Gladiator Games & Prison
Went to see Gladiator Games dramatised by Tanika Gupta at Stratford Royal East. It’s a superb piece of verbatim theatre. See earlier post. It’s about Zahid Mubarek, who was an Asian teenager sentenced to 90 days in Feltham Young Offenders’ Institute for stealing £6’s worth of razor blades and interfering with a car. On 20 March 2000, the day he was due for release, he was attacked and killed by his violently racist cell-mate, with a chair leg in his sleep. Lyn Gardner review here.
Verbatim theatre can lapse into dullness very easily, but this play doesn’t. Not only is the story very compelling but the unpicking of the problems with the prison system and the situation which led to the death of Zahid.
The short description reveals some of the problems.
1. Ziad was sent down for stealing razors and interfering with a car. To be fair, he also had a drug problem and had missed two meetings with a probation officer. However, I believe, this to any reasonable person is an extreme over reaction. The problem is, the system demands prison. As Ben Bowling, Crimonologist at the panel discussion after, argues prison is not the answer for the vast majority of youths. Neil Gerrard, MP, believes sentencing needs to be changed.
2. Mental health. Zahid’s violent and racist cell mate, was mentally ill. This was not only obvious with hind sight but should have been picked up many times through the system. However, many people in jail suffer from mental health problems. One panel member suggested is was about 75% of prisoners.
3. It costs about £35,000 a year to maintain an adult prisoner in jail. £50,000 or more for a youth. Yet, what are the gaining in prison? Nothing except an education in crime and hate. Bowling believes, money has to be spent in rehabilitation and not in sending youths down. The arguments don’t stack up either economically or for society.
However, politicians are aiming for more sentencing and less freedoms (eg ASBOs, new terror laws) seemingly as this wins votes from society. I would conjecture, however, that society at large doesn’t realise the economic and social harm being done by this new sentencing regime. Certainly, I didn’t.
It is almost universally acknowledged that there’s too much overcrowding in prisons and that it is not the best way. However, as Suresh Grover of Monitoring Group said, we have to believe we can make a difference. Unfortunately on such a large problem, I don’t know if I believe I can. I can keep writing. Make some people aware. But actual change? I understand why so many young people no longer vote.
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About me
I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.
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Recent Work
Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).
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Nakamitsu
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Yellow Gentlemen
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