Behind These Doors: Stories of Strength, Suffering and Survival in Prison

by Alex South

'The men I have worked with and the staff I've worked alongside over the last ten years in prison have taught me strength, compassion, courage and, fundamentally, the need to talk, the need to share and the need to tell these stories. These are the stories of lives lived, lost and taken, behind walls so high we can pretend they hide another world entirely. But at what cost?'

Few people leave prison unchanged. It's a place heavy with suffering, a place where you will find dangerous, vulnerable and forgotten people. But for Alex South, it was a place where she also found hope.

In this powerful and moving memoir, Alex attempts to make sense of her experiences in prison by confronting the harsh reality of life on the inside and examining them from different angles. In an overwhelmingly masculine environment, where strength and aggression are routinely on show, Alex's view is particularly important.

Capturing the confusion and contradictions of prison, Alex presents a life that is often hidden from the public. Changing our perceptions, Behind These Doors shows the many devastating, but often inspiring, consequences prison can have.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime, Audiobook

352 pages, Hardcover

Published July 6, 2023

Reviews

[Lisa - *OwlBeSatReading* · Rating 5 out of 5]

’Women shouldn’t work in prisons’.

It takes a certain type of person to become a Prison Officer, and Alex South is one of them.

She tells a sometimes hopeful, completely heartfelt and often horrifying account of what life is like ‘Behind These Doors’. And she does so with honesty, compassion and common sense.

‘Prison is a condensed version of all the best and worst bits of humanity’.

A fascinating, yet shocking read.

’It’s 2021 and both staff and prisoners are hanging themselves in our jails’. *

Alex South is a brilliant author and a thoroughly decent human being. I couldn’t possibly rate this any less than 5 stars.

*more proof that the UK is fucked up.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and compassionate book about authors time working in the prison service

[Cristina Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very bleak, but overall a powerful, important read. I noted many parallels between the impact of austerity on the author's experience in prisons and my time as a social worker - with no preventative, rehabilitative resources, what do we expect but violence and trauma?

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5****

Wow this book- so insightful, but bleak, and also compassionate.

I could feel the authors frustration at the people from higher levels making all the important decisions… but who have never worked in a prison. How this has effected herself, her colleagues and the prisoners.

The author has a chapter where she travelled around the world researching other countries Prison Services and creating report with recommendations for the UK - I’d be highly interested to read Alex’s report on this and her research!

[Abi Trafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman who works in the Prison Service, I have never read a book which so accurately reflects my own experiences. This evoked so much emotion in me and I wish everyone would read this.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably the best prison biography I've read, and I've read a lot!

This is Alex's story of her career over 10 years working in 3 very different prisons, doing different roles in those prisons. It was fascinating and I struggled to put this down. I love the real stories, the open honesty from Alex in her story to try to help the people inside.

The stories may be similar to ones you have read before but the writing was remarkable and worlds apart from the others in my opinion. I love how open she is and was saddened to read that she left the prison service in 2021, but completely understand why after reading her story.

It's a fascinating insight to the things these Prison Officers have to see on a daily basis, the relationships with the Offenders inside and the relationships she tries to fix and nurture. Brilliant read!

[Tom S · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars really. Hadn't read anything from the prison officer's perspective before and this was easy to read. I am still apoplectic about Chris Grayling taking books off prisoners to appear tough on crime.

[Katherine Sayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleak, but important
The long term issues created by austerity
The prison minister response - shocking

[Thomas Harte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books written by practitioners, especially those in the criminal justice system are often sensationalist. This is different. Not only does the author examine the real challenges of being a prison officer she also has a real progressive approach towards incarceration. She believes that prison officers should have a role to play in rehabilitation. This is a great book. It’s a pity then that she has left the UK prison service. The service badly needs people like Alex South.

[Ellie Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Behind These Doors' is a compelling, compassionate account of what life is like within the prison system. This book allowed for a deeper insight into the people we imprison, the prison system itself, and the staff who maintain and uphold it. The media often dehumanises the people who commit crimes; but this novel truly sheds light upon the complexities of the people who have committed crime(s). This book is further proof of the flaws exisiting within the prison system; namely, the lack of support for officers as well as prisoners. There is a disconnect between those who make decisions for the prison system, and the prison officers who have to carry these orders out, even when it is evidently detrimental to the welbeing of prisoners (and themselves).

It is hard to put into words the profound impact that this book has had upon me; at times, my eyes stung with tears as I was plunged into despair, then in another moment, I was smiling or laughing at a story detailed within the book. This book is absolutely essential to our understanding of the prison system and should be read widely by everyone. The language was accessible, and not only do I feel more compassion for the men within this book, but I hold nothing but the utmost respect and empathy for its author. Alex South is a brilliant author, who had an impact on the lives of those that needed it most. I hope she continues to write, and creates more happy memories after officially resigning as a prison officer.

[Tina Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely fascinating. A well written discussion about the prison service and the impact of the prison regime on both inmates and officers. reflects very accurately the things that Rory Stewart has expressed concern about. the section about Wormwood Scrubs was particularly upsetting to read, in terms of the prison conditions apart from anything else.

Well worth reading.

[Debby Binns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This BBC Abridgement has made me want to read the full book. Its an unsentimental insight into a world that needs to be seen. Whilst the subject is grim - its also about hope and optimism, Alex South writes about humanity and resilience.

[Coz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook - so honest and so heartbreaking. Incredible book, it's a privilege to be given such a small insight into a totally unknown world.

'You are so much more than a number' is something I think we all need to be reminded of.

[Kyle Moore]

I really enjoyed this book, giving an insight into what really goes on in prisons around the UK.

