we have one of these where i work, but its black cased.
it doesnt work but apparently when its wired up it links in to our fire alarm board and de-magnetises all of the "things" (technical term) that hold the fire doors open so that once its pressed it swings all of the doors on the ground floor shut.
the attic where i work is full of cases/bags belonging to folks who have long since left. its pretty sad going up there to add to the disarray at times.
when i started out i worked in a CB unit.. ive done the scarred, headbutted, pissed on and stalked. nonetheless, i never really felt the need to teach anybody the not to fuck lesson by cutting off their airways.
i thank you though Ed for the pertinent reminder to read and remember what these places were like.. however that doesnt necessarily mean that im going to be oozing "props" to da well 'ard jailer.. aiiight?
scotland - edinburgh.. formerly lahndahn.
the uk perspective bit of my post wasnt meant as a thrower.. someone up there ^ i think was writing about england which kicked me into my spiel..
its interesting (for me, anyway) to read a UK perspective on the issue of release of clients from these institutions to be cared for by the "community" when they closed down, which the majority have. i work with the homeless through choice but my background is in behavioural psych. its incredible for me to see the amount of people with mental health problems who were originally institutionalised in places designed to cope with and assist them now totally institutionalised (and sometimes still raging) in the hostel environment. its like our health ser vice has cast people off for the voluntary sector to deal with because they just WONT assist. community care (imo) was one of the worst things our govt ever did for mental health. i have an elderly (ish) client who is schizophrenic but controlled by a cocktail and depo injections, whenever something alters in her environment she writes letters and signs them off as "shockman".. turns out she was regularly subjected to ECT in one of the hospitals that she was sectioned in.
it just enrages me at times.
i could go on for ages about this venting my various and occasionally confrontational views.. but i wont as im killing for cup of coffee!