UK: prisoners to get phones in cells in bid to curb violence

Thousands of prisoners will be able to make calls from their cells, as part of government plans to reduce violence and crime in prisons in England and Wales.
The move is part of a £30m package of measures to be announced later today by Justice Secretary David Gauke. The scheme, already in place at 20 prisons, is to be extended to a further 20 over the next two years.

Most prisoners currently queue for public phones which can be a trigger for violence, the government said. It can also fuel the demand for illicit mobile phones, the Ministry of Justice added.

Mr Gauke will make a speech announcing government plans to invest £7m to install in-cell phones, which will be subject to strict security measures. All calls, which will continue to be paid for by prisoners, will be recorded and they must be to phone numbers on an approved list. The proposal is based on Lord Farmer’s report last year that found good family relationships are “indispensable” to the government’s prison reform plans.
Improving prisoners’ ability to maintain ties with relatives after they are jailed is seen as a key factor in reducing the reoffending rates.

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