Justice 4 Brendan
Member's Home Page
184 Posts
Member Since
20/04/2009 14:31:53
POST DATE
26/04/2009 15:23:22 |
It is know that Innocent victims of the justice system suffer from clinical disorders while in prison and after release.
In the uk at the moment there is no treatment for the innocent.
Below is a pdf guidline to just one of the disorders the accused leaves prison with.
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG026NICEguideline.pdf
It would be interesting if any figures were ever done in the uk to attain how serious this condition is in people claiming innocence in British prisons, where the keyword from prison staff is "DENIAL"
" What happens to the Innocent"
Part 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS4isdZG4Tw
Part 2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSQKz9H8dQQ&feature=related
I think in Scotland now the numbers fighting Miscarraiges of justice are rising and everyday you are finding more and more.
It is time in Scotland for the media to go out on a limb and get the rewards when the innocent are released.
edited by Justice 4 Brendan on 26/04/2009
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"I hear much of people calling to punish the guilty, but few are concerned to clear the innocent" Daniel Defoe 1661-1731
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Justice 4 Brendan
Member's Home Page
184 Posts
Member Since
20/04/2009 14:31:53
POST DATE
28/04/2009 10:11:04 |
On the subject of wrongful conviction.
Denial and (PTSD)
http://www.milgaardinquiry.ca/pubdocs/01312006/Milgaard%20Application/Joel%20Grymaloski/332554.pdf
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"I hear much of people calling to punish the guilty, but few are concerned to clear the innocent" Daniel Defoe 1661-1731
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admin
Member's Home Page
449 Posts
Member Since
08/04/2009 08:00:00
POST DATE
28/04/2009 10:39:04 |
One consolation is that the medical care received after release is significantly better than the care received while detained. Though my personal opinion is that no-one can properly understand the feelings of any individual caught up in injustice without having been through it themselves. Rest assured that this site and it's assistance is available throughout and won't simply stop because a conviction has been overturned or an accused person is acquitted, the effects linger on.
I noticed on the site's new page yesterday a heartbreaking story of a woman who had her conviction overturned but some time later was found dead.....
Say no more, these people need help but may find their persecution goes on instead.
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Justice 4 Brendan
Member's Home Page
184 Posts
Member Since
20/04/2009 14:31:53
POST DATE
28/04/2009 11:13:25 |
Though my personal opinion is that no-one can properly understand the feelings of any individual caught up in injustice without having been through it themselves
That is true Billy.
Also people should realise that the family of an accused person go through a sentence with the person inside, since conviction it has been like groundhog day and as a family we cannot move on till the wrongs are righted.
So even though we have the freedom to come and go as we please, we hear everyday the words of an innocent man and his worries about everything in his life.
More should be done for the families that are left behind.
All i kmow from this families point of view we as a unit will do everything possible to get the truth about the murder of Margaret Irvine.
You hear about cases like Clark, Gair ect but there will be more out there who have come out prison and suffer in silence.
Also as a family we are classed as in Denial from the establishment even though we know where Brendan was at the time of the murder, and about the cover up and police failings in the case.
edited by Justice 4 Brendan on 28/04/2009
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"I hear much of people calling to punish the guilty, but few are concerned to clear the innocent" Daniel Defoe 1661-1731
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SandraLean
36 Posts
Member Since
27/04/2009 08:57:53
POST DATE
28/04/2009 11:46:01 |
Hi, Justice4Brendan. You really capture the essence of the suffering, especially of the families.
I have seen families ripped apart, people falling into, and unable to get out of depression, jobs lost, businesses going under, kids put through hell at school - it just goes on and on.
On the other hand, I have met some utterly incredible families who manage to stick together through it all, refusing to let the experience destroy them. Even that, however, creates an isolation for them - others don't know or understand what they're going through, and assume they've just "closed ranks" in a sort of collective denial.
They really need support and understanding, all of them, and I'd ask anyone who is viewing this site, if you know of anyone in this situtation, but are not directly involved yourself, please think long and hard about this - you may be judging perfectly innocent people who have no-one but their own family members to turn to, and, in spite of the "cheerful front" they put on for the outside world, they are going through hell.
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admin
Member's Home Page
449 Posts
Member Since
08/04/2009 08:00:00
POST DATE
28/04/2009 12:11:08 |
"That is true Billy.
Also people should realise that the family of an accused person go through a sentence with the person inside, since conviction it has been like groundhog day and as a family we cannot move on till the wrongs are righted.
So even though we have the freedom to come and go as we please, we hear everyday the words of an innocent man and his worries about everything in his life.
More should be done for the families that are left behind."
