Roger gets a surprise move

Good news! Roger Gordon was moved on Friday to The Mount, at Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire.

Well, we assume it is good news because it seems The Mount is a Category C training prison, so it should mean that Roger is officially getting a lower category.

The improvement is something Roger has been working towards for some years.

His sister, Helen, said today, 'It was a complete surprise to me when I heard he was moving.'

Read all about on Roger's website, Call-this-Justice.com

Visiting Time

I had the pleasure of a visit from my ever supportive siblings Paul and Helen this week. After they finally made it through security, wasting half an hour of the given time being sniffed by the prison mutt, we caught up on latest progressions, if you can call them that.

It was however nice to hear about the family and the things you don’t always put down on paper. I was grateful to hear that my brother Alec is photocopying the Criminal case justice review board’s refusal to send to the Leeds university student's.

The piest de resistance came in the form of a mint cornetto that Paul treated me to.

I still don’t have a definite date for my parole hearing, I am led to believe it may be April but am not counting on it. Instead I am planning the weekend.

Saturday I will be doing the crossword from The Mail (it makes a change from The Telegraph I read during the week). Sunday I will be tuning into Radio 2 for Elaine Paige’s show, takes me back to the sixties and happier times. Not forgetting keeping up to date with the cricket.

Catch 22

Let me enlighten you with some of the instances I have encountered which highlight the “catch 22” scenario’s that the prison service have presented me with, and rely upon to excuse the inadequate management of administration.

As a trained advisor, over the past 6 years, I have helped many offenders with information, advice and guidance to progress them through their sentence plans.

I have witnessed thugs, bullies, drug addicts and serial offenders advance through the system by “ticking the boxes” that parole boards and probation have set them. In prison it’s referred to as “jumping through the hoops”.

Unfortunately a high percentage of those who have “ticked the right boxes” will re-offend and have no intention of changing their lifestyles, but they do get released.

Now with my circumstances (maintaining my innocence) I am the square peg in the round hole.

As the prison service is bound by the home office to treat me as guilty, any thoughts about this lands the justice system as being wrong, this is not considered, which leaves me in a structure designed purely for guilty persons.

It appears to me that any innocent person in prison is an embarrassment to that system and by design has created a “black hole”.

Unless you have a large bank account or a person in the public limelight you are doomed.

You must capitulate by owning up to a crime you didn’t commit, there by giving you access to the “hoops” they want you to jump through. The only other option is to stagnate in this blindfolded system, until someone of authority uses common sense, god forbid, and realises that this high and mighty judicial system can sometimes make mistakes.

I see no evidence to show me that this is going to happen any time soon, as I said “catch 22”.

Brief Report

I am no further forward with my parole review. Dizziness has set in, largely due to the amount of circles I have run around in trying to get the Lazy Ox aka the prison service off their backsides and doing the job they are paid for.

Fortunately I was sparked back from my disheartened state whilst reading an article in one of the prison papers (converse). The article was from a group of 3rd year law students working from the University of Leeds. The group are run by (UcLIP ) and were asking for cases of injustice, they did a similar project some 3 years ago, which was aired on the BBC.

I decided immediately to put my case to them, just the bare bones. My 'brief report' came to a mere 28 pages. Now I can only await a response.

I did send my M.P. the same sort of outline but that was nearly 2 months ago and have received no reply to date. Maybe he is still reading it!

The waiting game

I have been kept busy completing my final two reports - thankfully. After waiting five months for the powers-that-be m to get round to finishing off the reports, it took all of 15 minutes.

On the plus side they are both recommending 'D' cat. If the review goes past November without any progress, the probation reports will be out of date and the whole process will have to be started again.

I hope that no news is good news because there's not a dicky bird regarding my retinal scan. I continue to wait for my eyes to be tested to discover if I need new glasses.

A smile at last

Not much to laugh at in here, but this turned up the corners this week, a little joke doing the rounds of the cells.

A plane was about to crash and there were only three parachutes between the four passengers.

The first man said, 'I'm Kobe Bryant, America's most important basketballer. I MUST survive.' He grabbed a parachute and jumped from the plane.

The second man said, 'I'm Tony Blair, Britain's most intelligent ever former Prime Minister. I too MUST survive.' He grabbed a pack and jumped.

The third man told the fourth passenger, a ten-year-old lad, 'I am the Pope but I am old and my time is nearly up. You have more to offer the world so I'll give you the third parachute.'

'Thank you for your offer, sir, but there's still two parachutes left. The second man took my school backpack.'

You are very welcome to see my story on www.call-this-justice.com

- Roger Gordon

A win and loss

A win - yes, a win for your wretch - and grim news that challenges optimism. Well, it changes all aspects of hope.

But first, the good news. Into the dungeon came a surprise note that said I had won third prize for my book marker design. Third prize!

On my next message secreted out through the high security walls in the dead of night I'll let you know how the design looks and what inspired it.

But there was a bombshell this week. The landlords have still to do of the two most important reports to accompany my dossier that goes towards the possibility of parole.

I have been chasing the uniforms to get the reports finshed. Well, chasing is too strong a word for this world. I've been nagging them and I nag them every day. And after all the assurances I received, it seemed that they were done.

However, the fellow in the role of what they call the lifer panel clerk said the reports have not been done. He issued a warning this week. 'Due to national backlogs, Gordon,' he said, 'your parole hearing will now be about eight weeks late ... if not more.

'This,' he declared, 'means no parole hearing until December. 'But listen, Gordon. If those reports are not completed and handed in, there will be no parole hearing.'

I told the good man,'It's a real kick in the guts after all the work that I have done on my representation.'

'You have done good work, Gordon. Seventy-two pages long, if I remember correctly.'

'You do, gov.'

'Well, Gordon, I pray that it's not delayed further. Because if it's delayed further, then you know what will happen.'

'Tell me what will happen, gov'.'

'Then, Gordon, all the reports will be considered out of date. Including the 72 pages.'

'You mean I'd have to start the whole process all over again?'

'Frankly, Gordon, what I'm getting at is that you would have to start the whole process all over again. I hope that's not too great a shock for you.'

'I think it is too great a shock, gov.'

'Pull yourself together, man. You're safely in prison. Good job, accommodation assured, good food, your mates all around, excellent officers. There's the many out there in the financially-disastered world would like to be in your shoes, Gordon, just mark my words.'

That left me looking for blessings to count. One that surfaced is that there's three years of tariff to run. So even if I have to begin all over again - God forbid - at least I'll have a roof over my head for three years to do it. I thought of the roof and all that lies under it and I admit I had trouble imagining the horde that might wish they were here instead of me.
- Roger Gordon

A Move South

I have been kept occupied this week by another move. The new wing consists of two units, the West and my new home, the 'enhanced' South.

The atmosphere is pleasingly different over here, quieter than my previous abode and thankfully even the youngsters treat everybody with respect.

Being encamped with a new set of faces, my reputation as a good advisor has travelled with me and I have three new clients already.

My shift to the South hasn't been insufferable now that I have my parole review representation in its final stages.

I try to avert my mind from the lack of willing solicitors and instead to the fact that my representation is good.

The big hurdle is still the fact that maintaining my innocence renders me unsuitable for 3 of the courses that were recognised on my risk factors, but that will never change.

So with my 30 page portfolio of references, achievements and positive reports I can only hope the board will look on it with a modicum of common sense.