When Prison Leadership Fails: A Response to Serco’s Andy Johnson at HMP Dovegate

By Walthari Nikolaj, Disability Advocate with RSPH qualifications "Understanding Health Improvement" and extensive qualifications in neurodivergent conditions, challenging behaviour, trauma informed care and types of abuse.

A prisoner at HMP Dovegate has been misdiagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), leading to systemic misunderstandings by Offender Management Unit (OMU) staff and the wider prison system. His neurodivergence—whether autism, ADHD, or trauma-related cognitive differences—has been overlooked, dismissed, or misinterpreted as manipulation or emotional instability. As a result, instead of receiving appropriate support, he has been subjected to misjudgment, poor case management, and damaging responses from prison leadership. His experiences highlight the urgent need for better neurodiversity awareness in UK prisons and raise serious concerns about Serco’s failure to implement trauma-informed, rehabilitative practices.

Prison directors hold immense power over the well-being of those in their care. Their words and actions can either support rehabilitation or reinforce harm.

Recently, at HMP Dovegate, Serco’s Andy Johnson—a man who claims to have 30 years of experience in the prison system—responded to a neurodivergent prisoner’s distress by telling them to:

?? “Handle your stress better.”

In both 2024 and now again in 2025, this prisoner—under Serco’s duty of care—has faced systemic neglect and retaliation when attempting to raise serious concerns about psychological abuse and discrimination by staff. Despite his neurodivergence, he has been repeatedly penalized, not for misconduct, but for simply existing differently in a system that refuses to understand him. He has been subjected to malicious negative IEPs and adjudications—sometimes for neurodivergent expressions, and other times for absolutely nothing at all. Instead of receiving the appropriate care and support, he has been met with punitive measures designed to silence, isolate, and break him.

Due to the ongoing pattern of dismissal and discrimination, and staff on prisoner abuse at HMP Dovegate I am bringing this issue into the public arena where it should be!

Let’s be clear: This is not rehabilitation. This is institutional negligence.

?? The Problem With This Response

1?? It Blames the Victim Instead of Addressing Abuse

• The prisoner in question had experienced mistreatment. Instead of addressing the cause of distress, Johnson dismissed their reaction.
• This is not leadership. This is avoidance.

2?? It Ignores the Reality of Neurodivergence

• Many incarcerated individuals have undiagnosed autism, ADHD, PTSD, and trauma-based emotional regulation issues. Many people with high functioning autism, ADHD and trauma are misdiagnosed with BPD due to a lack of awareness and understanding, However
• Cognitive flexibility difficulties mean that adapting to stress is not a choice—it’s a neurological difference.
• Telling an autistic or ADHD individual to ‘just cope better’ is like telling someone with a broken leg to run faster.

3?? It Shows a Complete Lack of Trauma-Informed Care

• Prisoners are often in survival mode, especially those with long histories of institutionalization.
• A competent, trauma-informed leader would have said:
• ? “I recognize that this experience was distressing. How can we support you?”
• ? “Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
• ? “Would you like access to mental health resources?”

4?? It Reinforces a Culture of Neglect, Not Rehabilitation

• Dismissing stress responses creates a cycle of learned helplessness, worsening mental health, and further institutional harm.
• This is why recidivism rates remain high—because the system punishes trauma instead of treating it.

?? A Message to Serco & HMP Dovegate

?? If Andy Johnson truly has 30 years of experience, why does he still not understand basic neurodiversity and trauma care?

?? Serco operates private prisons—shouldn’t its leadership be held to a higher standard of rehabilitation?

?? Instead of telling prisoners to "handle stress better," why not address the root cause of distress and abuse in your facilities?

?? What Needs to Change?

?? Prison directors need trauma-informed training—NOW. ?? Neurodivergent screenings should be standard in every UK prison. ?? Instead of dismissing distress, prisons should be identifying and treating mental health conditions.

Rehabilitation doesn’t happen by telling prisoners to “cope better.” It happens when prison leadership acknowledges their duty to treat people as human beings.

?? How can we hold private prison companies like Serco accountable for failing in their duty of care?

