THE PRISON DOCTOR: My time inside Britain’s most notorious jails. THE HONEST, UNBELIEVABLE TRUE STORY AND A SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLING AUTOBIOGRAPHY

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The authors second book; this was a probing look at life inside a modern British women’s prison. Touching and moving in places, however the author pays particular attention to the real issues and challenges inside women’s prisons and what changes must be made. It was a shame this book wasn't as good as her previous two. Her stories from inside prison were really interesting usually but maybe because of the type of prison it was, it just didn't make for as an interesting or detailed book. In one five-hour shift, Brown takes care of up to 15 new arrivals, most with “physical and mental health issues, arriving with bags of different medications… some empty, many of them out of date”. She captures the constant cacophony as women scream, shout and bash against their cell doors. Two-thirds of the way through the book, she raises the key question. Treating a woman in her late 70s, sentenced for arson with a long history of self-harming and mental illness, Brown writes: “She certainly needed to be in a secure environment, but I really wondered whether prison was the best place for someone with such far-reaching needs.” What does it say about the nature of men's and women's criminal natures when the biggest male prison in the UK holds over 1800 men but the biggest female prison in the whole of Europe holds only 597 women? The total number of prison inmates in 2018 in the UK was 79,749 men and 3,869 women, which is 0.13% of the population. In the US, with a total number of inmates for the same year of 2.2 million, the rate is 0.67%, the highest in the world. I found it really stilted and repetitive - and it's not a long book by any means. All the characters speak with the same voice and none of them sounds authentic to the characters or the stories as she presents them.

Success is measured in small doses, first at the young offenders institution where she embarks on this new phase of her life, to working in Wormwood Scrubs and finally, HMP Bronzefield, the women’s prison which replaced the better known, Holloway. An interesting read but there were a few things that just felt a bit off. Firstly, it was very repetitive and so, at times, a little boring. Secondly, there's something about the way the women talk to Dr Brown that just seems unrealistic. I'm sure there are lots of women who are deeply grateful towards Dr Brown but it seemed a little unbelievable that these women just revealed their entire life stories to her at their first appointment. The way that the conversations were written as if quoting the women was odd, because most of the wording was obviously Dr Brown's. It just seemed a bit jarring to read what these women had to say about their lives in the exact same tone and style every time. A week later, Jared returned to Dr Brown’s surgery with a beautiful poem about his childhood which was both moving and tragic. Seeing his desire to better himself, she bought him a dictionary, only to be told that it was against prison rules to give presents to inmates. Though crestfallen, she knew that these brief encounters had made an impact. The teenage boy with rich inner dimensions left an indelible mark on her memory. Throughout her work in prisons, this breakthrough moment remained as a glowing ember in her consciousness, reminding her of the worth of her job. Who would I recommend this book to?The stories and case studies discussed in this book are so fascinating. It really does open your eyes to the struggles and abuse women go through which often leads them to prison. Before she worked in prison, Brown says: “My opinion was condensed down into a narrative of good people and bad people… the reality is far more complex.” She recognises that these women with permanently chaotic lives and too little experience of unconditional love can also be “brave, funny… kind”.

Nežinau, ar kaltas kalėdinis laikotarpis, bet iš šios knygos gavau tiek pozityvo. Mano pacientai taip pat nėra lengvi.Gydytoja Amanda įkvėpė nepamiršti, kad pacientas ne vien tik diagnozių sąrašas. Tai jautrus, pažeidžiamas žmogus, nors jo išorė sako ir ką kita.I feel that I’m putting this book down with renewed insight and respect for those who are imprisoned after hearing their stories. Many are truly a product of their prior experiences which is why it’s that much sadder that the system is built to work against them. When a prisoner goes to hospital they have to be escorted by minimum two prison officers, sometimes up to five if they are very dangerous, so it can be very difficult to find the time, people and resources to transfer them. Especially if two or three have appointments on the same day, as it can put a huge strain on staffing levels.