Inside Parkhurst - The Final Stretch

David Berridge returns with more stories from his time as a prison officer at HMP Parkhurst, giving a raw, uncompromising look at the harsh reality of working in British prisons. From dealing with inmate violence and clearing out defiled prison cells to the unsavoury nature of prison language and life, this is an even more detailed look inside Britain's most infamous prison.

Through it all, David retains his wry humour and offers a much-needed assessment of the state of UK prisons today, the job crisis and poor recruitment, the corruption and gangs running rife, and the mental health epidemic hitting prisoners, causing many to take their own lives.

Guiding us in episodic fashion through the various wings of Parkhurst prison, we witness the horrifying and often hilarious experiences of a prison officer through David's own eyes.

David Berridge joined the prison service in 1992, three weeks short of his 32nd birthday. He started his training at HMP Shrewsbury and then spent the next 22 years on the Parkhurst landings, dealing with the country's most violent and badly-behaved prisoners. During his time there he worked amongst Category A inmates, including serial killers, terrorists and armed robbers, in a dispersal unit, mentally ill inmates in a high security psychiatric unit, and high-risk inmates in a protected witness unit. Six years ago he moved to HMP Albany.

David retired last year at the age of sixty. He is keen to use this book to raise awareness about the many problems our prison services are facing.