#PrisonReform #Neurodiversity #HMPDovegate #Serco #LeadershipFailure #TraumaInformedCare #CriminalJustice #Rehabilitation

Understanding The Difference Between Personality Based Conditions and Neurodivergences'

The prisoner does not fit the criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) for several key reasons. His behavioral patterns, emotional responses, and struggles are more consistent with autism, ADHD, and trauma responses rather than a personality disorder. Here’s why:

1?? He Has Emotional Regulation Issues, But They Are Situational—Not Chronic Instability

?? BPD Misdiagnosis Assumption:

• BPD is characterized by extreme emotional instability that occurs frequently and unpredictably, regardless of external circumstances.
• Individuals with BPD rapidly shift between intense emotions, often idealizing and then devaluing people in their lives.

?? Why He Doesn’t Fit: ? His emotional responses are linked to specific triggers—abuse, injustice, sensory distress—not random instability. ? He does not display “splitting” (the BPD tendency to see people as all good or all bad). ? When treated fairly and in a structured, respectful environment, his mood and behavior are stable.

?? Conclusion: His emotional responses align with trauma, neurodivergence (autism, ADHD), and situational stress—not BPD mood instability.

2?? He Doesn’t Have a Fear of Abandonment or Extreme Relationship Instability

?? BPD Misdiagnosis Assumption:

• A defining trait of BPD is an intense fear of abandonment that causes unstable, chaotic relationships.
• BPD individuals will cling to people, then push them away in self-sabotaging cycles.

?? Why He Doesn’t Fit: ? His distress comes from being misunderstood, not from fearing abandonment. ? He seeks deep understanding, not chaotic relationship dynamics. ? He doesn’t show extreme push-pull behaviors in relationships.

?? Conclusion: His reactions are more about needing clarity and fairness—not about an unstable sense of attachment.

3?? His Rigid Thinking and Sensory Sensitivities Are More Aligned with Autism, Not BPD

?? BPD Misdiagnosis Assumption:

• People with BPD are highly emotionally reactive but do not necessarily struggle with sensory processing, routines, or cognitive rigidity.

?? Why He Doesn’t Fit: ? He has a strong preference for structure, routines, and predictability—classic autism traits. ? He experiences sensory overwhelm (noise, textures, fabrics), which is not a feature of BPD. ? His emotional responses stem from frustration when routines are disrupted—not erratic mood swings.

?? Conclusion: His rigid thinking, routine dependency, and sensory distress are clear markers of autism, not BPD.

4?? His "Aggression" and "Emotional Outbursts" Are Trauma & Neurodivergence-Based, Not BPD Rage

?? BPD Misdiagnosis Assumption:

• BPD individuals can have intense, impulsive anger that is disproportionate to the situation and difficult to control.
• Their anger is often rooted in a deep sense of rejection, abandonment, or feeling emotionally invalidated.

?? Why He Doesn’t Fit: ? His anger is reactive to real, tangible injustices (e.g., abuse, mistreatment). ? He does not lash out randomly—his distress is triggered by external mistreatment, not internal instability. ? His responses are self-protective and logical, even if emotionally charged.

?? Conclusion: His anger is more trauma-based and connected to autism's black-and-white thinking rather than BPD emotional volatility.

Final Verdict: Why It’s NOT BPD

? His emotional struggles are reactive, not rooted in deep identity instability.

? His distress is based on misunderstanding and structure—NOT chaotic relationship cycles or fear of abandonment.

? His behaviors are more consistent with autism, ADHD, and institutional trauma.

? He has sensory sensitivities, rigid thinking, and structured preferences—none of which align with BPD.

? His anger is logical and situation-based, not unpredictable mood-driven rage.

? More Likely Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, PTSD/Trauma-Based Emotional Dysregulation.

?? Why the Prison Got It Wrong

• Prisons frequently misdiagnose neurodivergent individuals with BPD because they only see the emotional outbursts, not the root cause.
• Instead of recognizing autism-related meltdowns, sensory distress, or ADHD impulsivity, they label it as "emotional instability."
• Misdiagnosing him with BPD allows the system to dismiss his struggles as manipulative behavior rather than real neurodivergent needs.

?? His struggles are real—but they are rooted in neurodivergence, not personality disorder instability. The system needs to stop mislabeling and start understanding. ??

Kindness doesn't cost a thing and is nothing to do with professional experience!

it's personality based!