The Abolitionist No 20 (1985)
Introduction / Commentary by John Moore
Number 20 and was published six months after the miners year long strike ended in March 1985 and includes a long article by Martin Walker on ‘Miners in Prison’. Between 150 and 200 miners were imprisoned during the strike, 60 were still incarcerated six months after the strike ended. Walker critiques the failure of the trade union and labour movements to recognise that the state had mounted a political attack on the mining communities, that the imprisoned miners are political prisoners and that what was needed was a political campaign for their release.
Other articles include Mike Nellis on ‘Myra Hindley and The Press’; a summary of PROP, RAP and INQUEST’s joint submission to a House of Commons committee reviewing the role of the Prison Medical Service and a major article by Mick Ryan in which he reviews the progress of abolitionism with reference to Stan Cohen’s recently published Visions of Social Control. It is a sobering read and in particular highlights the problematic nature of alternatives. The edition also includes Phil Scranton and Kathryn Chadwick’s article on seven deaths at Glenochil a Scottish prison for young men. The state had responded to the deaths with an official inquiry and the article provides a brilliant deconstruction of its arguments and includes some important theoretical analysis of both state discourse and the inherently violent nature of imprisonment. Also included is information on government proposals to restrict the right to demonstrate, a number of letters from prisoners detailing abuse they had experienced, and a review by Ros Kane of the recently published Criminal Women.
As well as the usual sections/inserts from Women in Prison (WIP), PROP and Inquest there is an insert from Prisoners Advice and Information Network. This had been established by BFPS (Black Female Prisoners Scheme), Inquest, PROP, RAP and WIP to advise prisoners and their families regarding their treatment as Prisoners. PROP’s Prison Briefing also focuses on the Miners strike. In its lead article is argues that not only are the miners political prisoners but that the overrepresentation of sections of the community show that they are prisoners of politics. Comparing the policing of the strike with the policing of inner cities the article argues for the linking of struggles. Details are also given for a newly established Miners in Prison Support Group. The Briefing reports the England and Wales prison population has topped 46,000 and there is an article on prisoners’ exposure to asbestos and another on the ‘Myra Hindley Baiting Season’.
The WIP section includes a number of letters and articles by prisoners including Leah Thalmann on Cookham Wood; Kay Tansy and Jan Sear on Styal; Gilly Mebarek on Holloway; Lynn Barlow on Styal; and Julie Tiddy on the prospect of being sent to Durham.
The INQUEST bulletin has two articles relating to the increased use of firearms by the police, Melissa Benn and Ken Worpole on the wider picture and Dave Leadbetter on the killing of John Shorthouse. There is an article on the Colin Roach Inquest and details of recent prison deaths.