Tag: Strategic Storytelling

Invisible Bars: When “Serving Time” Becomes Systemic Neglect

I often reflect on the fact that for many, life can feel like a prison even without stone walls. However, recent insights into the reality of elderly prisoners in the UK bring a chilling literalism to this thought. We are witnessing a quiet crisis: prisons are being forced to act as care homes, yet they are fundamentally devoid of the will or resources to provide actual care.

The aging population in UK prisons is a rapidly growing crisis, with 
17% of the prison population in England and Wales now aged 50 or over. Despite this, prisons are primarily designed for young, able-bodied inmates, leading to a severe, “disgraceful” lack of suitable elderly care and infrastructure. This has forced prison officers to act as carers for frail inmates, with 93% of surveyed staff reporting no involvement from external social services in their establishments. 

The Illusion of Care

Statistics show an ageing inmate population, yet behind those numbers lies a breakdown of the social contract. When a person is sentenced to “life,” the punishment is intended to be a deprivation of liberty—not a deprivation of basic healthcare. Reports of delays in diagnosis and lack of access to essential medication suggest that these men are existing in a “non-place.”

Is it a double punishment? To be old, infirm, and incarcerated is one thing; to be denied the dignity of palliative care is another entirely. This is where “serving time” transforms into a form of state-sanctioned torture.

The Human Condition in Confinement

Through Empowerment Diaries®, I have always explored the internal landscape of growth. Yet, how does one cultivate a “sovereign mind” when the physical body is being neglected by an apathetic system? This is the ultimate test of the human condition.

If you are free and poor, life feels like a prison. If you are old and incarcerated, the prison becomes a tomb before you have even passed. These “Survival Diaries” of the forgotten remind us that sovereignty is not just a lofty ideal; it is a necessity for survival in a world that often lacks the resources—or the heart—to see us as human.

Building a Sovereign Life

We cannot always control the systems around us, but we can control our architectural response to them. We must move away from surviving time and toward mastering our own reality.

If you are reflecting on how best to focus on building a sovereign life and breaking free from “invisible prisons” of modern existence, consider joining our Sovren Collective™ today. Together, we build the foundations for a life of true agency.