Screwed: The Truth About Life as a Prison Officer

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"My name is Ronnie Thompson. Being a prison officer was something I used to be proud of. I soon realised the truth of what it s like working as a screw, though. It's a fucking headache. Corruption, danger, violence. Welcome to my world."

Ronnie Thompson was just an ordinary guy. That is, until he became a prison officer. By the time he started work at HMP Romwell, he realised he was actually a nurse, a copper, a probation officer, a carer, a councillor, a social worker and, of course, an incarcerator all in one. Oh, and a punch bag for the cons and bosses.

In SCREWED, Ronnie tells it like it is. He reveals what really goes on behind bars - the times when force is necessary and used, and when it is unnecessary but still used. He exposes the underworld of bent screws, the drugs they traffic, the firms they work for and what they get paid for their sins. He shows how it is left down to a small group of officers to control an over-flowing prison, keep an eye out for corrupt govenors, and dodge the deluded human rights campaigners. Ultimately, he shows us that being a good screw doesn t always mean sticking to the rules...

Reviews

Thompson is honest about the officers' boozy, sometimes meat-headed, after-work excesses but is quick to defend their reputation... Anyone who deals with drug-dealers throwing boiling kettles of bleach over each other, has to stop a riot or tries to save a prisoner's life by holding closed a gaping hole in his neck he made while slitting his own throat, is clearly doing a very tough job. Screwed" is a sympathetic and eye-opening account of life behind bars. -- London Lite 20080129 'Uncompromisingly forthright... his views cannot be ignored... Of the utmost importance to anyone who wants to really understand what life is like at penal ground zero' -- The Times 20080223 'Hard hitting and absorbing' -- The Herald (Glasgow) 20080105

Author Bio

Ronnie Thompson is a 28-year-old prison officer. He's seen more corruption and violence in his 7 years in the service than most people see in a lifetime. He lives with his girlfriendand their son.