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Behind Bars: Real Life Stories from Inside New Zealand's Prisons
A raw, revealing and powerful account of life inside, as told by prison inmates. Violence. Gangs. Drugs. Smuggling. Weapons. Scams. Hierarchy. Murder.
Welcome to prison life in New Zealand.
Most New Zealanders will never know what it's like to do time, to spend days, months, years, even decades behind bars with some of the country's most dangerous, volatile and notorious criminals. For the men and women who have spent time inside, it's an experience they will never forget. These are their stories. Behind Bars takes you deep into the prisons of New Zealand and reveals the private lives of inmates - their first night inside, how they spend their time, how they change, learn who to trust, how to fit in and, ultimately, how they survive. A raw and fascinating glimpse into a world most of us can only imagine. 'You exist, you survive. You see many things, and you meet many people you wish to God you'd never met. Prison is not real. What happens in there happens, but it's not real life.'
Welcome to prison life in New Zealand.
Most New Zealanders will never know what it's like to do time, to spend days, months, years, even decades behind bars with some of the country's most dangerous, volatile and notorious criminals. For the men and women who have spent time inside, it's an experience they will never forget. These are their stories. Behind Bars takes you deep into the prisons of New Zealand and reveals the private lives of inmates - their first night inside, how they spend their time, how they change, learn who to trust, how to fit in and, ultimately, how they survive. A raw and fascinating glimpse into a world most of us can only imagine. 'You exist, you survive. You see many things, and you meet many people you wish to God you'd never met. Prison is not real. What happens in there happens, but it's not real life.'
- GenresNonfiction
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2017
23 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 19, 2017
The saddest of the stories was of the woman who was continually abused by her husband and the police would do nothing. She shoplifted in the hope of being sent to prison and her third sentence sent her there for a short term. She came out and did the same again, and again and again. It was the only place she felt safe. But eventually the shoplifting became a way of life, she'd turned herself from someone desperate for succour into a criminal.
The stories are of all sorts of people from the white collar criminals who become criminologists and lawyers, to the worst of the worst who have nothing to lose and will kill even in a prison van transporting prisoners to the courts or another prison, but who still worry about their families.
It doesn't seem to matter if the book is about prisons in New Zealand, Australia or the UK, it's all gangs and violence, the good jailer and the corrupt screw. The most violent form an alternative society and they really shouldn't ever get out because their 'values' are inimicable with ours. I've often thought that really remote prison islands are the answer. Not the Devil's Island of Papillon, but more remote and agricultural, where the emphasis is on building a different sort of life rather than being incarcerated for a period of time to be marked off. Not for their benefit, but for ours. We shouldn't have to live with serial rapists, murderers and the like.
3.5 stars because the book wasn't special in any way, neither stories nor writing, but upgraded to a 4 because it exposed the humanity of those who have wrecked the lives of others, including their families, in a way this genre of books generally ignores.
The stories are of all sorts of people from the white collar criminals who become criminologists and lawyers, to the worst of the worst who have nothing to lose and will kill even in a prison van transporting prisoners to the courts or another prison, but who still worry about their families.
It doesn't seem to matter if the book is about prisons in New Zealand, Australia or the UK, it's all gangs and violence, the good jailer and the corrupt screw. The most violent form an alternative society and they really shouldn't ever get out because their 'values' are inimicable with ours. I've often thought that really remote prison islands are the answer. Not the Devil's Island of Papillon, but more remote and agricultural, where the emphasis is on building a different sort of life rather than being incarcerated for a period of time to be marked off. Not for their benefit, but for ours. We shouldn't have to live with serial rapists, murderers and the like.
3.5 stars because the book wasn't special in any way, neither stories nor writing, but upgraded to a 4 because it exposed the humanity of those who have wrecked the lives of others, including their families, in a way this genre of books generally ignores.
August 17, 2018
A competently written account of prison life based on oral and written accounts by current and former prisoners, as well as a prison officer. All of the expected topics are covered - the reception process, boredom, contraband foods, violence and prison escapes. I used to work in the justice sector and visited a couple of prisons during the induction process. Perhaps as a result of this, and keeping up with current news there was very little in here that was new to me and nothing that was surprising.
June 3, 2019
Really enjoyed the first 3 quarters, then lost interest. Not sure why! I enjoyed the way it was written, and the content is very interesting.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews