Discuss David Hare's presentation of the prison system in the in the extract and elsewhere in the play.

Similar to most of the penal system, Hare portrays the prisons to be incredibly archaic describing it as “Victorian”. The old fashioned prison suggests it is out of date to cater to the needs of the prisoners.  The unsanitary living conditions suggest the prisoners are undervalued. Hare reinforces the separation of criminals and the public by the treatment of Gerard in Act 1 Scene 4.Where he is stripped and left standing “in the middle of the area, covering his nakedness” humiliated. Gerard’s first encounter with the guards starts with a direct order “strip off.” The short order leaves Gerard confused, however the guard is persistent that Gerard does as he says. By Hare starting Gerard’s experience with an order, it suggests that the prison system has no empathy; always sticking to procedure. Hare also reinforces the devaluing of the prisoners with the renaming of Gerard to a number. By Gerard answering to “A6324” it replaces Gerard’s identity. The prisoners lose their sense of identity through being numbered and their uniform. The prison system takes away any distinction of a person, likening them to a digit. By Gerard’s uniform being “ridiculously big for him” Hare is suggesting that Gerard doesn’t belong in prison and that he shouldn’t be a part of the prison system. The purpose of prisons is challenged in Act 1 Scene 4 as the conversation between Beckett and Gerard centres round surviving prison. Although a prison is said to rehabilitate, Beckett emphasises the need for survival. “Probation, medical, educational, the chaplain. They’ll advise you on how to survive in the goal” Beckett sees the agencies in prison as survival tools rather than tools for change. By Hare focusing Gerard’s aim is to survive prison rather than to change. Hare is presenting the prison system as ineffective.

David Hare presents the prison system as disorganised; Gerard is wrongly placed in the D- wing, Beckett admits “we shouldn’t really its for lifers”. Hare presents the prisons as disorganised to show the effects of arresting to reach a target number. Hare suggests that prisons were disregarded by the penal system. Although the police and lawyers are satisfied with the number of arrests and convictions there is little consideration of the consequences imposed on prisons.  The overcrowding puts Gerard in unpleasant situation sharing a cell with real criminals unlike himself. By Hare portraying Gerard as

Hare suggests that prisons are neglected by the rest of society. Only the “something-must-be-dones” speak out but there is no action to ensure the prisoners living conditions are acceptable.  The prisons only voice are the “something-must-be-dones”  Hare presents the living conditions of a prisoner as unbearable. “watch the shit packages”

Hare also depicts the prisons as another world from normal society where survival is key. The guards are the only ones who can keep prisoners going unlike the psychologists from Oxbridge which suggest that the prison system differs from the outside world.