I was interested to read MOJUK's info the press article written by Nigel Morris. The concluding paragraph stated that the prison service failed to get 5,000 sex offenders through treatment programmes.

' I had a pre-tariff Parole hearing last year and both they and the Cat "A' Team recommend that I repeat the Sex Offenders Treatment Programme (SOTP) in order to achieve downgrading and thus begin to progress through the system. More than a year after my Pre-Tariff Parole Hearing I was assessed by the prison psychologist here at Full Sutton regarding my suitability for the course, so I was shocked to be told by this prison psychologist who also stated that I repeat the SOTP course that I was not suitable! The basis for this seems to pivot on the fact that I committed the offence under the influence of a spiked drink and have maintained for almost 20 years that I suffered memory impairment and this was consequently underlined by an independent psychologist 2 years ago in his report. In fact he stated that it was fruitless to try and retrieve a memory when one was not logged in the first place. On the last SOTP I was fed things I was not convicted of to 'assist my memory' and this resulted in a successful Judicial Review, as the SOTP course had resulted in the prison tampering with my index offence!! The course tutors had the gall to state that I had not made sufficient progress!

Prisoners were encouraged to reinact their offences in those days and this sent many prisoners over the edge. I understand now that they have abandoned the reinactment stage as part of the SOTP course. Perhaps more as a result of prison staff complaining they were traumatised by being present during the grisly aspects of the course, and I believe that compensation was awarded to some staff for trauma suffered at that time. I was just one prisoner that self harmed under the influences of the way the course was run in those days. The psychologists led me to believe that if I went along with their creative suggestions in relation to my offence I would 'make progress'. It was a ploy that backfired on them when my legal action proved successful.

Now years later I am told that whilst not being deemed suitable for the repeat SOTP  despite the recommendations of the Cat 'A' Team, The Parole Board, and the prison psychologist (remember), I am to be reassessed again in 2 years time, when I will be over my tariff. I hope that the prison psychologist can furnish myself, the relevant bodies who recommended I repeat this course, and my legal team with the medical evidence on which their assessment was based which assumes that my memory will have rectified itself in 2 years time. In the meantime I am in a Limbo situation, caught between the Home Office recommendations of what I should do to progress and the prison psychology dept here at Full Sutton who are in contradiction with each other, leaving me in the middle. After 20 years I am being treated just the same as a prisoner who has sat back for 20 years and done nothing as I have remained static in my Cat 'A' status, yet I have shown willing to partake and do the courses. Nothing I have done has made any difference, and I and many Cat 'A' prisoners face the prospect of dying in jail if what we do leaves us in the same unchanged position.

I fear that at my next Parole Hearing the issue of me not meeting their own specified requirements will raise its head and I and not the Prison Service will be blamed. As for the Cat 'A'  situation, well I heard from them last night that I am to remain Cat 'A' due to 'not having made sufficient progress on courses I have done, completed and passed' plus not done the repeat SOTP which is presently being denied to me by a prison psychologist who recommended that I do it. Work out the logic if you can!

So spot the difference in the real prison picture. In prison you can do the courses and pass, or choose not to do the courses, or the courses are denied you when the Home Office says you should do them, but for some of us it makes no difference whats so ever. The point I want to make is don't blame the prisoners. We cannot aspire to opportunities to progress when access is denied by the prison psychology dept. Ironically the Cat 'A' Team has stated in writing that it is not essential to do Offending Behaviour Programmes in order to have ones' security category downgraded. It's rather like the Parole Board stating that maintaining innocence is not a bar to release. The reality is very different.'

Yours Faithfully,