The Maze Prison - Murtagh, Tom

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Résumé :
The Maze Prison shows how an establishment built to hold those involved in terrorism, atrocities, murder and allied crimes became a pawn in the partisan conflict that was Northern Ireland. There followed a breakdown of norms, values and control as the last of these shifted from Governors to Ministers, outside officials and even prisoners. This led to the (often random) killing of prison officers and countless allegations, denials and obfuscations, as Prison Rules came into conflict with claims to be treated as prisoners-of-war or be given Special Category status. A social document par excellence, this stark slant on The Troubles and Peace Process cuts through the propaganda and base politics to reveal the truth about the H-Blocks, hunger-strikes, escapes and power struggles. Based on actual records and personal accounts, it challenges myths and legends to warn how easily a community can descend into what the author calls anomie. An invaluable record of 'One of the most dangerous prisons in the world'.

Biographie:
Tom Murtagh OBE hails from the Republic of Ireland where he received his early education before moving to London to pursue higher education and join HM Prison Service (HMPS). He ended his almost 40-year career in prisons as an Area Manager for HMPS, having been a Governor of several establishments in both HMPS and the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS). This included being Deputy Governor of The Maze and its Head of Security during The Troubles. He is the chair of the Northern Ireland Retired Prison Officers' Fellowship....

Sommaire:
The Maze Prison shows how an establishment built to hold those involved in terrorism, atrocities, murder and allied crimes became a pawn in the partisan conflict that was Northern Ireland. There followed a breakdown of norms, values and control as the last of these shifted from Governors to Ministers, outside officials and even prisoners. This led to the (often random) killing of prison officers and countless allegations, denials and obfuscations, as Prison Rules came into conflict with claims to be treated as prisoners-of-war or be given Special Category status. A social document par excellence, this stark slant on The Troubles and Peace Process cuts through the propaganda and base politics to reveal the truth about the H-Blocks, hunger-strikes, escapes and power struggles. Based on actual records and personal accounts, it challenges myths and legends to warn how easily a community can descend into what the author calls anomie. An invaluable record of 'One of the most dangerous prisons in the world'....