I want to write today about one of the most difficult aspects of prison life I’m experiencing – the systemic and intentional removal of our humanity by the State.

What is the difference between a human and an ape? I’m sure you can think of many but major ones might be about communication,, responsibility, working together and self-improvement. These are the very things that make us human but I have seen so many intentional acts committed by prison staff which seem to be motivated by the wish to dehumanise us.

Let me take communication first. We are prevented at every opportunity from engaging in normal human communication. Yes, of course, we don’t have to maintain silence at all times but being locked up for 23 hours a day, only being allowed to use the phone once a day, only being allowed 4 visits a month and teh extremely “relaxed” approach to our mail doesn’t exactly encourage communicatipon.

As for responsibility, it is both truthful and fair to say that the moment we are admitted to prison, all responsibility is stripped from us. We do not have responsibility for anything and it’s not that we don’t want or can’t handle it but it is taken from us anyway. Of course, there’s a valid argument that most people in prison are criminals and have to some extent demonstrated that they can’t handle the responsibility of behaving appropriately but if we accept that argument and accept the “rehabilitative” narrative, then surely toe correct course of action is to introduce elements of responsibility to help us reintegrate. However, to deny us any form of responsibility for years and then kick us out when the clock runs out hardly helps with reintegration.

Thinking about working together, I can’t think of a single example of me being allowed to work together with anyone during my sentence so far. I don’t think there are any work parties where collaborative working is encouraged and ever group-work in education is essentially a series of individual tasks that feed into a “group” result. We don’t negotiate, collaborate, resolve disagreement or use any other communally working skills. In fact, it seems that active steps are taken to ensure these skills are removed from life in jail.

The final difference between a human and an ape is self-improvement. I’ve written before about this and it’s clear to me that this prison does not want us to improve. Sure, there is “education” but the prison staff are hardly enthusiastic about promoting it or even escorting us to the building. As sure there are “offender behaviour” courses on offer but I know very few people who have done any course at all. What I have seen are many people liberated from custody having done no self-improvement work whatsoever. It’s a scandal.

The result of the removal of these elements can’t be anything other than the dehumanisation of prisoners. Personally, I am fighting to retain my humanity but it is so tough. It would be so much easier to just go along with the flow and to accept that my humanity is going to be gradually eroded away. But I won’t because I am Not a Number.

NaN.