The Abolitionist No 2/3 (1979)

Introduction /Commentary by John Moore

The second edition of The Abolitionist (a double issue 2/3) was published by Radical Alternatives in Prison (RAP) in 1979, following Margaret Thatcher’s election victory. A victory about which RAP coordinator, Jerry Westall, observed: ‘Everyone is feeling uneasy about the Thatcherite Government although a fair proportion of us don’t give a damn which party is in power as the State remains its oppressive self whatever the political complexity of the Government.’

By this edition the Bristol League Tables had been published and the full results can be seen here. They showed the rate of imprisonment varied from 13.83% of all sentences in Gloucestershire (earning them the Ball and Chain Award) to 3.9% in Gwent. Although exposing these inconsistencies was motivated by a desire to reduce imprisonment rates in more punitive areas, we can, with the benefit of hindsight, see how the subsequent introduction of sentencing guidelines had the opposite effect. 

This second edition had more of a newsletter/magazine feel to it than the first edition. Its content has less articles and more reports.  RAP’s recent showing of a series of prison films is reported on with analysis of the genre from Mike Nellis, RAPs submission to the May Committee, an official inquiry into the UK prison system (ending with a quote from Churchill!) is reprinted in full along with copies of the press coverage of RAP’s submission and the transcript of an LBC phone-in programme where Jerry Westall of RAP was interviewed on the submission. Short pieces report on Cardiff Prisoners’ play group, Newham Alternative Project, how to become a prison visitor, and followed up on the campaign against the abuses of medications in prisons.

There are a number of contributions highlighting ongoing campaigns. These include information on The Prisoners Action Group of New South Wales; an excerpt from ‘Blacks Against Prison Tyranny’ the manifesto of the Prisoners’ Liberation Front; a statement from The Italy ‘79 Campaign protesting the arrest of a number of lecturers, trade unionist, feminists and journalists in Italy; and an update on the Michael Thynne campaign. Thynne had been given a life sentence for an offence of rape.  Whilst the judge hoped he would only be detained for a short period whilst he received treatment, in reality no ‘treatment’ was provided and therefore he had no prospect of release. Not a dissimilar outcome to that experienced by IPP prisoners over recent years.

The edition is completed by some statistics, updates about forthcoming meetings and conferences and a series of book reviews and letters, including one from  Martin Wright, Director of the Howard League, responding to Ian Cameron’s review (in Abolitionist #1) of Mick Ryan’s book on the Howard League and RAP.