Prison Officers!?

A lot of people's first reaction to the title would be: "What!?" but to those I say: "YES!"

Prison Officers get such a bad reputation, sometimes with good reason for some, however, there are so many that also don't get the recognition they deserve!

I spent 13 months & 2 weeks in prison at Her Majesty's Pleasure & in that time I obviously met a number of Prison Officers. Some admittedly just clocked in, did the bare necessities of their job & then went home. To be expected really as I'm sure it's a rewarding job for all those who do it. There were others then went through the motions & were polite & respectful, possibly because that's just how they were raised, with manners, regardless of the situation, just like me. Others were just always meant to do the job, like a vocation in order to help & assist people change their lives for the better.

One in particular, who I can't name (I'm sure!?), was a pillar of inspiration & motivation to all who understood her good intentions. She was middle-aged, strong-minded & blunt when it came to the truth. It was refreshing for me to have  personal officer who could see the good in me. Someone who recognised that I wasn't just another number & addict statistic. She noticed my determination & my many differences to other addicts in the prison, from the very start. I saw her on every wing that I was on until I reached 'her' wing & she became my personal officer, by chance, I might add, not intentionally.

She was always consistent in her grievance's with inmates & on rare occasions, with other officers & how they conducted themselves. It was one of the things I liked so much. There were no double standards with her at all. It was just one rule for all. She didn't beat about the bush when it came to a telling off either. She could be very harsh, well not so much harsh but outspoken, on many things & if you had done, you knew about it! She was not one to tolerate self pity either.

"We are all responsible for our own actions!"
"Only you can change or determine, what happens next!"

She gave me the encouragement & motivation I needed - during difficult, self doubting days - to continue my pursuit of abstinence without any judgement or prejudice against my past indescretions. She was a true inspiration & an excellent example of the 'prison officer' role.

Much love & respect to you - Miss F. xx