or is
released. Also, please let us know if your contact details
change. Our contact details are on the front page.
Reminder
All old issues of Prisoners Abroad News are available on
our website, www.PrisonersAbroad.org.uk. If you would
like a paper copy of any old issue, please contact the
office and we will be happy to send it to you. Also, all
of our factsheets and leaflets can also be downloaded
from the website.
CT
10
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
A day in the life
Iris Lee is the Direct Services administrator for
Prisoners Abroad. She is responsible for sending
out our magazines and newspapers, and for
matching up penpals. Here she takes us through
a typical day in the office.
“
I usually arrive in the office at about 9:30am. The first
part of the morning I spend going through my post. I
receive a large amount of mail every day from clients,
magazines and penpals, that all needs to be sorted
out.
I have been working for Prisoners Abroad for over 3
years, first in the Fundraising team, and for the last
nine months as the Direct Services administrator. I was
happy to accept new role as I knew that Direct
Services provided a valuable service.
round for all the staff to sign before they are sent out.
Betty does this every month, and the newspapers
every week.
Once I have sorted my mail, I check my emails for any
updates regarding clients that have been released.
This information is sent to me by the caseworkers and
is very important because once I receive this I can
cancel any subscriptions that they have and send them
out to another client on my waiting list. It is vital that
we know as soon as possible when clients are
released, as it saves the magazines going astray.
I usually go to lunch at about 1:30, and when I come
back I check for emails again just in case there are any
more released clients that are receiving magazines.
This happens quite often, but usually I will be able to
find the magazine I have processed in the morning
and send it to someone else on my waiting list.
Today is a busy day because I am sending out
magazines to clients. It’s a large mail out and will take
me two days to send everything. I do two mail outs
per month because we have monthly and weekly
publications. This is a very important part of my job
and rewarding because I have received lots of letters
from clients saying how much they enjoy and
appreciate the magazines. All our magazines are
donated, either by the publishers or by our valued
supporters who take out magazine subscriptions.
Today I have a phone message from a supporter who
has not heard from his penpal for a while. This may be
for a variety of reasons, including a change of address
as sometimes prisoners do not know that they are
going to be transferred and this can delay
correspondence. I check to see if the address is the
same: if it is I will ask the casework team to
investigate to see if the prisoner has been moved. In
some cases if the address is the same and every thing
seems to be ok I will contact the prisoner and ask if
they still wish to correspond with their penpal. When
the issue has been resolved one way or the other I will
contact the penpal to let them know the situation.
I have a fantastic volunteer who comes into the office
once a week to help me. Betty comes in at 11am and
today she is helping me send out newspapers that
have been donated by our staff. She will also be
helping me process the birthday cards that we send
out every month. These need to be labelled and sent
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
I have done the last batch of magazines for today. Its
5:30pm and time to go home after a busy day. I will
finish off the magazines tomorrow, and try to catch up
with the rest of my work in the afternoon.
”
11
Poetry corner
Untitled
Give me a smile, my love,
and I’ll give it back to you.
Give me your love and kisses
and I’ll no longer feel blue.
Untitled
I feel the broad horizon explode in opportunity
Circling the stately hills, I’m coasting stratospherically
I climb the winds and surf the sky with grace, I gush with majesty
Mean, nothing can ever drag me down or even burden me
Give me your arms, my love
to hold me close to you.
Wrap them around me snugly
our hugs can’t be too few.
Extravaganzas, feasts of joy enthrall me as I glide
To witness such enjoyment just one fortune of the ride
Waxing crescendos of pleasure thrill me deep inside
The caress of the fresh cool breeze, nirvana, I decide
Give me your lips, my love
to kiss so tenderly.
They’ll be so soft and sweet
I’ll love you passionately.
I stress the bottom is the top, from there I just arose
My freedom’s my religion, it’s my standard, and it grows
Escape is omnipresent, it’s my soul mate and it shows
This existence pure sensation, I’m subjected to no lows
Give me your heart, my love
I’ll never break it dear,
I’ll give you so much love, you see
our love will have no fear.
A heavenly experience my constant as I fly
A confident euphoria indulges me, I’m high
Celestial panoramas cast a pleasure to the eye
A heady celebration marks my life up in the sky
Give me your trust, my love
I’ll treasure it, you know
Our life will be built on trust
and our love will ever grow.
I survey cirrocumulus which drifts across my right
Shimmering in turquoise silk it filters the sunlight
All around a riot of colours greet my pampered sight
How I feel blessed to be endowed with the power of flight
Give me your time, my love
it will be used with care,
Our hopes and dreams and plans
this my love, we’ll share
The honour borne of weightlessness, such pleasure to behold
Exhilaration boundless, the whole truth remains untold
My life is without parallel, my peers just leave me cold
My aim, remain high in the sky, until I die of old.
GK, USA
Give me your self, my love
I’ll love every part, you see
Your mind, your body, your spirit
Together – just you and me.