This is exactly the point that I raised at the very beginning of making the site, the families! That's why I have been so keen to keep a focus on them as victims also as described in the home page. I know for mine they may have had "freedom" but were constantly tied to a phone at given times of day in case I was able to call, my thoughts when I was remanded were that in some aspects the sentence was in fact worst for those left on the outside.
For the families of the wrongly accused or convicted it is indeed a sentence in itself, the only thing missing are the bars and rubber burgers. Quite simply it is an utter nightmare for everyone.
Sandra has been involved with many cases and witnessed the effects, you and your family are living through the phase my family have been through so we understand very well. I would urge anyone who feels the need to make contact even if only to let out some frustration on someone who is not directly connected.
We always felt that no-one could possibly understand what we were going through, but the sad truth is this happens so frequently that there are many people who do and talking can help, it costs me nothing more than my time and only wish I could do more.
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Billysis
Member's Home Page
25 Posts
Member Since
28/04/2009 14:23:53
POST DATE
28/04/2009 19:37:45 |
Billy-How could you ever say that things are as bad for those on the outside-at least we had each other. It is very difficult for the accussed family-especially as in our case we were 100% sure there had been a mistake, it must be awful though for those who cannot be so sure of their dearests innocense.
To be a real support to your relative its expensive and time consuming-especially when the prison is so far away. Between us we tried to visit every couple of weeks, we might be away from home for 2-3 days at a time and only get to see him for 1-2hours in that time, that would be his visiting over until next time.
The guilt you feel for doing normal everyday things is pretty awful too, you can't enjoy your bed, your food, any social things to name but a few-life is pretty much on a stand still, people don't realise how it is for you but then how could they-I could never have imagined nor did I ever think about it before.
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Justice 4 Brendan
Member's Home Page
184 Posts
Member Since
20/04/2009 14:31:53
POST DATE
28/04/2009 20:55:44 |
Thank you, Sandra and Billy and all who have experience of things from the other side of a the fence from the accused, the Family.
Everything you say Sandra is spot on and you have seen first hand how Miscarraiges of justice can either make or break a family, there are good days and there are bad, there are times you think you are getting somewhere and times when you feel helpless to help and feel you are letting the person inside down.
But in the end the goal stays the same and the desire never goes as i said to Billy when Brendan walks free, i walk free with him both as innocent men.
Then the real work starts.
"Getting who killed Margaret Irvine where they should be."
http://www.tagged.com/profile.html
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"I hear much of people calling to punish the guilty, but few are concerned to clear the innocent" Daniel Defoe 1661-1731
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SandraLean
36 Posts
Member Since
27/04/2009 08:57:53
POST DATE
29/04/2009 10:43:33 |
..."I walk free with him, both as innocent men"
That is so perfectly expressed.
The lives put on hold, the difficulties for the families (thanks Billysis for pointing out the guilt factor in even the most ordinary everyday things for those outside) - the sentence isn't just served by the wrongly convicted person, it's served by everyone who loves them as well, in a different way.
It doesn't help when the media is constantly pushing conviction, punishment, blame and intolerance as "justice." Two families I have worked with in particular have had family members targeted repeatedly by the press, long after their loved one was convicted. It just heaps agony on top of agony, and what's printed is usually complete rubbish anyway, just made up or twisted out of all recognition by reporters with no conscience and no heart. (I'm not saying all reporters do this - there are some good ones, but we all know the type of thing I'm talking about).
It's as if the conviction itself is not enough to satisfy the "public" desire for retribution - they want to keep going back with a big stick to beat these families at the most difficult time in their lives.
The helplessness they feel is compounded by a complete inability to stop the media printing vicious, vindictive rubbish which then affects how they are perceived by the wider community, and has, on occasions led to violence against family members of wrongly convicted people.
Getting the word out about how it really is for these people is something that drives me constantly - it's not only the truth about the wrongful conviction that needs to be heard, but also the truth about the horrendous damage that is done to everyone involved, sometimes over years and years.
While individual families have to spend every last ounce of their energy fighting wrongful accusation or conviction, the rest of us can be pitching in, writing to newspapers, television companies, MPs - anyone who will listen. I say to everyone, don't think because you can only do a little, it's not worth doing. All the "littles" eventually become a fairly formidable force.
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Billysis
Member's Home Page
25 Posts
Member Since
28/04/2009 14:23:53
POST DATE
29/04/2009 19:43:10 |
I too really liked this expression-it shows so much solidarity. This is the kind of support he needs-I hope you are getting some comfort and support from the site. It helps to know your not alone and I'm sure your fight will pay off for you-well done, many would fold under the pressure.
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UNIQUE VISITORS
FEATURED BOOK: Sandra Lean's 'No smoke, The Shocking Truth About The British Justice System'(To see all 15 5-star reveiws check 'No Smoke' as well as the full title, it is listed under both.)
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