Introduction

   by Neville Thompson

 

In 2004, we had a huge success with the first Streetwise and I felt it was time to let people see what's been written in the prisons since. Co-ordinating prisons can be a hard thing. Originally, I had hoped that we could get a cross section of work throughout all prisons but it was not to be. And so the work here is from the prisoners I met in Midlands Prison and Portlaoise. I do feel it still represents prisoners throughout the system because, time and time again, given the movement, prisoners end up in a variety of prisons on one sentence. .

 

I think a lot has been written about the good and the bad of prison. What I am endeavouring to do here is show you some of the places and things these people come through. I am not trying to argue for or against them. I will say, however, that with proper care and attention people can change. When I was promoting the last book, a lot of pris­oners were angry with my views on TV Three's Morning Ireland Show that the prison was trying to help them. A lot of the prisoners feel that the key has been thrown away.

 

For Me it is a hard one to call

 

I would say that do-gooders have strangled the system in a lot of ways. It. seems to me that if a prisoner comes in and causes havoc he gets as much thanks, if not more, as one who comes in and tries to legitimately change his ways. My feeling, and it is just a personal view, is that prisoners should start with the bare essentials and get all extras as rewards for change. We hear time and time again of pris­oners with playstations, gyms, education, and it seems as though people think this is wrong. I don't see anything wrong with them having this as long as they are trying to change their ways. As long as they can see these not as necessities but as rewards for showing a willingness to change. After all, if they don't change their ways they will, more than likely, come out and cause mayhem before end­ing back up inside.

 

I do feel that the Government should be putting more effort into facilitating change – giving people a second chance on the outside rather than concentrating on build­ing more prisons. But I doubt such direction would win votes.

 

My experience has been that when I go to schools around the, country and read from the original Streetwise, students are both touched and shocked. It is not glorifying crime to write about it but rather telling it as it is. There is a better chance of stopping crime through this than a visit to a prison. But these readings are financed by Poetry Ireland

 

The royalties raised last time went to children's charities across the country and I think it is something that should be highlighted. Time and time again prisoners do charity runs, sell the things they make at auctions and very rarely do so for their own profit. However, very little media time is spent highlighting this. Rather, the papers look for the scare mongering stories.

 

I have been privileged to have met some real talent in the prisons and, yes, time and time again, they come out with the best intentions and fail. That doesn't mean we give up. But we need to change our way of thinking. We need to put in place schemes that will keep people out of prison. Very few teachers have ever had anything robbed on them in prisons, that says something. It says that the prisoners have respect and a code of practice. We should encourage this. Naturally there are bad apples and they need to be dealt with accordingly, but that should not mean closing the door on those who are legitimately try­ing.

 

As I say, this is my opinion. I feel that we should have a better back up situation in place where prisoners coming out can help other people likely to end up in prison. I want to get "What A Waste Productions" up and running. I envisage a touring theatre company that would perform plays written in prisons, and have a meeting place to engage in writing and music and production just like we could do in prison. Of course, eventually, we would want it to be self-supporting, but think of this for an example: it now costs €85,000 to keep a prisoner inside. God knows how many prisoners rob before they are caught again. However, we are looking to get €20,000 per prisoner for the projects we have in hand. At first instance, taking the projects we have in place, it would cost us €200,000 to keep our project afloat for a year as opposed to €850,000 to keep them incarcerated. As an endeavour to gauge public response I am asking people to read this book to comment on www.nevillethompson.com

 

My ultimate goal would be that some of the writers here, the actors I have met, the musicians I have heard in prisons, get to work in their artistic fields outside. Please, if you can help this cause, or at very least comment on the site, so we can show the support to those who can help. Even if you hate the idea — write. Let's make this a major vote issue.

 

There are always thank yous and this book is no differ­ent. Both Governors of the prisons and their staff deserve gratitude for allowing a system of education to run effi­ciently in their prisons. The head teachers and the teach­ers do a brilliant job and continually achieve amazing .results under incredible circumstances.

 

In particular there are five teachers I would personally like to thank. Linda Tynan does amazing liaison work for the lads and places them outside in schemes that give them a chance. Bredha and Bairbre Sexton worked tirelessly on the original Masterpiece play before it went to the Fringe. Michelle Mullins is a brilliant talent in multi media, who has started up an internal television channel, which gives the lads a chance to express themselves to their peers. And finally Anita Hanoran who I think is an amazing teacher but who also kept the ball running on the stories when I went awol. Which, as those who work with me will tell you, is quite often.