Part 3 (2/2)

DAY 27

TUESDAY 14 AUGUST 2001

618 a through my four-bar rite for a couple of hours

820 a and a piece of toast

1056 a for about an hour when the cell door is opened; Mr Clarke tellswith a representative fro has an acrony room opposite Mr Newport's office There are eleven comfortable chairs set in a semicircle, and a low table in the azines scattered on the table, it could have passed for a GP's waiting roo joined by a man in his late fifties, who looks like a retired solicitor or bankhair and a warrey flannels I suspect that the only other time he's this casually dressed is on a Sunday afternoon

He introduces hioes on to explain that the Board is made up of sixteen local people appointed by the Hoives theovernor or any officer on request, and although we have no poe do have considerable influence

Our main purpose,' he continues, 'is to deal with prisoners'

complaints However, our authority ends when it coovernor For exaation, but we can make sure that we are supplied with details of the offence within a period of seventy-two hours We can also read any written al papers or hly decent bloke, aservice to the local community Just like so many thousands of citizens up and down the country he expects little reward other than the satisfaction of doing a hile job I believe that if he felt a prisoner was getting a rough deal, he would, within the li about it

He ends his ten-, ”You'll find that we spend a lot of our ti around the prison You can't miss us because ear these distinctive buff-coloured naes So feel free to come and talk to us whenever you want to - in complete confidence Now, are there any questions?'

To my surprise, there are none Why doesn't anyonecompared with the rest of the prison? Why, when there is a painter on each wing, who I observe working every day, isn't there one to spruce up the induction wing? Do they leave the wing in a filthy condition so that when inmates are moved to another part of the prison they'll feel it's an improvement, or is it that they just can't cope with the turnover of prisoners?

Either way, I would like to tell Governor Kate Cawley (I've discovered the governor's name on a notice board, but haven't yet co, and a blip in an otherell-run prison Why are the induction prisoners locked up for such long hours while the rest of the iniven far more freedom? And whyAnd then it hits me

I ah this process before, and the others either siive a damn or can't see the point of it They are mostly hardened criminals who just want to complete their sentence and have as easy a ti to a life of crime They believe that the likes of Mr Flintcroft will make absolutely no difference to their lives I suspect that the likes of Mr Flintcroft have, over the years, reat deal of difference to their lives, without their ever realizing or appreciating it

Once Mr Flintcroft accepts that there are going to be no questions, we all file out and return to our cells I stop and thank hi out his thankless task

12 noon Mr Chape parcel in reception, which I can pick up after dinner (lunch)

1215 plass of Evian

HELP! I' out of Evian

1235 pm I report to reception and collect inally consisted of two books: Alan Clark's Diaries, and The Diving Bell and the butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby, which has been sent in by Anton, one of Ja letter about the latest bust-up with his girlfriend (I do love the young - only their proble pads, two packets of liquid-point pens and six books of first-class sta letter fro else will be placed in my box at reception and returned to me only when I'm transferred or released

315 pm I have become so accustoym card, but also a towel and a bottle of water to, so I'm back to ten minutes on the rower (1,837 ht-training session and ten minutes on the bike, which I no to turn on and, more importantly, turn off

Everett (GBH) leaves his 240-pound bench press, and asks if he can have a swig of my Evian I nod, as I don't think there's ht-lifting partner - taller and wider - strolls across and takes a sithout asking By the ti, the bottle is e I try to take a shower, but the door is locked I look through the tinyIt's all steaet out I cannot believe that it is prison policy to lock the around for about ten minutes with a couple of other prisoners before an officer eventually appears I tell him I'd like to have a shower

'You've missed your chance'

'I didn't have a chance,' I tell him It's been locked for the past ten minutes'

'I've only been away for ahere for nearly ten minutes,' I politely point out

If I say it's one minute, it's one minute,' he says

I return to my cell I now feel cold and sweaty I sit down to write

600 pm Supper A bowl of thick, oily soup is all I can face Back inof blackcurrant juice

The only luxury left At least I'ht

630 pm Exercise: I walk around the perimeter fence with Jiiving e a shower I then put on a prison tracksuit, grey and baggy, but comfortable I decide to call Mary There is a queue for the phone as this is the most popular tie only to find that the line is engaged

I spot Dale hanging around in the corridor, obviously wanting to speak to me He tells me that the money hasn't arrived I assure hi post, I'll chase it up I try Mary again - still engaged I go back tosession I check my watch It's 755 pm I'll only have one e Still engaged I return to ed up for another twelve hours

800 ph today's script and then prepare outline notes for the first session to at each other fro I re even louder than usual He resignedly replies that there's not a lot you can do about arriors I wonder Should I push est in a polite but firm voice that they don't need to shout at each other A black face appears at the opposite ait for the usual diatribe

'Sorry, Jeff,' he says, and continues the conversation in a normal voice Well, you can only ask

DAY 28 WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST 2001

604 am

I wake, only to remember where I am