MB, USA
To a loved one
This is a special gift
That you can never see
The reason it’s so special is
It’s just for you... from me
Whenever you are happy
Or even feeling blue
You only have to see this gift
And know I think of you
You never can unwrap it
Please leave the ribbon tied
Just hold it close to your heart
It’s filled with love inside
AP, USA
12
The Sun Shines through the bars!
No matter what your race
Not even the colour of your face
Can set you free from this place
As I sit here the sun shines through the bars
And at night I lay in bed and see the stars
Sometimes I even hear the cars
WHY DID I LEAVE HOME – WHY DID I COME SO FAR?
My time will soon come to go away
Travel back to my family where I will stay
Sit with my children, laugh with them and play
Forgetting about these awful nights and days
So I guess I’ll have to stay and do my time
Sitting on my bed writing my rhymes
Can’t wait to see my family and friends
Go back to them and make amends
I know freedom will soon come my way
So I will just wait until that day.
RB, Jamaica
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
Poetry corner
Tired
Life’s Journey
I am tired of living this life of crime
I am tired of doing nothing but time
I need you now more than ever
That’s why I sit here waiting for your letters
You show me your happiness and give me hope
And incentives that help me to cope
You give me a life that I’ve always wanted
Without my past of which is haunted
I am tired of being the person I was
And doing stupid things just because
I am tired of always having to look over my shoulder
And sitting in prison just getting older
I know that when I get out things are going to be hard
But I am tired of sitting on this yard
So when I get out I am going to do every thing I can
To live a new life and be a new man
But I won’t get out until my sentence is done
But I’ve promised my wife and my parents to
I’d never come back to this prison zoo.
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me
The road to success is not straight
There is a curve called failure
A loop called confusion
Speed bumps called friends
Red lights called enemies and
Caution lights called Family
You will have flats called jobs, but
If you have a spare called determination
An engine called perseverance
Insurance called Faith
And a driver called Jesus
You will make it to a place called success.
MNS, St. Lucia
MS, USA
The classic poem this issue is from a
great of the Victorian era.
Liquid Consciousness
I must become as Water
Soft to the touch, though
If concentrated and set in
Motion a force of reckoning
I Wake and Feel the Fell of Dark,
Not Day
At times I must be as still
As the calmest ponds and
Reflect tenfold all assaults
And at other times be as murky as
The muddiest river so none may
See my designs
I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day.
What hours, O what black hours we have spent
This night! what sights you, heart, saw; ways you went!
And more must, in yet longer light's delay.
With witness I speak this. But where I say
Hours I mean years, mean life. And my lament
Is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent
To dearest him that lives alas! away.
If I’m one against many,
I shall slip between
My enemies, to divide their
United forces
I am gall, I am heartburn. God's most deep decree
Bitter would have me taste: my taste was me;
Bones built in me, flesh filled, blood brimmed the curse.
Like water I remain
Flexible to whatever flask
I may find myself in
When the river seems long and
Arduous I must remember
This realm is but a passing wave
That flows back into the great-oceans
To be reclaimed and renewed
AW, Canada
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
Self-yeast of spirit a dull dough sours. I see
The lost are like this, and their scourge to be
As I am mine, their sweating selves, but worse.
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Please send your poetry to the Editor, at the address on page 2.
13
Games and puzzles
Across
1 Prize winner gets golden ring exchanged after
initial refusal (5,8)
9 Migratory bird from 6 is returned to centre of
perch (7)
10 Raise level of a GCSE pass (7)
11 The trunk contains a tonne
approximately (5)
12 A drip almost paired up with staggering
blonde in 8 tournament (9)
13 Skilfully captivates girl, acting thus? (8)
15 A former college professor studied chiefly
coelenterates (6)
18 A measure of medicine after party is
wise (6)
19 The Blues requires playing old
instruments (8)
22,8 A general request to appear in court?
(6,3,6)
24 A student member causes panic (5)
25 Greek character in a spot with height
indicates part of horizon (7)
26 One chanting in male voice, misplacing
vowels (7)
27 Removes all complexities from unfinished
diary scientist scribbled (12)
Down
1 Victorious at 12 in 1998 after Antonov exploded (7)
2 See 16
3 Give money to German for game (5)
4 A strong rising tide submerging Henry's animal (7)
5 Regions about to be given aid (6)
6 Cake eaten by Gabriel? (5-4)
7 One leaves Daniel frolicking with antelope (5)
8 See 22
14 Legendary seamen have a gas with heartless relatives (9)
16,2 "Surely you jest?" famously heard at 12 - you see ban on
court is a possible outcome (3,3,3,2,7)
17 Attendant at 12? (8)
18 Tense situations arising when Mum's relocated in Indian city
(6)
20 Girl's taking on politician victorious at 12 in 1998 (7)
21 Hound a citizen (6)
23 It was once torn apart in year 506 uprising (5)
24 A lofty Greek? (5)
Crossword set by Alberich and provided by www.freecrosswords.net.
