PRISON BLOG 51
AT LEAST I DON’T HAVE TO BUY PRESENTS
Campbell Live showed a photo of what the corrections Dept. will give prisoners for Christmas Day dinner. I can confirm that the grey-looking single chicken wing is a size or three under what you would buy for your roast and that as it is the only piece of meat it is rather a small meal. Campbell emphasized the Dept’s $4 per day per prisoner food spend as being rigidly adhered to. I was surprised to learn it was so much, especially since I understand the vegetables are grown on site.
I’m surprised by the news Christmas dinner will probably differ only to the extent we get an extra piece of buttered bread or whatever. The only thing remotely resembling a desert we receive is a treat of a small, cold apple pie every other Sunday for lunch (for which we forfeit our second sandwich). Off-setting this will be the binge on the items we have purchased ourselves from our shopping – doubled up for the Christmas break that skips a week – meaning also a lot of blown budgets and bludging in that second week guaranteed. I remember contributing $3.50 to the Unit’s Welfare & Entertainment Fund for some sort of Xmas thing – I’ll let that be a surprise by not enquiring about it. Come to think of it : how come we can get a full-blown bbq for $4 per head and yet the Dept. can’t manage anything better than what we get now for the same amount?
I’m used to spending Christmas without family, but not without friends. The guy who told me that Christmas Day is the saddest, most awful day on the prisoner’s calendar wore the most depressing expression – I don’t doubt him. I guess he misses his children most on that day.
The prisoners have organized some sort of games tournament or something for Christmas – I suppose as a distraction from the empty awfulness of it all – I put my name down for Chess. Merry fucking Christmas.
DON’T FORGET Tim’s Book and magazine collection for the Prison Library, please send your books and magazines to:
Tim Selwyn
Librarian/Unit 7
Hawkes Bay Prison
Private Bag 1600
Napier, NZ
Tim Selwyn (Editor of Tumeke!)
PRN 60477981
Hawkes Bay Prison
Currently appealing sedition conviction
posted by Bomber @ 2:38 am
17 comments
17 Comments:
Tim Selwyn just another ungrateful convict, he should be applauding the generosity of New Zealand Tax payer for supplying chicken wing for Christmas treat. If I had my way he’ll only receive piece of bread without butter. But being Christmas day I’ll be generous enough to let him have as much water as he likes from the prison cell tap.
Glad to hear that Christmas day is saddest day within prison walls. All we need to do now is supply the prisoners with a piece of robe as Christmas gift. But if they don’t make use of the robe it will give them time to reflect on the criminal activity they committed against law abiding citizens.
Advocatus Diaboli
Tim Selwyn just another ungrateful convict
Jesus, kid. Grow up a little, eh?
There are many people (including myself for some years) who spend 'holidays' alone.
They weren't holidays for me because I was able to organise my life so that I could work over holidays. Being able to go to work at times like Christmas made it go quicker and less lonely. It was better when penalty rates were around, later there was nothing but I still preferred to work than be home alone.
Maybe tim will learn some lessons and next christmas will make an effort to improve chistmas for those who would like one.
I don't mean that disgusting spectacle of the city mission I mean really opening up your home (and heart perhaps) to those with little or nothing.
Did the staff at your prison enjoy being at work on christmas day or was it a miserable time for them as well, did they get a free lunch or anything from the department.
This sort of self-centred whining will not enhance the image of criminals who, at least, know why they are in their situation. I daresay some of the victims of crime (or those left behind) had an even worse time that those in jail, and many of them do not have the luxury of knowing why it happened to them.
Apologies for mentioning victims I know they are not popular or important around here.
I was lucky enough to have a good time this year but I suspect christmas is more of a trauma than a joy for many many people.
Tim wrote:
BWAAAHHH!!!
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Sigh - (here we go again) - yes you all make some interesting points, but let us again remind everyone that Tim is in prison for Sedition - and the fraud charges were brought against Tim after the Police went over his life with a fine toothed comb - and these charges were for dumb things Tim did 10 years ago - I agree he was wrong to have dome what he did - but Tim's severe sentence for events 10 years old were because of the Sedition - which in itself was a bullshit charge against what was a political protest at the Government stealing Maori land - confiscation by legislation.
So your standing for Parliament when Bomber????
I agree the sedition charge was bullshit. It should have been willful damage.
But he should stop whining and man up.
Timmy out soon anyway
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Perhaps prison isn't as nice as Simon Powers would have us all believe? Maybe there really is a soul crushing part of being in prison, maybe that insight could lend some compassion and understanding that could blossom into an attempt to think of rehabilitation rather than punishment. And in taking such a blod step, we could also then look at providing REAL support to the victims of Crime as a way to rebalance some of the pain and hurt they feel. Such a concept, free of anger and bitterness could almost bring about a real sense of Justice and hope.
