A definite maybe

It's that time of the year again. No, I'm not thinking of Christmas or Halloween but the time for my sentence planning board, where all interested parties decide on targets for me to achieve in a time frame.

Three days before the review I spoke with my probation officer for 20 mins. Progress and circumstances were on the menu. She confirmed again that due to financial cut-backs she won't be attending the vital meeting.

But she promised that she will send her recommendations to the lifer clerk.

However, at the meeting, heads were shaken when I asked about the lady's suggestions. Nothing seen, nothing received. 'She's on leave, so we can't get in touch,' one of the uniforms declared.

Not too encouraging. 'So the meeting won't be held after all,' I wanted to know - politely, of course.

'Oh, sure, we'll just proceed without her comments.'

The first stumble by the committee was over anger management. It was enough to make a Job go red in the face, but fortunately, I don't have a temper.

And I have proof, too. The Anger Management facilitator said recently, 'We won't need you to do the course, Roger. It's not a problem with you. In fact, you could probably teach us a thing or two about patience, about keeping calm.'

The sentence planning board saw it differently. 'Of course you have to be an anger management course. Look, Gordon, it's written here on last year's sentence plan.'

'Sorry,' I said. 'Perhaps you could bring pressure onto the course facilitator so that I can do the course, even though she says I don't need it.'

Well, the committee of six weren't too chuffed about that. 'What about triggers to anger issues?'

So I said again what I've said in the past. 'I don't any such issues. Naturally, occasional things make me feel bothered, but I deal with with it with passive behaviour, retraction or debate.

'My record of non-violence - pre-sentence and post-sentence bears this out, gentlemen.'

'Oh, sure,' a board member snapped. 'And what about Anita's murder?'

I thought, 'Why don't you get the police to ask Anita's killer about that?' However, doesn't pay to be too logical with some people in authority.

'May I repeat, please? I didn't do it.'


They had the decency to admit that they approved of my significant resettlement plans, were well pleased with my exemplary behaviour and attitude inside. 'What are we to recommend then?' another one asked.

'Look, Gordon, do the anger management course. That would be a good thing to do.'

Another said, 'And do a course in IT. Get yourself up-to-date.'

Before your scribe was shunted out of the room, they said it was possible I might go straight home from The Mount at the end of the tariff, bypassing a mandatory time in Open Prison.

That did sound good ... but I have heard it before. A Swaleside governor suggested the same thing, but then I was sent off to this residence.

Optimism is in the air here - and nationally, I gather - that at last the nonsense of holding people beyond their tariffs is definitely going to end.

Definitely is less definite in my world, but at least it sounds encouraging.

All about Roger's injustice is told on his website, here.