Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons, has addressed a variety of issues affecting prisons in the annual Longford Lecture, as well as highlighting positive opportunities for change.
Ever since I began visiting prisons in 2015, I was struck, but not surprised, by the similarities between some of the children who came to the special school that I used to run, and those who ended up in custody.
The stories of their lives mirrored those of many of my pupils – who were brought up in homes that were unstable and sometimes abusive, and where misuse of drugs and alcohol, criminality, family breakdown, mental health difficulties and domestic violence were common.
And while, in most cases, by providing support for these children and their families, we could get them back on track, a few sadly became involved in crime.
I have a photograph of one such child at home. In the picture, Travis, is eleven-years-old, and he is performing in the year 6 leavers’ concert. His best friend was due to sing a solo, but had just had an attack of stage fright, and had dried up.
Travis stepped in, and began the solo himself, fading out, only when his friend found his voice. In the picture, he stands with his arms out, joy on his face, while in the background one of the teachers can be seen wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.
Travis went on to be sentenced to 10 years for grievous bodily harm.
And when I walk around a jail, I imagine what the prisoners I meet looked like when they were still at primary school and what sequence of events and choices led them to end up in prison.
To listen to the full lecture, click here.