Erwin James, the author of a significant Guardian column discussing life behind bars, who later became a prominent advocate for criminal justice, has passed away.
James, also known as Erwin James Monahan, was found guilty of homicide in 1984 and spent 20 years incarcerated. Starting in 2000, he authored the column A Life Inside for The Guardian until his release in 2004. He then continued to contribute significantly to the newspaper, shedding light on the true experience of living in prison and the difficulties faced by individuals attempting to rebuild their lives after release.
The first such column of its kind in the UK, it won him unlikely admirers including the former Conservative minister Jonathan Aitken, himself a convicted criminal, and was credited with inspiring a generation of prison reform campaigners.
He wrote three books, one of which was a memoir called Redeemable: A Memoir of Darkness and Hope. It was released in 2016 and delved into his difficult upbringing, time spent in the Foreign Legion while evading punishment for his wrongdoings, and his experiences in prison.
In that particular year, he was appointed as the editor for Inside Time, a publication for prisons. He had expressed that it was his ideal job and remained in the position until 2023.
On January 19th, James passed away unexpectedly at his residence in Devon. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, his sister, and two daughters. He was 66 years old.
As a former trustee of the Prisons Reform Trust, he was praised by the organization as a person who possessed great intelligence, humility, and warmth.
Ian Katz, currently serving as the chief content officer at Channel 4, was the Guardian’s features editor when he first asked James to write for G2. Katz described James as a keen observer of people and a talented writer who provided a unique, compassionate, and often humorous perspective on life within the prison system.
“He embodied a rare possibility – that even individuals who have committed heinous acts can transform their lives while in prison and be given a second chance at life.”
“Jim made incredible use of his second chance – he made us question our beliefs not only about the prison system, but also about those who commit the most terrible crimes. He was kind, honest, humorous, and exposed his vulnerabilities, and he will be deeply missed.”
Alan Rusbridger, the former editor of the Guardian, expressed his sorrow on X over the passing of Erwin James. He described James’ column for the Guardian, written from prison, as a remarkable piece filled with humanity and valuable insights into life behind bars and the role of prisons in both theory and reality.
Mark Leech, an advocate for prison reform, described James as a highly skilled individual and stated that he made significant contributions in raising awareness about the struggles of prisoners. His presence will be deeply missed.
John Roberts, the publisher and director of Inside Time, expressed gratitude to Erwin for his valuable contributions to the success of the publication as editor. He will be greatly missed.
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In 1984, at the age of 28, James was convicted of murder alongside another individual for the killing of both Greville Hallam, a theatrical agent, and Angus Cochrane, a solicitor. Hallam, aged 48, was robbed and strangled in his home in North London in September 1982. Cochrane, aged 29, was fatally attacked in a mugging in the West End three months later.
In 2009, James expressed remorse for his actions, stating that his behavior was unacceptable and he does not seek forgiveness.
While incarcerated, James discovered that reading and writing were essential to his well-being, as he described in his later writings about how prisoners rely on their imagination. Despite being confined to his cell for the majority of the day and feeling inadequate, he used the resources available to him, such as books from the prison’s library and courses from Open University, to improve his skills and start writing.
“I participated in writing communities, assisted in the production of prison publications, and penned letters to newspapers. As I thrived as the camp’s scribe, I entertained another daydream. If my circumstances had been different, perhaps I could have pursued a career as a writer, possibly as a journalist,” he expressed.
In 1994, his initial piece was printed in the Independent. Later, in 1998, he started communicating with the Guardian and was eventually asked to write A Life Inside, which was published in 2000.
Following his release in 2004, he pursued a career as a writer and took on roles as a trustee for the Prison Reform Trust and Alternatives to Violence Project. He also served as a consultant for MP Ian Duncan Smith on prisoner rehabilitation and was a member of the Westminster Commission on Miscarriages of Justice. Additionally, he held a fellowship with the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and served as a patron for multiple charities.
After becoming a full-time writer, James struggled with the complicated concept of achieving success after committing crimes. In 2015, he expressed his deep remorse for the pain he caused and acknowledged that his success may still be painful for some. He also recognized that when he was sentenced to life in prison, he was a troubled and ignorant person.
He expressed that his education and understanding had enabled him to consider a different path for himself. This gave him a genuine faith in the potential for rehabilitation and giving those who were previously incarcerated a second chance. “With all honesty, I am aware that the majority of my fellow inmates had a strong desire to transform their lives and live without criminal activity,” James stated.
Some individuals faced significant and long-standing problems, making it difficult to make progress. However, with the proper support and positive attitudes from the government and society, rehabilitation was possible for most people.
Source: theguardian.com
