Prison break
I’ve long been fascinated by prison escapes and never pass up an opportunity to catch up on stories chronicling such acts. Firstly, I can’t imagine being in prison and if I was then escaping would not be something I’d think of.
Shawshank redemption is still one of my favourite movies though I must admit I feel there must something fundamentally wrong with me for willing a man to escape from prison.
The real life accounts that I’ve watched are so fascinating even though it becomes apparent from the get go that they don’t get too far for too long. It always seems like such a waste of time and planning but its always clear that freedom no matter how short lived is worth it.
I’ve learnt more than enough now to know how to make it successfully on the outside. How you decide to leave is really just a matter of opportunity and in my opinion this is actually the easiest part because the planning has no deadline but once you jump that face, cut through it or jump from a roof from that moment you have no room for mistakes or second thoughts. From the moment you cross the line you go from prisoner to fugitive.
To avoid being recaptured you need good, trustworthy friends who’ll give assistance with little or no questions asked. Resources are your key to freedom because once you escape you need an airtight plan and this may mean travelling to a country where authorities may find you but will never be able to bring you back. Mexico always seems like the destination of choice. It may well be what movie producers would like us to believe. I imagine the hardest part will be severing all ties with family in order to start a new life.
Are escapees really free? It seems not because having restricted movement and constantly looking over your shoulder is really no way to live. Or perhaps it does beat being in the prison system.
Disclaimer: I have never assisted a prisoner to escape and have no knowledge of any escapees. I’m just guilty of having an over active imagination.
Remembering one year on
I could not stop thinking about Bianca Couch on the anniversary of her disappearance. I felt particularly heartsore for her mother because this is the cruellest punishment – the uncertainty must drain the hope out of her. So on this day I hoped that she’d find renewed strength and have the unwavering ability to never give up!
The twentieth of December may have passed without much ado to you and I but to a family a piece is missing and their lives remain incomplete until that piece is safely returned to where it belongs.
Wherever you are Bianca know that there are people waiting for your safe return!
Banged up abroad
It’s well documented that I’m a documentary addict so it probably comes as no surprise that I have a bit of an addiction to the banged up abroad series.
I’m not sure what percentage of the actual events is sensationalised to make for interesting television.
Every episode I watch fills me with so many emotions and reactions to the plight of these people. For me it always goes back to their families because they are the ones who worry themselves sick usually over self inflicted mischief. Mischief that finds them fighting just to stay alive and sane for the most part.
The lesson I learn with each episode is that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Finally, crime doesn’t pay!
Without a trace
It’s estimated that about 200,000 people go missing in the UK each year. Those statistics are quite shocking when you consider that for every adult or child who goes missing that an entire family are left in limbo. My biggest concern is that the authorities get frantically involved and search relentlessly for a specified period. Thereafter the family use their own resources to track down their loved one and the financial costs escalate. While we remember the missing person occasionally their absence haunts their family daily.
It’s been nine months to the day that Bianca Couch a young South African disappeared without a trace. I cannot begin to imagine what helps her family to get through these dark days. Unconditional love, devotion and hope are no doubt their daily bread while they dream of the day they will wake up from this horrific nightmare.
Families are meant to be together and while certain people choose not to be part of their families at least it is their choice. When you’re taken against your will and your family are left to suffer and wonder about your well-being that is the cruellest of acts a family should be forced to deal with. What kind of monster would do this to a family?
Here’s hoping that family and friends of Bianca and the multitudes of missing persons never tire of keeping the hope of their safe return burning until they are home where they belong.
Princess diaries
I’ve been following the story of a Londoner Katie Piper who was the victim of an acid attack by an ex boyfriend. He has since been prosecuted and jailed. Fortunately for her she had access to ground breaking treatments for burn victims. Since the attack she has undergone over one hundred operations. Katie is well and truly on the road to recovery. I’ve no doubt it will take much longer for her psychological wounds to catch up to the physical ones.
