Philosophising with prisoners

Tuesday 07 May 2024

The Literary Festival breached the walls of Guernsey's prison with visiting author Andy West hosting a philosophy session for inmates and staff.

The author is a teacher of philosophy who works mainly in prisons.

His book, The Life Inside covers that work but also his own deeply personal stories about growing up as part of a family where prison was a reality.

His father, brother, and uncle have all spent time inside with Andy telling an audience at the Literary Festival that one of his earliest memories is visiting his brother in prison on Christmas Eve when he was just six years old. 

Andy wanted to show the complexities of humanity. People can have done terrible things but they may not be what we first think. Philosophy provides a critical mindset and ways to engage. #GsyLitFest pic.twitter.com/1m8TLyYixq

— Guernsey Lit Fest (@GuernseyLitFest) May 3, 2024

He posed the same question to the audience at Les Cotils on Friday evening, as he had to his audience at Les Nicolles earlier that day: "is it better to be mentally free, or physically free?"

That and other questions have helped to shape Andy's life.

Asked by talk host Terry Waite why he hadn't gone down the same path as his father, brother, and uncle, Andy admitted that he doesn't know and that he has often asked himself the same question.

With his formative years spent visiting relatives in prison, Andy also shared his views on is prisons today are working. 

Recalling how the prison population doubled within 30 years, Andy said that reflects how prisons have not kept pace with progress made elsewhere in society. 

"I think we've seen minimal progress in prisons on how to reduce crime, to stop people reoffending and to stop this punitive logic," he said.

In the context of who is in prison, Andy explained how UK's jails are still predominantly populated by men - mainly young men - many of whom grew up in care.

"Who are we jailing, and who are we failing at the sane time?" he asked.

A big pleasure to be interviewed by Terry Waite today @GuernseyLitFest pic.twitter.com/7hYW3HAr8w

— Andy West (@AndyWPhilosophy) May 3, 2024

While Andy's talk at Les Nicolles was not open to the media or the public, he gave insights to what he would have discussed during the public talk on Friday evening 

Opening his private life to public scrutiny, he shared stories about his relatives time in prison, and their lives outside too. He confides that he never touches alcohol or drugs because he has seen first hand how it can affect people. 

He has also backed the 'ban the box' campaign which seeks to limit how much information is shared about past convictions on job and housing applications to enable people to move on with their lives. He said his brother has done just that and now identifies as a father, not a criminal, and his shame has compelled him to leave his prison days behind him. 

"It was a chance to share how morally complex life is," Andy offered as a reason for why he wrote his book. 

His book, The Life Inside is to be dramatised by the BBC next year.