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Chris Brand, on Hunger Strike Chris Brand, HMP Woodhill, has today been on hunger strike for
17 days. He is currently located in the healthcare department of Woodhill.
Ordinarily, he is located within the Close Supervision Centre (CSC) part
of the prison. The controversial Woodhill Close Supervision Centre (CSC) was opened
in 1998 as a special control facility designed to house prisoners designated
as the most dangerous and disruptive in the system. Since then it has
intermittently hit the headlines, as independent reports have castigated
the regime and lack of facilities. As a result of the admitted failure of Woodhill to deliver its promise
of a 'solution' to the Prison Service's inability to deal with 'subversive'
prisoners, a new variation of the CSC was brought in last year, whereby
each high security prison has two designated high control cells, where
CSC prisoners are held on long-term 'lay-downs'. In reality, this is simply
a reversion to the previous policy of long-term segregation by a different
name. Meanwhile, the prisoners who remain at Woodhill appear to largely be
those in need of mental health care. The level of self-harm is frightening
and the lack of care of prisoners and aggressive attitude of some uniformed
staff palpable to any visitor. I visited both Mr Brand and another prisoner
on 20 November and was shocked by what prisoners in the CSC told me. Chris Brand has served 22 years of a life sentence, despite the trial
judge's recommendation that his 'tariff' be set at 12 years. He was serving
2 _ years for burglary and traffic offences, when in 1980 he killed another
prisoner, who was on remand on charges of indecent assault. He had been
in and out of prison since the age of 16, and has spent periods in Broadmoor.
He wants to go to Grendon prison to take part in therapy, but is prevented
from doing so, because of his category A security status. He is protesting about: 1. The general conditions in the CSC, and in particular, the treatment
of prisoners who are suicidal or self-harming. This is considered to be
grossly inadequate, and the practice is particularly questioned of putting
such prisoners into the segregation cells of the CSC. 2. Having been forced to spend two days in a cell which had been used
by another prisoner on dirty protest and not been cleaned. This is contrary
to all Health and Safety practices, and it is highly arguable that it
also violates his rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on
Human Rights. 3. Lack of access to therapeutic assistance and support, which within
the CSC is treated as a privilege and therefore forfeitable for 'bad behaviour'. Please send messages of solidarity to: Chris Brand You can fax letters of protest: |