The Prison Restaurant

Generally speaking I think it's extremely beneficial that HM Prison Service seem to be much more relaxed nowadays about allowing tv cameras into prison. I think it's important that the public get a chance to see more of what goes on behind the high walls and security fences of what are essentially quite closed and secretive institutions. In particular that they get a feel for exactly what kind of person we are locking up in greater numbers proportionally than virtually any other European state and the challenges these people pose the staff on a daily basis.

HMP High Down is home to a remarkable and so far unique experiment in offering prisoners essentially a route to redemption through learning to become accomplished chefs. In this BBC1 tv programme 'The Prison Restaurant' we see that the hard-nosed and pragmatic Catering Manager has succeeded in persuading the prison hierarchy to allow charitable funding of a posh training restaurant and kitchen within the establishment, with selected prisoners being given the chance of gaining an NVQ and chance of employment upon release.

It sounds a brilliant idea and indeed it is, but the failure rate is a sobering reminder of just how many seriously damaged, immature and emotionally unstable people are behind bars. As the story unfolds and we follow the fortunes of several new recruits to 'The Clink' training restaurant, we begin to get some insight into the all-too-familiar phenomenon whereby significant numbers of offenders have a behavioural default setting that can only be described as 'self-destruct'.

The reasons can be complex, but undoubtedly connected to early life experiences. For example the young, immature black lad who had to learn self preservation in a succession of childrens homes and now can't resist playing up to the camera's by nicking the bottle of Fanta, smoking and not realising that he wouldn't get away with threatening another inmate. My guess is that he has never known the continuity and unconditional love and support of any parent and now finds it difficult to respond to substitutes in the form of the motherly prison support officer. He always was high risk and the Manager knew this, but it was worth giving him a chance. Hopefully he will learn the connection between cause and effect and will mature sufficiently to be able to take positive advantage of the next opportunity when it comes along. 

It was interesting that the older and initially very promising waiter could not avoid that 'self-destruct' setting either and childishly got into the computer system to alter the wording on the till receipts. In the process he amply demonstrated a degree of arrested development that meant he couldn't resist testing the boundaries, indeed just like a naughty child. I was amazed when quick as a flash he almost automatically asked 'how he could redeem himself' and didn't really seem to be too bothered when he was told he'd simply 'blown it'. It's a sad fact that many of our damaged offenders with arrested developmental histories find it very difficult being able to respond to trust. It takes time and repeated skill and effort.

For me the most disturbing part of this excellent look behind the scenes was the man found in the process of 'slashing'. Some clients are so badly damaged by early life experiences that the only way they feel able to deal with the hate and anger is to direct it at themselves. The default 'self-destruct' setting is set almost on maximum and they attack their own body in a horrifying manner. It was obvious from the brief glimpse the camera gave us that this man had done this many times previously and had scars all over his arms. It reminded me of a very dangerous and damaged man I helped to supervise some years ago who had slashed every accessible part of his body whilst serving several long prison sentences. The experience taught me many things, not least that redemption is possible for most people. It can take a very long time, a great deal of patience and some skill, but above all I believe it's worth it for all our sakes.