Experiences of Prison Life

Having outlined respondents’ accounts of their interactions with both Jamaican and British police, outlined the circumstances of their arrest and discussed sentencing, this final chapter details their narratives of prison life. The respondents in this research were all arrested by the police or immigration officials and subsequently felt the full due process of the law; through charge, trial and the receipt of custodial sentences. This chapter discusses their accounts of their daily prison experiences, the psychological effects of their imprisonment, racism and their experience of being Jamaican in a UK prison, and some respondents’ attempts to subvert the prison system. Steadman features significantly in this chapter as he was interviewed eight times during the fieldwork period, had much to say and provided rich data in relation to his unique prison experience.