[Georgia Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book captured so perfectly the feelings and experiences i have of working in a men’s prison. so many of the stories that alex shares are replicas of those i live through in my own life day-to-day life. this work is the most fulfilling and heart breaking thing i’ve ever done, and i wish people were more forgiving.

i cried a bit too many times reading this. one moment particularly moved me - alex shares a story where someone she worked closely with gets transferred and she doesn’t get the chance to say bye, but he tells another prisoner to pass on this message to her: ‘thank you for being my friend’. i know i’ve been a friend to so many, and i know how hard it is when they move on and you won’t ever know what happens next for them. nevertheless, these stories are so important to tell, and if i could recommend one book this year that i’ve read to others, it would be this one :)

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read/listen. South writes articulately, passionately, and with great empathy, about the trials and tribulations of prison life. I felt her love for the prisoners exude from the page, and experienced a cold horror hearing about her Churchill project, bringing back findings about ways to improve lives for prisoners, being brutally dismissed by the prisons minister at the time (I assume this was Damian Hinds). It made me really glad that James Timpson is now in charge, as this is an area that desperately needs reform. South was really clear on the effects of austerity and the idea of prisons being a microcosm of wider society. She had really practical ideas and suggestions about how things could be improved for staff and prisoners.

I loved that we got to follow her across three locations, noting the differences in each place. I also loved the way her declining mental health was portrayed (due to working within this broken system). There was also a lot about the gender dynamics involved in being a female prison officer, a lot of which I could relate to as a female teacher (and some that I couldn't relate to but I could imagine vividly). I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in British society and structural prison reform - it really hit on a lot of subjects I feel passionately about as a teacher as well.

[Marta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read - I liked her perspective as a female prison officer and the insightful commentary about exactly why our prisons are failing, and how this is a reflection of society at large.

+++ stars for the way she wrote about the high tension moment. She clearly has a talent for putting into words the feelings one goes through in the moment. Also; her emotional intelligence shines throughout the book when talking about her mentees.

Less stars for some bits that were harder to get through, especially for a fellow UK public worker. A slight slog sometimes especially for people who already know a thing or two about the prison system.

Would read another one by Alex South for sure.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this via audible -

I really wanted to love this book, and its plain as day that Alex has incredible stories to share, and for the most part - knows how to retell them in an really engaging manner.

But man, the book overstayed its welcome by several hours. This exasperated several tiny quirks I had with the narration / editing, and unfortunately ended up knocking book down a couple of points.

But, I get the impression that capturing these stories was all part of an important process for Alex, and I hope it achieved its goal.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always drawn to "interesting job" memoirs, although those can be middling in quality. I'm pleased to report that Behind These Doors, about being a prison officer in the UK, is a good one.

Alex South writes with such compassion and perceptiveness about both her fellow prison guards and the offenders she comes into contact with. It really opened my eyes to the realities of a profession that's usually reduced to cliche in the media. Also yet more fodder for "fund the public sector", as if I needed it.

[Imogen Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

"That all sounds like fluffy things to make the prisoner officers happy"


The offhanded comment by the Prime Minister when talking to the author about her recommendations for improvements for support for prison officers, showing how little insight they have for the prison service and the challenges it faces.


This was an interesting read, with the author showing her perspective of working as a female officer in male prisons and show how much the work can affect an officer's wellbeing and both mental and physical health. Shows the impact of the continous decrease of staff and funding

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compassionate, clear eyed and well written look at life in prison for the inmates and staff. I read this after The Devil You Know by Dr Gwen Adshead and liked them both equally for the moving humanity in them while not shying away from the reality of crime. It is a graphic book in places, with many descriptions of suicide or interpersonal violence yet not in a sensationalist way and always with an eye to the human impact.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook.

A very powerful read. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the reality of the prison system today and the impact of austerity on society. Absolutely harrowing and uncomfortable at points; it discusses self-harm and suicide in depth. Yet this is the reality that Alex South experienced and she documents it excellently. I really connected to her and the characters she introduced. It was an emotional read and will stay with me for a long time to come.

[Ayesha Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really weird to say how much I absolutely love this book considering it's content. However, I can't say enough how well Alex South has made such a difficult topic an educational and easily digestible read.

I walk away with more of an open mind about prison and the all the people within it.

If you are even a little curious what prisons are like away from all the media. Read this.

Saddening at times but also inspiring.

[Thomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave book, with a lot of useful inside information. It makes clear how important the role of the guards in prison is. It also points at the desperate state in which the UK prison system is brought by subsequent Tory governments. Is the whole penitentiary system just an act of societal reverge? Read (perhaps again:) Nietzsche, On the genealogy of morals, part II, para 14.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will stay with me for a long time. It's heartbreaking breaking to read just how badly we fail to even try to rehabilitate our criminals, often driving them further into crime. They are failed on so many levels despite there being good people trying to make a difference, so it's equally heartbreaking to read how the system fails those people too.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I absolutely would!!
Alex takes the reader on her journey in a way that feels so effortless, you see and feel everything that she did.
She shows you a world which normally the majority of us wouldn’t see and truly opens your eyes to it.

[Sarah Nicmanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend this book enough for on-the-ground insight into our prison system. Written by a former prison officer. "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." (Dostoevsky)

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

No real surprises in this powerful memoir about life working in the prisons. The authors compassion and professionalism comes through strongly, and I could sadly sympathise and draw many comparisons with my own experiences and feelings at the end of my NHS career.

[Liz Longworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening and very thought-provoking! A very good read.

[Carol Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eye opener to prison life