Potential prison sentence

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

I was in court earlier in the month for a section 4 and section 5 charge (public order offences). I went to court thinking I'd get off with a fine but they adjourned the case and mentioned my previous, which are cautions for an assault earlier this year and then possession of an offensive weapon which was a few years ago.

Hoping that they'll give me a fine or community service but the fact that they adjourned it and mentioned my previous doesn't look too good.

Anyone with knowledge of law, experience in prison or general tips/opinions would be appreciated. Perhaps we could turn this into a general prison survivors thread if there's enough interest.

[Ele'ill]

I hope everything works out better than how it currently looks

[Ceallach_the_Witch]

oh wow, that's harsh stuff :( Fingers crossed you'll get away with community service or something.

[Ele'ill]

Perhaps we could turn this into a general prison survivors thread if there's enough interest.

Keep us updated (as best you can/are comfortable with), solidarity, and I don't think many of us are too fond of jail/prison or are able to forget about folks sent there.

[Quail]

Hoping things go better than expected.

[Art Vandelay]

I have a friend who has been in an out of jail a few times the past couple years, next time I see him I'll ask if there is anything he's learned during his time, that he wished he knew when he first got locked up. To be clear, he would have done his time in the equivalent of county in the U.S., so its not liked he was locked up with murderers or rapists or anything. He's a skinny white kid and never got fucked with too bad in prison (at least, from what he told me). I remember him saying once that alot of times when you get tossed in a cell, people will kinda get in your face to see how you react and the best thing to do is just stand your ground. It might also depend what you're in for. My friend was in for p of c, during his most recent stint, so once the other inmates found out what my buddy's charges were, they were more impressed and wanted to know how this kid had got his hands on so much cash. I also remember coming across a resource when I was doing some research before my friend went away for the first time, I'll see if I can find it again.

[Os Cangaceiros]

County jail in the USA is no picnic, in fact I think violence levels in county jails are at or above the levels of violence in state or federal prison.

You have more freedom in county jail as an inmate, though, it's less structured than a state or federal penitentiary.

[brigadista]

magistrates or crown court?
do you have a lawyer?
why was it adjourned?

[Creative Destruction]

I have a friend who has been in an out of jail a few times the past couple years, next time I see him I'll ask if there is anything he's learned during his time, that he wished he knew when he first got locked up. To be clear, he would have done his time in the equivalent of county in the U.S., so its not liked he was locked up with murderers or rapists or anything. He's a skinny white kid and never got fucked with too bad in prison (at least, from what he told me). I remember him saying once that alot of times when you get tossed in a cell, people will kinda get in your face to see how you react and the best thing to do is just stand your ground. It might also depend what you're in for. My friend was in for p of c, during his most recent stint, so once the other inmates found out what my buddy's charges were, they were more impressed and wanted to know how this kid had got his hands on so much cash. I also remember coming across a resource when I was doing some research before my friend went away for the first time, I'll see if I can find it again.

County lockup is still pretty serious. Generally, they'll separate real bad crimes from general population, but it's still rough. Lots of fights, lots of real hot tempers, abuse from the guards. County is still a hell-hole.

[d3crypt]

That sucks man. Hope you get off easy. :(

[brigadista]

prison is an abomination

[synthesis]

Not to make this thread all about North American jails, but it really differs from county to county and even different blocks within the same jail. You can get put in with people who are about to be transferred to state or federal prison and are just looking for an excuse to take their anger out on someone, or you can get put in with people who are just waiting to finish their sentence or not in for very long or a very serious crime in the first place, and just want to wait out their sentence and get out. This probably won't mean too much to anyone except a couple people here, but the difference between Clackamas and Multnomah County jails was striking to me. Multnomah County wanted people in and out because of the strained resources, while Clackamas County went out of their way to make life miserable for the inmates out of spite.

Anyway, if OP was in the U.S., I would tell him not to worry, because the fact that they haven't already come at him with a sentence and therefore looking to construct a plea deal usually means that they aren't going to throw the book at you. But most crimes in the U.S. get pleaded out, and I'm not sure how that works in England. It still doesn't sound that serious, honestly; I hope I'm right about that.

