A Bit of a Stretch by Chris Atkins

Jonathan Hussey

4 days ago

2 min read

Book author: Chris Atkins

Edition: Atlantic Books · Paperback, 2020 · ISBN 9781838950170

Chris Atkins uses his Wandsworth prison diaries to explore daily life in custody, institutional disorder and the human stakes of rehabilitation.

A Bit of a Stretch by Chris Atkins - full book cover

Book overview

The sentence is only the beginning of the story. In A Bit of a Stretch, documentary-maker Chris Atkins describes life inside HMP Wandsworth after receiving a five-year sentence for tax fraud. Atlantic presents a memoir that mixes disturbing experiences with dark humour, drawing attention to the everyday realities behind the prison gates. Its appeal lies in bringing a frequently distant institution into a recognisable human frame.

The book grew out of diaries Atkins kept during nine months at Wandsworth. Writing later about the process, he described how prison jobs took him through different parts of the establishment and how recording his experiences helped him cope. In an interview with Stand Against Violence, he also explained how meeting other prisoners changed his attitudes and strengthened his belief in humane treatment and preparation for release. Those perspectives give readers useful starting points for thinking about the relationship between punishment, survival and rehabilitation.

For a general reader, this is an accessible way into prison life; for practitioners, it offers material for reflection on dignity, purposeful activity and the consequences of institutional routines. The memoir should be understood within its setting and period: one person's experience at Wandsworth cannot represent every prison or prisoner. Its strongest use is to prompt questions and widen understanding. Pair it with current inspection reports or research when considering the condition of prisons today.