Is vaping allowed in prison?

[Mark29]

Yeah, unless things have changed 4 years + equals a parole sentence and anything under 4 years means you only serve half your sentence inside and the rest outside on license. If you do get sent down my advice would be to get on an offending behaviour course as soon as you can. It's possible to get out even earlier on "tag" which is a home curfew with an electronic tracking device strapped to your ankle. Could potentially take another couple of months of your sentence. But you'll have to make an effort inside to address the offence that put you there and that means doing offending behaviour courses. Don't wait for them to offer, just get on and ask.

Feck me you just made me feel old. I'm only 10 years older than you tho. It was definitely a lucky touch to get out when I did. I should have been out two weeks earlier but they added two weeks on to my sentence for getting busted with a tiny bit of weed. Just glad they gave me two weeks extra and not three! I was only 19 at the time so they'd shipped me up to Onley YOI which is right up in Warwickshire. A 5 hour drive home.

Worst thing about being inside? To be honest I found it all pretty easy. It really isn't as bad as people think it is. I think the hardest thing for me was probably the first few months and the last few. Because that's when you're thinking about being at home. In the beginning you're getting used to being in jail and still thinking about being outside and towards the end you're excited to be going home and can't stop thinking about getting out. All the time in the middle you just kinda get your head down, stop thinking about it so much, and get on with it. Jail is just very boring and very repetitious. Same shit, different day. But you'll get a TV in your cell, access to the library, the gym and you'll be able to work. Take the opportunities available to keep busy and to get out of your cell during the day. It definitely helps to pass the time.

I would definitely say see your kids. You'll want to see them and I'm sure they'll love seeing you. I would suggest your other half visits you the first time without them just so she knows what to expect and it doesn't come as a surprise going thu security and all that. But after that there's no reason for her not to bring your kids. You'll get your own table and chairs and your visitors can bring money to buy snacks and drinks from the shop counter. Visits from the family are the biggest highlight whilst you're in jail. No reason at all to miss out on that.

I feel your pain and hope all works out for you. I went through this same thing, was in the local papers and it was horrible for my family.

I got a 3 year 6 month sentence around 7 years ago. Served all my time in jails up north. Hmp marshgate and moorlands closed.

The hardest thing I found was dealing with the pain of what i was putting my family through. You're essentially taking your whole family to jail. It really tested my relationship with my wife and 3 children. I didn't let any of my children visit me because I didn't want them to be exposed to it and I only let my wife visit once a month. Again because i didnt want her to go through the mental torture.

The jail time itself is relatively easy but it depends on which jail you're at. At hmp moorlands closed there was only 2 hours of association a day. One hour in the morning and one hour in the night which included having your dinner in that hour. It was 22 hours a day lockdown. However once you get used to it; it becomes a routine like anything else.

What is portrayed in films and stuff about being bent over is all nonsense in the category c and b jails I was in. This type of stuff is in life jails and category a and double category a jails, which based on yout offences you're unlikely yo go to. If you keep yourself to yourself no one will bother you.

You will probably see fights, stabbings pool balls in socks sugar in boiling water being thrown at people but that's prisoners who have history with each other settling scores inside.

It best to try and find prison employment such as wing cleaner, working in the servery, the gym or the main prison kitchen. You get paid for the work which means more funds for your weekly canteen were you can stock on food which you'll need. But more importantly you get more time out of your cell.

I would also recommend you to take up any offender management courses that the prison offer you. If you eligible for release on curfew it will help your case.

Luckily for me because of the nature of my offences the offender management courses were of no benefit to me and it was recommended i did not need to participate in any. I got in to the routine with in 2 months and the pain of what I was doing to my family became easier. I got employment as a reading mentor teaching people how to read and write so I got extended time out of my cell. I was released early after around 18 months and served time on tag and the rest on licence.

Prison changed my whole life and made my relationship with my wife children and extended family alot stronger and it's made me appreciate the smaller things in life which I never did.

Since prison my life has never been better and I've become a better person and husband.

Employment can be extremely difficult after prison depending on what type of work you're looking for. I am blessed that I had specialist experience in a certain industry and the employer who took me on and am still employed by looked past my criminal record I am forever grateful for that.

I wish you all the best and I'm sure you'll be all good. Stay strong, stay blessed

Thanks both for all the info and advice. Good to hear from people who have been through all this before, makes me feel like I am not the only screw up out there (no offence lads!!)

I don't know how I would cope if I ended up being 22 hours in a cell. That is my idea of hell - much prefer to be doing something useful to pass the time. Don't mind what really. I am a plumber by trade so do you know if I might get a job doing that or would it just be whatever is going? Do you get paid much gor working like that?

You both have made me feel better that it isn't too bad inside and what to expect. Really appreciate it. Am saying to the missus that I will be fine but still am nervous about it and "fitting in" but suppose it's the same for everybody.

