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Review
'Screwed is a sympathetic and eye-opening account of life behind bars' -- London Lite 'Uncompromisingly forthright... his views cannot be ignored... Of the utmost importance to anyone who wants to really understand what life is like at penal ground zero' -- The Times
Review
'Screwed is a sympathetic and eye-opening account of life behind bars'
(London Lite )'Uncompromisingly forthright... his views cannot be ignored... Of the utmost importance to anyone who wants to really understand what life is like at penal ground zero'
(The Times )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Interesting if a bit egotistic at times... but if you want to understand jails and their staff read it
23 Dec 2008
Format:Paperback
I was a prison officer in Scotland for over 10 years right through the troubles of the eighties and early nineties, so feel fairly qualified to comment on this book in a "peer review" context.
I actually enjoyed it - though the author is obviously a bit of a "super-screw". Met a few - worked with one or two which was occassionally a bit interesting - but it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he is talking about.
A lot of people have commented on the language, and yep it's really quite offensive at times, but at the end of the day this book is about jails. What he wirtes is basically the way people (staff and cons alike) speak... you're not dealing with peers of the realm here (mostly anyway).
If you can avoid the authors clearly over the top elements (we didn't all fall out of work, into the staff club and then go straight back to work next day for example - guys who did that soon found themselves on a gallery all alone because no-one would work with them) then it is a fairly realistic account of what it is like to work in a modern prison.
The elements he did get absolutely correct were the attitudes and styles of senior management. I could relate to every single incident of mismanagement as meeting my own experiences. Shockingly bad and every potential governor (and each jail usually has 8-10 governors and assistant governors to answer a separate query) should be forced to read this book so they understand what happens on the galleries they themselves will never have to walk.
You get to learn a lot about yourself and other people when its just you and your mate on a landing with 150 prisoners all opened up (we used to run halls of 400+ with 5 staff and a PO - getting stuff done required quick wits, a bit of humour and a lot of balls... a loud voice helps too of course!) and you work 12 days on and 2 days off - basically the jail and your colleagues become your whole life and the author captures this pretty well.
He also got the violence aspects just about right too. In 10 years due to assaults and incidents I had ribs broken (5 times), lost two teeth, broke my hand and damaged my knee requiring 12 months off and 4 painful operations.
Being a prison officer was without doubt the single hardest and most poorly supported job I ever did (I was a cop before I joined the prison service - that's a doddle by comparison).
By contrast the officers I worked with were the VERY best people I have ever met and I was proud to work alongside them through thick and thin. If I got myself into trouble and needed them I knew they would come and get me whatever it took - and I'd do the same for them.
A lot of prison officers are ex-military and that sort of discipline and doctrine runs through the job even today.
I finally retired due to ill health in 1996 and would never recommend anyone considers a career in the prison service (north or south of the border) - but I still think about it, and if I am honest I miss it a little every single day... Its that sort of a job.
(BTW - English jail slang is pretty dull compared to Scottish jail slang! - maybe I should do my own memoirs of life in the Scottish system during the riots of the 80's - they were interesting times...)
I actually enjoyed it - though the author is obviously a bit of a "super-screw". Met a few - worked with one or two which was occassionally a bit interesting - but it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he is talking about.
A lot of people have commented on the language, and yep it's really quite offensive at times, but at the end of the day this book is about jails. What he wirtes is basically the way people (staff and cons alike) speak... you're not dealing with peers of the realm here (mostly anyway).
If you can avoid the authors clearly over the top elements (we didn't all fall out of work, into the staff club and then go straight back to work next day for example - guys who did that soon found themselves on a gallery all alone because no-one would work with them) then it is a fairly realistic account of what it is like to work in a modern prison.
The elements he did get absolutely correct were the attitudes and styles of senior management. I could relate to every single incident of mismanagement as meeting my own experiences. Shockingly bad and every potential governor (and each jail usually has 8-10 governors and assistant governors to answer a separate query) should be forced to read this book so they understand what happens on the galleries they themselves will never have to walk.
You get to learn a lot about yourself and other people when its just you and your mate on a landing with 150 prisoners all opened up (we used to run halls of 400+ with 5 staff and a PO - getting stuff done required quick wits, a bit of humour and a lot of balls... a loud voice helps too of course!) and you work 12 days on and 2 days off - basically the jail and your colleagues become your whole life and the author captures this pretty well.
He also got the violence aspects just about right too. In 10 years due to assaults and incidents I had ribs broken (5 times), lost two teeth, broke my hand and damaged my knee requiring 12 months off and 4 painful operations.
