Soft-touch call for landlines in prison cells so inmates can chat to their families
CRIMINALS in Scotland’s jails should have landline phones fitted in their cells to allow them to talk to friends and family, according to a think tank.
Reform Scotland said evidence suggests maintaining close family ties can help prevent reoffending, while some English and Welsh prisons already have in-cell phones.
Currently, contact can be limited to restricted-use telephone lines in communal areas and emails that are printed out and delivered to prisoners with the mail.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons David Strang, a former chief constable, said in March that he was ‘supportive’ of the landline phones being fitted.
But the extraordinary proposal came after it emerged a murderer was able to put audio clips of his hate-filled religious rants online by calling a relative from jail.
Tanveer Ahmed has won widespread backing in his native Pakistan after murcan
‘This is a step too far’
dering Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah in the belief that he was a blasphemer.
Last night, Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘We agree that rehabilitation is crucial and maintaining a family contact for prisoners can help that process along.
‘But we believe that having phones installed in prison cells would be a step too far and could jeopardise the other tenets of prison – punishment, deterrence and public safety.
‘The existence of mobile phones in prison causes huge headaches for jail bosses, to the extent some facilities even have signal jamming technology.
‘It’s hard to see how that would tie in with this suggestion.’
Prisoners can access payphones in communal jail areas using phonecards but they only contact up to ten named people on a list of friends and family, which is vetted by prison chiefs.
Outgoing calls are preceded by a message warning the recipient that a prisoner is calling them.
In-cell phones have been tried out in some English prisons but the poor condition of many older buildings has hampered their widespread introduction.
Last night, Reform Scotland research director Alison Payne said: ‘Prison exists for four key reasons – punishment, deterrence, public safety and rehabilitation. If family contact helps to reduce reoffending, as well as helping those left outside, then it is something that needs to be encouraged.
‘Reform Scotland believes that there should be some pilots looking at innovative ideas for increasing contact, such as having landline phones in prison cells.’
Scottish Prison Service chief executive Colin McConnell raised the idea of in-cell phones in 2013 when he said that he wanted inmates to be treated with ‘respect and decency’.
But the recommendation faced severe criticism amid concern over the number of perks criminals enjoy, including access to state-of-the art gyms, games consoles and televisions with integrated DVD players.
SPS insiders previously claimed there was a ‘powerful argument’ for Mr McConnell’s support of in-cell telephones.
But an SPS spokesman said: ‘There are currently no plans to introduce in-cell telephones in prisons in Scotland.
‘The SPS recognises the importance of maintaining family links with a family member during their time in custody and continues to look at ways in which we can support and enhance this.’