Tips: Learn to walk in a threatening manner and stare people down; you can test this on people in the street. Take some MMA classes if you're really worried. Sometimes it can help to have a couple buddies get drunk and punch you in the face a couple times the night before, so you'll go in looking like a scrapper. If you'reabout to go in for a long time, you can pop some pain pills and scar your face to 1. make you look more intimidating and 2. make you uglier, which sadly does make a difference in the more hardcore prisons. It doesn't necessarily matter if you're the most badass person in there, just as long as you're clearly not the weakest. Beating up other inmates on the first day is overrated, from what I've heard. Most other tips I can think of at the moment, I'm not sure if they will be relevant to a U.K. jail.

[human strike]

Well, obviously there are anarchist groups who support defendants and inmates; do you know any of these?

[Red_Banner]

County jail in the USA is no picnic, in fact I think violence levels in county jails are at or above the levels of violence in state or federal prison.

You have more freedom in county jail as an inmate, though, it's less structured than a state or federal penitentiary.

The adult county jails in my area seem less strict than the damn juvenile ones.

In my area, they had that Cash For Kids scandal where they were jailing every kid even for minor offences in a private run juvenile prison.

[Art Vandelay]

County lockup is still pretty serious. Generally, they'll separate real bad crimes from general population, but it's still rough. Lots of fights, lots of real hot tempers, abuse from the guards. County is still a hell-hole.

Oh for sure, I don't doubt that, I just assumed the poster was from the U.S. so I was trying to give him some context, since I was talking about a Canadian prison experience. Trust me, I'm not trying to make county sound like a walk in the park.

[Ele'ill]

Tips: Learn to walk in a threatening manner and stare people down; you can test this on people in the street. Take some MMA classes if you're really worried.

I think self defense (MMA specifically) is a good idea (although that doesn't really apply here) but I dunno about walking in a threatening manner and staring people down. I think holding yourself confidently and standing your ground is important and being ready to back it up (and able to) but I don't think you should make an effort to look the hardest amongst people you don't know. If it's a single person issue, one on one, then maybe, but you don't know how people are grouped and who is with who, or who they all are, how much they care (as you mentioned with transferring out of county)

As a half-assed kind-of applicable example I've had people pull up and run their mouth at me while I'm walking alone sometimes 3-4 folks in the car usually with one of them doing most of the lengthy banter. The temptation to call them out on their (probably) bluff and actually hurt a couple people is intense, sometimes it happens with my body language or if I slow down or walk towards them and they either shut up or mention their plethora of friends that they have with them who are there to knight for their pugilistic inadequacies but while that situation might play out great and I might feel good about reacting physically I don't know who they are or who they know. best case/worse case it's a couple drunk fucking losers who pull a gun and kill me.



Sometimes it can help to have a couple buddies get drunk and punch you in the face a couple times the night before, so you'll go in looking like a scrapper. If you'reabout to go in for a long time, you can pop some pain pills and scar your face to 1. make you look more intimidating and 2. make you uglier, which sadly does make a difference in the more hardcore prisons. It doesn't necessarily matter if you're the most badass person in there, just as long as you're clearly not the weakest. Beating up other inmates on the first day is overrated, from what I've heard. Most other tips I can think of at the moment, I'm not sure if they will be relevant to a U.K. jail.

I don't think either of these really matter because if someone with a cut up face fucked with me I'd hit them and make it worse and I think that's how most people think. The ones who are intimidated have incentive to avoid fists and that means bad stuff.

[synthesis]

I probably should've specified that the point isn't to fuck with people, or to be able to fuck with people, but to give the impression that you'll fuck them up if they fuck with you.

[Firebrand]

Don't go out of your way to piss people off. Don't make any moves until you've got the lay of the land. Act boring but not helpless. Oh and get a good lawyer, that way you might not get locked up to begin with.

[human strike]

UK prisons are almost to capacity btw. Hopefully this means they'll stop piling people in for a little while.

[brigadista]

er no "superprison" "job creation" ffs

they will also close Feltham YOI and build something new....probably less 23 hr bang up and more solitary....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-23957373

[JPSartre12]

I'm sorry that this is happening to you, comrade. Is there anything that we can do on our end to help you out?

Depending upon the conditions in the jail, you may or may not have the opportunity to do some reading in there. Perhaps it would be a good idea to spend some time reading Left-wing literature, to keep revolutionary theory fresh in your mind and potentially radicalize a fellow inmate or two.

For what it's worth, seeing as many on the Left are militant atheists (but not myself - Christian socialism, liberation theology, etc contribute to my own Left-evangelical position), I will pray for you. Best of luck with the whole situation.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

will reply properly soon but i very luckily got off after two adjournments and thought i'd share the good news. thanks for the messages of support