Domestic violence is so rife in modern-day society. It’s not just common people who fall victim to physical, verbal and psychological abuse. Since the Grammy awards and a win by Chris Brown the story of his vicious attack on his ex girlfriend has resurfaced. He was prosecuted and given a lengthy probation sentence. In my opinion it was a lenient sentence. He should have served jail time like other criminals do!
There is never an excuse for violence of any kind. Communication is the key.
Relationships are so complicated because they can bring you so much pleasure and as much pain. A certain level of maturity is needed and it seems quite clear that break ups cause some people to become irrational.
We all deserve to be treated like royalty. We’re too special to be treated any less. I don’t believe in fairy tales but I do believe you can choose the kind of life you want. Then perhaps the happily ever after will follow.
Finders Keepers
Yesterday my husband lost his wallet on a flight from Ireland. The panic that followed was quite tangible. Having lost a purse before it is quite crazy how your mind goes into overdrive. Finding a starting point becomes the biggest challenge. I guess the key is to do damage control which means contacting the bank!
When my husband contacted the bank to his utter surprise somebody had called in to report his wallet had been found. He was very relieved and after getting the location of the kind soul we made our way to a hotel to pick it up. It turned out to be the passenger who sat next to him!
Glad to know there are still wonderful people out there who make the effort for perfect strangers just because they can!
You’re making me high
I’ve been fascinated for as long as I can remember by stories of drug traffickers and mules. Being as obsessed as I am with border security and all the drama it sometimes entails. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is usually the ignorant or the brave who attempt to smuggle drugs internationally. Of course people have many different reasons for what they do and it is no excuse for participating in illegal activities but I can’t help but feel sorry for people who seem to have been groomed to take these life changing chances. My heart aches at the moment where an ill advised person takes the fall. I have no idea if it really is the first time they attempt to smuggle narcotics (the officials who seize drugs make it sound really serious when they say narcotics!) or if it’s just part of their game plan to perhaps get a lenient sentence.
I watched a movie recently which was based on a true story about a young girl from a poor family who was targeted to do a drug run. That story did not end well. Now I realise that drug lords are rather conniving and choose their targets carefully. However on the other hand surely a person should posses some kind of law abiding awareness because some things no matter how rewarding they seem are just wrong. Desperation is no excuse for breaking the law!
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Paid my dues
Having been a victim of crime I guess there’s a part of you that wants retribution. Even if that justice doesn’t come through the criminal courts you hope that they’d feel a kick in the pants from life. Sadly I have not seen my perpetrator pay his dues as yet or perhaps he has.
I got thinking about crime and retribution after watching an ex-convict endure a grilling in the newspaper after winning a substantial sum of money-well actually 1 million pounds in a television game of chance. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him after all he did do his time. Perhaps the type of crime has a lot to do with whether or not people will let ghosts of the past rest. I don’t think that people should lie about having a criminal past. However that past should not count against them even after decades have lapsed.
If the courts have set a sentence surely we have to accept that it is the appropriate punishment. Therein lies the problem I suppose we’d all like to meter out our own justice. There are no guarantees in this life so we are obligated to believe that people are rehabilitated and give them the right to lead their lives. After all we all make mistakes!
Keeping it real
Tonight I watched a crime series and it had my absolute pet hate on display. I always wonder why these well-funded programmes don’t get medical experts involved when doing elaborate medical scenes. I lose interest immediately and a programme can go from a drama to an absolute comedy!
It got me thinking how many other people sit through programmes and have to tolerate all the made for telly action scenes.
This week I was speaking to some police officers and I mentioned how I like watching the “cops with cameras” series and they laughed saying they wish the work was that exciting. That’s because the production team don’t get the time to show us the heap of paperwork that follows a day on the beat.
I guess life is real enough without dragging it into a life of fantasy. So it may be a while yet before we see accurate depictions of everyday jobs!
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