For the first time someone showed some genuine insight to the real world of prison life.

Well done Louis.

Indeed excellent.

It's left me with the feeling prison doesn't really work except to appease a sadistic streak in some people on the outside.

It was good, but a great shame Theroux decided to go to America and didn't do a British prison. Odd how in US prisons the blacks and whites stay within their own boundaries under their own prison code. Don't think the same can be said of British prisons. A great Theroux show would have been to spend a week in Broadmoor. Perhaps then we would have born witness to some real eye openers. But perhaps the government wouldn't allow it here.

We had a TV crew come to Risley during my time there, but I don't think they were given permission to talk to inmates. Seem to recall it was for some new report on prisons, but as we had no TVs in our cells we didn't get to see it. We only had a couple of TV rooms which we could use during association. During lock-up we only had our radios.

I agree Louis' show was informative and well balanced. It did help to show that prisoners are just people like everyone else. Anyone can end up there. The one serving 521 years plus 11 life sentences came across as a real nice guy. It made me remember how one of our Screws told me that the nicest people he had met in prison were the ones who committed the most awful crimes. That was until he met me.

Yes JC you picked up on exactly the thing I noticed - how well grounded the baddie was!

I found that myself - the lifers have a very balanced, relaxed, accepting view of their time. Officers prefer working with them.

But the other amazing surprise I found in my time inside was how sex offenders (and VP's - Vulnerable Prisoners) have become the cream of the system as opposed to the image as the scum.

Well behaved, hard working, educated, tolerant - most officers these days choose to work on the VP wings.

In Risley there were two houses (wings) called Patterson and Vidler which were officially the VP wings, but they had a mixture of inmates. A rapist could be next door to a Fraudster or a Burglar. There was no real segregation. If any inmate caused trouble for another they had a dawn visit and were 'shipped out' to a less relaxed regime. Those who didn't want to talk to the VPs didn't have to, but to a large extent the system worked. Many non VP inmates chose to stay on the VP wings because they were quieter, cleaner and more orderly. It was an easier way to do time.

...and both JK and JC have given us even more reasons why Louis should have done a British prison. I know cameras have been inside, but I would love to see Theroux's relaxed style plodding around Pentonville or Broadmoor. And if I might add, isn't Louis like a young JK in looks and style?

"The one serving 521 years plus 11 life sentences came across as a real nice guy."

Sorry JC but WTF are you on about? The home invader guy came across as a complete idiot. The tosser was smirking whilst recounting his list of crimes and I hope someone cuts his cock off for him.

Although, at least he admitted his guilt. Unlike some others.

Pete - let's not fall into the tabloid trap here of seeming to condone crimes by commenting on individuals.

Surely, someone can commit the most appalling crimes yet still be a nice person?

Or are we all black or white?

That guy's crimes sounded dreadful (though I noted nobody died) but it doesn't stop us being impressed by the way he accepted his fate.

I met many people inside guilty of dreadful crimes (and in many cases people did die) but that didn't stop them being interesting, entertaining, excellent company and the owners of many fine qualities.

In fact I noticed (as pointed out above) often the worst offenders were the nicest people.

Work that out.

I suppose one way to look at it is .. if I met that guy in the street I wouldn't know, or even guess, that he could commit such horrible crimes. I'm sure that's pretty much true of most criminals. That's why we should have a system that judges on facts rather than accusations or image.

I believe we are all capable of committing extreme acts if circumstances drive us that way. Each criminal has spent some time not being a criminal, and any law abiding person could be tomorrow's criminal.

I think seeing beyond the crime is what JK is able to do...seeing beyond the actions...and looking deeper..and looking at the man/woman. He did that quite brilliantly with Harold Shipman,(and in a song..what? as most people would exclaim as did I) and Theroux tried to do it last night. It wasn't a great programme last night I hasten to add, I thought it would be much better in honesty. The questions Louis asked were too comfortable for my liking...I'd have liked more probing questions. It didn't delve deep enough for me. I was left wanting much more snf feeling much had been missed.

Well JK, I am sure that Peter Sutcliffe, The Krays, Ian Brady were all stand-up guys.

Yup, his crimes were truly dreadful. Like you, he noted that nobody died, but then added that he thinks some of his victims probably wish they had.

I wonder how you would feel about this particular individual if he had burst into your home and assaulted, terrorised & robbed your family.

I'm willing to bet that the milk of human kindness you display would soon dry up and you'd be wishing all kinds of pain on him.

You may be right Pete - the milk of human kindness seems to be drying up quicker and quicker these days.

"I believe we are all capable of committing extreme acts if circumstances drive us that way."

The generic justification given by these losers was something like 'I just wanted a better lifestyle' or "I can't be bothered doing a proper job".

Yup, these are real extreme circumstances.

Mate, I was taken into care when I was 6. Had a terrible childhood/teenage years, and I was exposed to things that could have been used later as a justification for a life of crime.

We all have a choice.

Of course I am right.

If he'd beaten & sexually assulted my mother with a pistol I'd want him dead. Absolutely no question.

And I would probably kill him with my own bare hands.

It's very easy to preach forgiveness from afar. I am not sure if you, or anyone close to you has been a victim of vliolent crime. I know what that feels like and in those circumstances, forgiveness is far from easy.

Let him rot! Fucker deserves it (actually, he probably deserves a lot worse).

Strangely enough vengeance has never meant much to me and I find bitterness towards others does me far more harm than it does them.

I prefer the milk of human kindness. It tastes good, nourishes, puts a smile on my face and hope in my heart.

Far sweeter than battery acid.

We do have a choice.

I said we are all capable, not that we will all actually act on those capabilities. I also said extreme acts, not extreme circumstances.

A couple of years ago a young boy was murdered with an axe, for no apparant reason. While many people, most who'd nenver met him, called for his killer to be 'strung up', his mother spoke of forgivness. She was a fine example to us all - even though some people are more comfortable with hatred.

I watched this programme last night and found it really interesting.
What you guys must realise is that the people featured last night who were inside for some of more serious crimes are usually experts in manipulation which is why they come across as really nice, charming and pleasant chaps.
I bet the victims would'nt agree with you.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for them, in my opinion if you can't do the time don't do the crime.
As for prison not being the answer, whats the alternative? Let all child molesters, murderers and robbers walk free?
There must be a deterrent in place or whats the point in anything.
Personally I'm more interested in the welfare of the victims, the sooner they rip up the human rights act the better in my opinion.

The Cat wrote:
A couple of years ago a young boy was murdered with an axe, for no apparant reason. While many people, most who'd nenver met him, called for his killer to be 'strung up', his mother spoke of forgivness. She was a fine example to us all - even though some people are more comfortable with hatred.

I think you are referring to the murder of Anthony Walker, in Liverpool. His mother called for foregiveness.

(btw - One of the people jailed for this murder was the brother of footballer Joey Barton - Barton, you will remember has recently spent some days in prison on remand awaiting trial on affray charges (with yet another brother, I believe).