Just wish I could go back in time and change things and what I did but know I can't.

Recorded a little video for Christmas for the kids - brings it all home what's happening

 

[Badayuni]

Thanks both for all the info and advice. Good to hear from people who have been through all this before, makes me feel like I am not the only screw up out there (no offence lads!!)

I don't know how I would cope if I ended up being 22 hours in a cell. That is my idea of hell - much prefer to be doing something useful to pass the time. Don't mind what really. I am a plumber by trade so do you know if I might get a job doing that or would it just be whatever is going? Do you get paid much gor working like that?

You both have made me feel better that it isn't too bad inside and what to expect. Really appreciate it. Am saying to the missus that I will be fine but still am nervous about it and "fitting in" but suppose it's the same for everybody.

Just wish I could go back in time and change things and what I did but know I can't.

Recorded a little video for Christmas for the kids - brings it all home what's happening

Mate we all make mistakes it happens. Best just to learn from it and move on.

The routine for every prison is different, private prisons give more time out of cells then hmp prisons, it all depends what prison you go to

You'll not be able to work as plumber in the jail but you will be able to enrol on education which gets you a couple of hours extra out of your cell. Its stuff like basic english maths, trades like brick laying. But again what you can do varies from prison to prison.

Keep telling your family you love them and do as best as you can to make amends before you.

If you get 3 years and the judge recommends you can be considered for a home curfew then you would only need to serve 15 months inside, followed by 3 months on a tag.

So try and enrol on all the offender management programs, that will show the prison governor your rehabilitated and should be considered for release on tag

 

[stevoknevo]

I've no experience of being inside apart from visiting clients a couple of times - are you on trial or did you plead guilty and up for sentencing? Did they request background reports yet? Only thing I can offer, same as I said to my clients, smartly dressed, be very polite and show genuine remorse, if you get the chance to say anything express deep shame for your actions and offer sincerest apologies if there's any victims - and hope the judge goes lenient on you, and you usually get a bit less time for a guilty plea. Where I am they were trying to deal with a lot of stuff via community orders as the nicks are at bursting point depends on the severity of course. Definitely see your kids, get the Mrs to visit first of course, kids are resilient wee buggers and will be over the moon just to see you, and it'll be good for you too even if the first day or two are rough after a visit.

Very best wishes to you, hope it goes as well as it can [emoji106]

 

[Mitz]

Thanks both for all the info and advice. Good to hear from people who have been through all this before, makes me feel like I am not the only screw up out there (no offence lads!!)

I don't know how I would cope if I ended up being 22 hours in a cell. That is my idea of hell - much prefer to be doing something useful to pass the time. Don't mind what really. I am a plumber by trade so do you know if I might get a job doing that or would it just be whatever is going? Do you get paid much gor working like that?

You both have made me feel better that it isn't too bad inside and what to expect. Really appreciate it. Am saying to the missus that I will be fine but still am nervous about it and "fitting in" but suppose it's the same for everybody.

Just wish I could go back in time and change things and what I did but know I can't.

Recorded a little video for Christmas for the kids - brings it all home what's happening

You're definitely not the first person to screw up and you sure as hell won't be the last. Just make sure you don't screw up again because once you've been inside it's easy to go back. So make sure you stick to your license conditions after you're released. If you don't they'll revoke your license and you'll end up back inside serving the remainder of your sentence.

You don't know how you'd cope? You'd cope just fine mate. I did my fair share of 22 and 23 hour lock up. You just deal with it. You've been in the army so you know just how resilient you are. Read a lot and watch a lot of shitty daytime TV. Nothing to it.

Once you've been sentenced, if you do actually get jail time, you'll go to a local allocation jail first. You shouldn't be there long. They hold remand and convicted prisoners. Jobs are scarce in local jails but you should get offered education classes or possibly a cleaning job. Take any opportunity you get to go to the library. Take as many books as you can.

From there you'll be shipped out to another jail that only holds convicted prisoners. Will be a lot more options there for education or work. They'll have cleaning jobs, gardening and various workshops. Back in my day the pay varied but the average wage for a worker was around £8.50 a week. Plus you can have money sent in from friends and family.

Recording a video sounds really nice mate. We're all keeping our fingers crossed that they'll never have to watch it but even if worst comes to worst, time flies mate. Keep your head down, do your offending behaviour courses and you'll be in and out before you know it.

And as Steve mentioned above - an early guilty plea will take an automatic third off your sentence if you do get jail time.

 

[Badayuni]

You're definitely not the first person to screw up and you sure as hell won't be the last. Just make sure you don't screw up again because once you've been inside it's easy to go back. So make sure you stick to your license conditions after you're released. If you don't they'll revoke your license and you'll end up back inside serving the remainder of your sentence.

