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Impact of Grendon on Changing Lives: Prisoner Perspectives

NCJ Number
232771
Journal
Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 49 Issue: 5 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 478-490
Author(s)
Michael Brookes
Date Published
December 2010
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article examines the effectiveness of the therapeutic communities at an English prison from the point of view of the prisoners.
Abstract
This article brings together published and unpublished material that documents prisoners' experiences of Grendon in their words. This covers the period from shortly after Grendon opened in 1962 to the present day. Issues to be looked at are the pre-admission procedure, reasons for applying to Grendon, the reception process and life on the assessment and induction unit. The challenges of living on the main therapeutic communities (TCs) will be described. How staff relationships at Grendon differ from those in other establishments will be explained. Also described will be the experiences of those who did not transfer onto one of the five main TCs within Grendon as well as those who found that Grendon was not for them. What is apparent throughout is the similarity of prisoner experiences from the time Grendon opened until the present day. References (Published Abstract)