17th July 2024

I once knew a psychiatrist who sometimes prepared reports for courts to assist with sentencing those found guilty. He described this as “trying to distinguish the mad, the sad and the bad”. I was reminded of this by the new prisons minister saying that about one third of those in prison needed to be there for public protection, one third had mental health problems and probably should not be there and the remainder were harder to classify.

When working for the Open University I taught one or two students in prison most years. They were all on long sentences – usually lifers and at Shepton Mallet. Even among those who were probably murderers (one does not ask!) I recognised these categories. I recall one definitely ‘bad’, one with mental health problems which were not treated in prison hindering his eventual release and several who were ex-Army, taught to kill and had over-reacted perhaps when drunk and were probably not a recurring danger to others.

The criminal justice system and prisons are a part of life we rarely encounter. It is clear both are close to collapse. Prison sentences have been lengthening steadily for 20 years and prisons are running out of space. Courts have closed delaying justice for victims and for those on remand. Barristers have been on strike.

We cannot all carry out Jesus’ implied command to visit those in prison but perhaps we ought to take more interest in what is done in our name and to observe the injunction in Hebrews to pray for those in prison which does say for ALL in prison.

Margaret Clements