You don't know how you'd cope? You'd cope just fine mate. I did my fair share of 22 and 23 hour lock up. You just deal with it. You've been in the army so you know just how resilient you are. Read a lot and watch a lot of shitty daytime TV. Nothing to it.

Once you've been sentenced, if you do actually get jail time, you'll go to a local allocation jail first. You shouldn't be there long. They hold remand and convicted prisoners. Jobs are scarce in local jails but you should get offered education classes or possibly a cleaning job. Take any opportunity you get to go to the library. Take as many books as you can.

From there you'll be shipped out to another jail that only holds convicted prisoners. Will be a lot more options there for education or work. They'll have cleaning jobs, gardening and various workshops. Back in my day the pay varied but the average wage for a worker was around £8.50 a week. Plus you can have money sent in from friends and family.

Recording a video sounds really nice mate. We're all keeping our fingers crossed that they'll never have to watch it but even if worst comes to worst, time flies mate. Keep your head down, do your offending behaviour courses and you'll be in and out before you know it.

And as Steve mentioned above - an early guilty plea will take an automatic third of your sentence if you do get jail time.

Bearing in mind about the 3rd off depends at what point along the journey you have pleased guilty. Assuming you've pleaded guilty at the first opportunity you should get a 3rd off but thsts not always guaranteed

 

[Badayuni]

Also have you been using a duty solicitor? Or your own appointed solicitor?

 

[Mitz]

Bearing in mind about the 3rd off depends at what point along the journey you have pleased guilty. Assuming you've pleaded guilty at the first opportunity you should get a 3rd off but thsts not always guaranteed

That's why I said, "an early guilty plea will take an automatic third off... ".

An early guilty plea means pleading guilty at the first plea hearing. Otherwise it's not an early guilty plea.

Judges follow sentencing guidelines. Unless under very specific circumstances - an early guilty plea will result in an automatic 1/3rd reduction.

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.u...nce-for-a-guilty-plea-definitive-guideline-2/

 

[eyeball kid]

I've never been inside (touch wood) but my uncle's where always inside as a youngster. Maidstone, IOW ect and I visited with my cousin's (his kid's) a lot.
Visiting was very important all round. It definitely kept the family link going and acted as a huge deterrent to us kid's. There was a long line of organized criminal activity which stopped dead with my uncle's. They'd both previously spent time inside in Spain and got pardoned when Franco was kicked out yet still carried on like idiots.
Yes we found the place very scary but we looked forward to visiting and his kid's lived for it. Hugely important.
Good luck bud.

 

[Mark29]

I've no experience of being inside apart from visiting clients a couple of times - are you on trial or did you plead guilty and up for sentencing? Did they request background reports yet? Only thing I can offer, same as I said to my clients, smartly dressed, be very polite and show genuine remorse, if you get the chance to say anything express deep shame for your actions and offer sincerest apologies if there's any victims - and hope the judge goes lenient on you, and you usually get a bit less time for a guilty plea. Where I am they were trying to deal with a lot of stuff via community orders as the nicks are at bursting point depends on the severity of course. Definitely see your kids, get the Mrs to visit first of course, kids are resilient wee buggers and will be over the moon just to see you, and it'll be good for you too even if the first day or two are rough after a visit.

Very best wishes to you, hope it goes as well as it can [emoji106]

Thanks yeah I pleaded guilty once it went to Crown Court, I didn't plead guilty straight away but it wasnt an option for it to stay in Magistrates. Yeah that's what;s happening at the moment - background reports. Have an appointment on Wednesday for that.

I am vreally remorseful for what happened. I was on a night out and was well pissed and had taken something else so was well wound up. I actually haven;t touched anything illegal since - and have cut down on the drink. I know the victim statement will make me seem bad but am prepared for that. Am still working this week nut then have next week just at home and then back to court.

 

[Mark29]

Mate we all make mistakes it happens. Best just to learn from it and move on.

The routine for every prison is different, private prisons give more time out of cells then hmp prisons, it all depends what prison you go to

You'll not be able to work as plumber in the jail but you will be able to enrol on education which gets you a couple of hours extra out of your cell. Its stuff like basic english maths, trades like brick laying. But again what you can do varies from prison to prison.

Keep telling your family you love them and do as best as you can to make amends before you.

If you get 3 years and the judge recommends you can be considered for a home curfew then you would only need to serve 15 months inside, followed by 3 months on a tag.

So try and enrol on all the offender management programs, that will show the prison governor your rehabilitated and should be considered for release on tag

Thanks for the advice again. I already have a trade (plumbing) but probably no harm in doing something else when I am there. Where you were was there anything like a business course as I think that could be something useful after I get out if I go out on my own. I am probably OK with the basic English and Maths. I suppose for someone like me the Offending Behaviour course would be about anger management, drinking and that?