Sep 18, 2022·edited Sep 18, 2022Liked by Jack Dulhanty, Mollie Simpson
Brilliant brilliant article Jack. As the another reader has said, it's the detail that makes it stand out as a rare and valuable piece of journalism.
In terms of the question of what can be done, I think your act of bearing witness at the inquest is just as much "doing something" as any law being passed or prison riot taking place, and probably a good deal more effective.
I wrote a similar piece in my newsletter in August - "The Story of Baby Number Seven", about people on the margins of society, our collective responsibility for these issues and what Dostoevsky has to teach us about this. I'd be really interested to get your views on the piece. Your colleague Jack commented favourably on it and Mollie very kindly linked to it in the Post.
Hey Ming-Ko, sorry to only just be getting back to you on this now.
I've just read the piece linked and think it's fantastic, and can see the similarities to my own. As you say, sometimes just bearing witness to these things is all it takes, because we are all guilty of averting our eyes from what happens in the spaces my piece and yours describe. Plus, as Jack pointed out, you can't go wrong with a touch of Brothers Karamazov.
Although I think our pieces most overlap on your point about Arendt's banality of evil; they both highlight that age-old connection between apathy and tragedy.
So important that these stories are reported and read. You are right. Society really isn’t interested. The problem is that there are no votes in improving prisons, so attention is unfocused
Thanks for the comment Jennifer, and thanks for reading.
As you say, meaningful penal reform - which experts at the Howard League say would need to be rooted in imprisoning less people to begin with - is low on most political agendas. In fact, the government's prison white paper from last December looks to increase prison capacity by 20,000.
We actually covered the controversy around this earlier this year: HMP Hindley in Wigan is set to expand under current government plans, despite its poor track record re: prisoner treatment, and its established difficulties with staffing. I'll link that here: https://manchestermill.co.uk/p/its-one-of-the-worst-prisons-in-britain
My instinctive response to the article is how shocking this was. Call me naïve but the failure of several professionals to implement the code blue should mean they were removed from their post. Prisoners are people and they are incarcerated but should still surely expect to be treated properly in an emergency?
Hi Caroline, thanks for the comment and thanks for reading.
It was striking, during the inquest, to hear just how many times that call could have been made and wasn’t. And, the lack of refresher training in the aftermath of the incident was equally worrying.
It indicates a broader, systemic issue with how cases like this one are dealt with in prisons, and it’s something we hope to cover more in the future, it definitely needs more scrutiny.
“Andy,” he said. He thought he was called Andy; he had always called him that. In the six days they shared a cell, Johnstone never corrected him.”
The saddest detail in Jack Dulhanty’s typically detailed piece reporting the inquest into the death of Paul Anthony Johnstone in HMP Manchester.
“The British prison system is in a very bad place and has been for a very long time. It’s one of the most striking and shameful things about Britain.” Rory Stewart, during his time as Minister of State for Prisons. Okay, words come easy to fluent politicians: as easy, perhaps, as the politicians themselves come & go. Alas, prison reform will never be a vote winner, & it is down to the prisoners themselves to make a noise. Hence, the Strangeways Prison Protest of 1991. There will be others.
Agreed, its hard not to recognise the lack of political capital in pledging to fix prisons. As I’ve mentioned in another reply, the government’s latest white paper seems to counter what experts - and Rory Stewart - have said would help.
It’s seems even more tragic when you consider the examples around the world that prove there is another way - Norway being the most obvious example.
Brilliant brilliant article Jack. As the another reader has said, it's the detail that makes it stand out as a rare and valuable piece of journalism.
In terms of the question of what can be done, I think your act of bearing witness at the inquest is just as much "doing something" as any law being passed or prison riot taking place, and probably a good deal more effective.
I wrote a similar piece in my newsletter in August - "The Story of Baby Number Seven", about people on the margins of society, our collective responsibility for these issues and what Dostoevsky has to teach us about this. I'd be really interested to get your views on the piece. Your colleague Jack commented favourably on it and Mollie very kindly linked to it in the Post.
It can be found at:
https://mingko.substack.com/p/some-unintended-consequences-of-a-8cf?r=yrfjv&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=direct
Hey Ming-Ko, sorry to only just be getting back to you on this now.
I've just read the piece linked and think it's fantastic, and can see the similarities to my own. As you say, sometimes just bearing witness to these things is all it takes, because we are all guilty of averting our eyes from what happens in the spaces my piece and yours describe. Plus, as Jack pointed out, you can't go wrong with a touch of Brothers Karamazov.
Although I think our pieces most overlap on your point about Arendt's banality of evil; they both highlight that age-old connection between apathy and tragedy.
Thanks again for reading.
Thanks Jack. That’s why I like the Mill. You do proper local reporting. Keep going.
So important that these stories are reported and read. You are right. Society really isn’t interested. The problem is that there are no votes in improving prisons, so attention is unfocused
Thanks for the comment Jennifer, and thanks for reading.
As you say, meaningful penal reform - which experts at the Howard League say would need to be rooted in imprisoning less people to begin with - is low on most political agendas. In fact, the government's prison white paper from last December looks to increase prison capacity by 20,000.
We actually covered the controversy around this earlier this year: HMP Hindley in Wigan is set to expand under current government plans, despite its poor track record re: prisoner treatment, and its established difficulties with staffing. I'll link that here: https://manchestermill.co.uk/p/its-one-of-the-worst-prisons-in-britain
Thanks again.
My instinctive response to the article is how shocking this was. Call me naïve but the failure of several professionals to implement the code blue should mean they were removed from their post. Prisoners are people and they are incarcerated but should still surely expect to be treated properly in an emergency?
Hi Caroline, thanks for the comment and thanks for reading.
It was striking, during the inquest, to hear just how many times that call could have been made and wasn’t. And, the lack of refresher training in the aftermath of the incident was equally worrying.
It indicates a broader, systemic issue with how cases like this one are dealt with in prisons, and it’s something we hope to cover more in the future, it definitely needs more scrutiny.
Thanks again.
“Andy,” he said. He thought he was called Andy; he had always called him that. In the six days they shared a cell, Johnstone never corrected him.”
The saddest detail in Jack Dulhanty’s typically detailed piece reporting the inquest into the death of Paul Anthony Johnstone in HMP Manchester.
“The British prison system is in a very bad place and has been for a very long time. It’s one of the most striking and shameful things about Britain.” Rory Stewart, during his time as Minister of State for Prisons. Okay, words come easy to fluent politicians: as easy, perhaps, as the politicians themselves come & go. Alas, prison reform will never be a vote winner, & it is down to the prisoners themselves to make a noise. Hence, the Strangeways Prison Protest of 1991. There will be others.
Hey Phil, thanks for commenting.
Agreed, its hard not to recognise the lack of political capital in pledging to fix prisons. As I’ve mentioned in another reply, the government’s latest white paper seems to counter what experts - and Rory Stewart - have said would help.
It’s seems even more tragic when you consider the examples around the world that prove there is another way - Norway being the most obvious example.
Thanks again.