Who cares about prisoners?

I mean it.

Who cares about prisoners?

Other then when you've watched a documentary about the 'shocking conditions' in Mountjoy and you talked about how disgusting it was in work the next day.

Or maybe when you ranted about how 'soft' a particular prison sentence was when you heard about it on the news.

'He should be locked up for life'

Outside of those times have you ever taken the time to think about prisoners?

Thought about the path that led them there?

What it would be like to be locked away from your family?

Me either. I'm too frightened to think about those things.

'There but for the grace of God go I', as my Mam would say.

But

and here's the big but.

If nobody cared about you what would happen to you? If nobody helped you through the hard times, or pointed out where you'd made mistakes where would your road lead?

With prisoners it's the same deal. If nobody takes the time to help them when they come out of prison to try and settle into a normal life, avoid the things that got them in trouble in the first place or deal with the issues that caused their situation where will they end up? Back in prison.

Who does that help?

Nobody

Somebody has to do something for them, to break the cycle, keep people out of prison and ultimately make our streets a bit safer.

But

and this is another big but.

We've just agreed that nobody cares about prisoners. We don't think about them. We're not interested in their lives or in trying to help them.

Thankfully some people do care. They provide support and counseling to prisoners and their families. They try to give them the help they need to take their second chance and take a functioning part in society. They care about a group of people that the rest of us are afraid of.

and I'm very proud that they'll be joining Charity Hack

Care After Prison are trying to make a difference to the lives of prisoners because if they don't, who will?

You can read Laura Ryder's profile of them here
http://kevmagic.wix.com/charityhack2013#!care-after-prison-profile/c14mq