Answers on the back page
Sudoku
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and
every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There’s no
maths involved, and there’s only one correct
solution. The answer is on the back page. Good luck!
© The Daily Sudoku 2005.
All rights reserved. http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk
14
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
Games and puzzles
Brainteasers
1. What can go up a chimney down, but can’t go
down a chimney up.
2. What you catch, you throw away, and what
you don’t catch, you keep. What are they?
JH, France
3. At midday, the hands on a clock are perfectly
aligned. At what time, exactly, will the hands
next be aligned?
4. You are faced with two doors, with a guard in
front of each. You know that the guard
protecting the door to heaven will always tell
the truth, and that the guard in front of the
door to hell will always lie. You are only
allowed one question to distinguish which
door is which – what should you ask and to
whom?
Answers on the back page.
Send your jokes and puzzles to the
editor at the address on page 2.
Copyright 2000 John R. Potter. John's wordsearch puzzle
www.thepotters.com/puzzles.html
Jokes
We asked everyone in the Prisoners Abroad office
for some thoughts to make you smile. Here is the
best of the bunch.
If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks
have branches?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when
babies wake up every two hours?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put
money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
A vulture boards an aeroplane carrying two dead
raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, "I'm
sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger."
PRISONERS ABROAD NEWS
You know, somebody actually complimented me on
my driving today. They left a little note on the
windscreen, it said “Parking Fine”. So that was nice.
A man goes to the doctor with a strawberry growing
out of his head. The doctor says “I'll give you some
cream to put on it!”
A man goes to the doctor with a lettuce growing out
of his bottom. The doc says “It doesn’t look good”. The
man says “You think that’s bad? That’s just the tip of
the iceberg!”
So I was getting into my car, and this bloke says to me
“Can you give me a lift?” I said “Sure, you look great,
the world's your oyster, go for it!”
15
Backpage bulletin
In the last issue, AK from France wrote about the difficulty he’s
been having telling his son that he won’t be coming home for a
while. We have received many messages from our readers,
offering support and encouragement for AK. A new book, written
by prisoners and their families, is now available for those in the
same position as AK, and we have free copies for anybody who
would like one. '"Daddy's Working Away" - A Guide to Being a
Dad in Prison' is published by British charity Care for the Family,
and aims to support and encourage fathers in prison to maintain
and build strong family relationships. Bringing hope and
encouragement, the book is a realistic and honest attempt to
deal with difficult issues facing prisoners who, although away
from their children, still want to be good dads. If you would like
a copy please write to the casework team. Some prisons do not
allow prisoners to receive books, so please check if this may be
a problem and obtain prison permission if necessary.
Alternatively, please let us know the details of somebody who
can take the book into the prison in person.
Books
Freepost envelopes
We are now able to send out
books to those who would
appreciate receiving them. If
you are interested, please
write to Iris Lee or the
casework team, telling us what
sort of books you would like to
receive.
If you use freepost envelopes to
have your mail forwarded, please
note that it is not necessary to use
a separate envelope for each
letter. Several letters can be
enclosed in a single envelope.
Remember to tell us the addresses
to which you wish them to be
sent. This will help us to keep costs
down.
Prisoners Abroad
Change of address
Please note that it is the remit
of Prisoners Abroad to offer
help to British citizens detained
overseas. We regret that we
are unable to offer help to, or
correspond with, anyone who
is not a British citizen because
of a lack of resources, not a
lack of caring.
Calendar 2006
Many thanks to everyone who
submitted artwork for this
year’s calendar (included on
pages 8 and 9). The standard
was very high, and it was a
difficult job trying to decide
which
ones
to
include.
Unfortunately, due to space we
could not publish them all. Our
thanks and congratulations go
to the following artists whose
work will stay with us for the
next twelve months.
Thanks
Our thanks go to Alberich,
and
John
R
Potter
www.dailysudoku.co.uk
for
allowing us to reprint their
puzzles. Our thanks also go to
the Noel Buxton Trust for their
ongoing support with the
production of the newsletter.
We’d also like to thank Care for
the Family, for providing copies
of their new book, as
mentioned above.
Mail is frequently returned to us at Prisoners Abroad because
people have moved on. If you and your family wish to continue
using our services, you need to inform us as soon as possible of your
new address. A lot of time is spent processing returned mail and
investigating where people have moved to. In future, if mail is
returned to us, there will be a temporary hold on further mail. If
there is no further contact, after 3-6 months the individual case will
be closed.
Lateral thinking
1. An umbrella
2. Fleas
3. Starting at midday, the hands will align 11 times in the next 12
hours (excluding midday and midnight). So on average they align
every 12/11ths of an hour. So they will next cross in one and 1/11
of an hour’s time, that is at 1:05 and 27 seconds
4. You can ask either guard: “If I ask the other guard which door
leads to heaven, what will he say”. You should then go through the
opposite door.
The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Prisoners Abroad, Registered Charity No. 1093710