A Day in the Life of a Prison Officer

My day typically starts at 7.15 am and I am immediately required to count the prisoners on a single landing to reconcile the roll. Even after many years this is a daunting experience as I have to be satisfied that every resident is a) present and b) alive. This process is also intrusive for the occupant, especially if they are in complete darkness and I have to turn on the cell's nightlight. Usually, if the morning is going well, the resident either mumbles, turns over, or shouts expletives at me. As I am definitely not a “morning person” myself, I sympathise with their predicament and let any attitude slide.

Once I am satisfied that all the residents are accounted for, I submit my roll to the Orderly Officer and record any handovers I have had with the night staff. If it has been an eventful night, then we assess the likelihood of being assaulted when opening a particular cell. Usually, any difficulties can be resolved by speaking with the individual to ascertain why she has acted up to the night staff and how we are going to proceed with the remainder of the day. Occasionally, more direct action is required where the person in question has to be removed to the Care, Rehabilitation and Separation Unit (CRSU) generally known as segregation. This is always a last resort.

At 7.40 am the wing is unlocked and those still in bed are encouraged to rise. This can, and inevitably does, end in an argument. Again, very few residents in my experience are “morning people”. Once the wing is unlocked there is usually a queue of people fighting to be heard at the office door; it is made quite clear that we can only deal with one person at a time. The requests made range from account balance checks, doctor's appointments, and mental health assessments, to being taken off the list for maths lessons. Once the relevant application forms are handed out, we urge those on the “movement list” to prepare themselves for “main movement”. This is the time at which all the prisoners are moved si