Prison overcrowding – voices from inside

“I only found out I was being released early the same day”

Arron was released on Wednesday 3rd July during a high-profile time for the prisons system. He saw first-hand how overcrowding is affecting people in prison.

He said: “I was arrested for breaching my bail conditions. I was given a 21-day sentence and sent to a prison over 80 miles away from where I lived because the local ones were full. I’d been in prison before and it had been ok. It was fairly organised. You got the help you needed; I got my medication. I got the food I needed. If I had a problem the Governor would come and see you.

It was a totally different story at this new prison. The biggest issue was my family didn’t know what had happened to me. I wasn’t allowed to make any telephone calls to let them know where I was. They knew I’d been picked up by the police, but they didn’t know what had happened to me. They were calling round the local prisons to see if anyone knew where I was, my partner actually filed a missing persons report. It was very stressful for everyone.

We were locked up for 23 hours a day. Even when we did get out there was often an incident which meant we had to go back in, an overdose or fight. Someone threw a bin down the stairs when I first got there. All the alarms would go off. People were screaming in the night. It was madness.

They kept moving me to 6 different cells. I was put in a cell with someone who was high risk, and they didn’t give him any warning, that really wound him up. He was telling me to get out, but I didn’t have anywhere go. They put me in a cell and then move me out of there within the hour. It was really unsettling. The toilets are the in cells, so you don’t get any privacy. I felt embarrassed, someone I don’t know going to loo in front of me. You don’t know where to look. I already have anxiety and mental health issues, and this just sent all that through the roof. I was getting chest pains I was so anxious. I asked to see a doctor or nurse, but they just said they were too busy. I didn’t get to see anyone before I left.

Getting released was just as chaotic. I was expecting to be released after half my sentence, that would have been a Sunday. A woman who was helping me with my mental health told me that I could be getting out the next day. That was the first I’d heard of it. I didn’t really believe it and the next day I just sat in my cell not knowing if I was staying or going out that day, waiting for the door to open. It really rattled my brain. Eventually they did come to get me, and I was released. I hadn’t had a chance to get anything in place. I didn’t even have breakfast. Luckily there I met a Nacro worker outside the prison and they helped me. They gave me some food, a phone, and helped me out with getting home. I was also able to phone my family to let them know what happened. It really helped me. We should have this kind of support for everyone coming out of prison, especially for people who are first timers and don’t know the way it all works. Otherwise, it can be very overwhelming experience.”

More about overcrowding in prisons

Prisons are currently running at 110% of capacity. There are reports that there are only 700 spaces left in male prisons in England and Wales. Overcrowding effects rehabilitation efforts and hampers people chances when they are released. Find our previous statement on overcrowding