Being a prison officer was without doubt the single hardest and most poorly supported job I ever did (I was a cop before I joined the prison service - that's a doddle by comparison).
By contrast the officers I worked with were the VERY best people I have ever met and I was proud to work alongside them through thick and thin. If I got myself into trouble and needed them I knew they would come and get me whatever it took - and I'd do the same for them.
A lot of prison officers are ex-military and that sort of discipline and doctrine runs through the job even today.
I finally retired due to ill health in 1996 and would never recommend anyone considers a career in the prison service (north or south of the border) - but I still think about it, and if I am honest I miss it a little every single day... Its that sort of a job.
(BTW - English jail slang is pretty dull compared to Scottish jail slang! - maybe I should do my own memoirs of life in the Scottish system during the riots of the 80's - they were interesting times...)
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ronnie Thompsons book 'Screwed' is by no means a pleasant read. His hard hitting style and uncomfortable subject matter ensures this throughout.
The book deals with very intense situations that leaves the reader feeling uncertain of their own perceived moral stance on certain issues and incidents that can take place inside a prison.
Screwed accomplishes what all good books should,it challenges our thinking, inspires open discussion and promotes social comment.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an insight into an organisation and institution that is often neglected in modern literature.
The book deals with very intense situations that leaves the reader feeling uncertain of their own perceived moral stance on certain issues and incidents that can take place inside a prison.
Screwed accomplishes what all good books should,it challenges our thinking, inspires open discussion and promotes social comment.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an insight into an organisation and institution that is often neglected in modern literature.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am an ex-prison officer. I joined in 1992. I lasted one year, three hundred and sixty one days. I hated it that much, I can remember EXACTLY how long I served! I am fortunate enough now, to have joined Ronnies' first choice of service, the Fire brigade. I worked with young offenders mainly, and almost everything in this book rings true with me. The convicts were treated far better than the staff, I received no back up from the governers after a "nose to nose" on my first day. I was moved off of the wing, not the convict! "It'll take you time to settle in. You don't want to nick someone on your first day"!!!!! This is a first class read, although the swearing seems a bit gratuitous, (it is how people speak in prison), and brings back mostly bad memories. I certainly agree about forging relationships with the convicts. You actually missed some of them when they were released, or moved. You feel like a waiter, or a butler. As I put in my resignation letter, "If I had wanted to become a Redcoat, I would have applied to Butlins". It is my opinion that all the woolly, Liberal idiots who complain about the treatment of convicts, and the harshness of prisons should don a screws uniform and pound the landings for a month. That would change their thinkng. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone to see what it is REALLY like in HM Prisons. I hope everything is well with Ronnie.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well and truly screwed up!
Overall, I liked this book and it is an entertaining read. You'll get through it really quickly, its an easy read. Read more
Published 2 months ago by read more books
Disappointing
Like many of the reviewers, I am an ex prison officer, (I served 22 years,) so I was pleased to see this book, thinking it was about time to hear a prison officers side of the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Debbie
Dissapointed
I an half way through this book and have now binned it. I really wanted to know what life as a prison officer was like but his language just sickened me and was too much of a... Read more
Published 12 months ago by C. Martin
Excellent Debut
Ronnie Thompson's unflinching account of his time in the Prison Service, is a real eye opener. The police may catch the crooks, but keeps then on the banged up and off the... Read more
Published 14 months ago by backtoblack5
what a waste of time
This book was a complete waste of my time, I found it misleading and offensive, knowing what it is like to work in a prison I felt it was misinformed and put accross in an... Read more
Published 14 months ago by emmacarr
Interesting read
I must say this book is a very good read. The negatives are there is too much foul language in the book and this Ronnie Thompson sets an unprofessional sterotype for Prison... Read more
Published 15 months ago by deanthomchar
walter mitty
Just finished this book. If Thomson believes even half of this book himself then he was obviously a liability to all that worked with him. Read more
Published 18 months ago by jamba
superscrew
Being a serving Prison Officer for 22 yrs having worked with young offenders long term prisoners and in two of the toughest local prisons in the north of England i believe that... Read more
Published 19 months ago by R. Hague
Shame he had to spoil it
As an ex prison officer of the 80's I enjoyed the book as it did shed some light on changes which have come about since my service. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Shirlnorthwest
An alcoholic bully
A more unpleasant member of the serving public it would be hard to find. I had always imagined that prison officers were supposed to be some kind of role model for the inmates. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ella
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