But fuck that, man up and stop whining! There's a library somewhere around here that needs burning!
Bomber, can you just remind us when TS apologised for his actions and accepted responsibility for them
Perhaps that may well be the first step towards his rehabilitation
If bomer went to work in a prison he might be surprised, in my observation and experinece they are not the places of violence and misery many people think. In fact their is more violence and abuse amongst staff than crims.
Much of the time there is laughter and calm - that may not fit the public myth but it was my first hand observation. In case you are wondering this was in Auckland prisons (know to the uninitiated as Pare) max/med and min.
I often felt that one of the main reasons men (I have never worked with women crims) went to jail (and returned there quickly after release) was to avoid responsibly, in jail their are no bills, no decisions, no kids to look after .... in fact you can pretty much do what you like. Some sleep through their sentence, some get ‘religion’, some get fitness.
I have never been in the military or in a boarding school but I used to wonder if it was a bit like a barracks or school dorm but without the work and responsibly.
I admit there were times I envied them.
As for rehab, I saw a bit of what went on in TP. There is nothing more gullible than a prison psychologist, except perhaps, a prison visitor.
As you might expect the department manipulate the system for sex and drug rehab to make it look (to those who don’t know any better) like it works, it a bit like recycling (a con) but it makes a certain type of person feel better.
Is this the same Tim you kept on referring to as "Mr Selwyn" during your stint on Radiolive, Bomber?
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Stinky - read tim's first blogs and of course there was that 10 page feature article on him in last months North and South.
Anon - Yes I have spoken to many people who have worked inside, and have vistited many prisons and have talked to lots of people who have been in prison. One guy I talked to complained about the staff, there just weren't good counselling services that allowed their anger and frustrtion out and in turn they became very bitter and part of the problem, like a bad teacher who hates the job and churns out crap students. This mate I talked to always said you could pick the bad prison staff by their bitterness in tone Anon. The bitterness in their tone Anon.
Bitterness.
In their tone.
Thomas - Yes, the very same!
If only we could be a 10th as good and perfect as bang bang..... oh boy. …
Putting people down seems to be you sad way of putting yourself up. You really are a vicious, nasty, foul mouthed, violent smug know it …. – typical nz blokey I suppose.
Talking to prison staff and crims is, of course, information but I think there was research done in the UK on rehab – one of the results I believe was many drug rehabs were closed - they did not work, well they work for those who make a good living out of it .
What do you know of the work of TP, have you heard the crims talk when they are not trying to impress those who so want to believe …. gullible is the word I used and I stand by it. Certain staff of come of the only people who hear the truth from crims because they have so little power they do not have to be impressed or lied to, they see hear and the sniggers after the visitors are out of hearing range. If only some of them could hear what was said about them when they leave, but telling them would be a bit like telling a born again nut there is no god, a waste of time.
I have also spoken to people who work in the field about the phenomenon of the attraction of crims. Even OJ was amazed at how many women (including Nicole look a likes) were clamoring to have sex with him after he murdered his wife and her boy boyfriend. Ian Huntly receives sack loads of mail from women wanting to marry him, it is a common thing I have seen it many times. These women are usually middle class, university educated and have a smug superiority about them, just like you. I have never understood it.
I think (just my observation not research) the same happens with males, although if the crims they fixate on are also male not necessarily in a full sexual sense, so it goes unnoticed much of the time, but they fall in love. Then they believe and anyone who does not see what they see in those they love (emperors clothes) are just cynical. Personally I am not a fan of cynicism but I am a great fan of skepticism.
I also think that after the Dumblane debacle there was some research done into counseling, the result - that little racket is being curbed.
People like you need the poor, crims and any other bandwagon you jump on to make yourself feel important – you are an unknown version of the appalling mother Theresa, the poor helped her she used and abused them.
Try to keep those delusions of importance and superiority in check – on second thoughts why bother you are probably less harmful with your fantasies keeping you occupied.
Thats sad. He sounded like such a sensible person.
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Yeah I know, he didn't prove me wrong with that bitter thing did he? Um Anon, you couldn't send us the links to all your proof that rehab doesn't work could you?
How did Anon get
You really are a vicious, nasty, foul mouthed, violent smug know it
from
Anon - Yes I have spoken to many people who have worked inside, and have vistited many prisons and have talked to lots of people who have been in prison. One guy I talked to complained about the staff, there just weren't good counselling services that allowed their anger and frustrtion out and in turn they became very bitter and part of the problem, like a bad teacher who hates the job and churns out crap students. This mate I talked to always said you could pick the bad prison staff by their bitterness in tone Anon. The bitterness in their tone Anon.
didn't your reponse just prove bomber right?
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Cliff - sometimes its not worth wasting the breath bro, some of these folk are pretty bitter and twisted and what seems obvious to the rest of us in their postings isn't seen by those posting it.
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