Body scans in prisons to detect smuggling
SCANNERS are being introduced at jails which shows contraband hidden inside arriving prisoners’ bodies.
Game-changing new technology displays detailed X-rays of contents including drugs, mobile phones, USB sticks and tobacco.
Fifty-five illicit items have already been discovered after the first month of trials at some of the worst prisons.
The hi-tech scanners are to be introduced across the country as part of a £100million government investment to boost prison security.
The Ministry of Justice said the “innovative” equipment was specifically designed for the Prison Service which allows staff to see instantly whether prisoners are smuggling in illegal items.
A spokesman said: “Better quality images make it easier to detect contraband. The level of detail has not been seen before in jails and surpasses anything else currently on the market.”
Eight seizures of drugs and USB sticks were made at HMP Bedford and HMP Lincoln. The items would have been destined for the prison wings, fuelling the
illicit economy and associated violence. Some of the drugs were hidden inside the plastic containers found inside Kinder eggs. Vape cartridges were also discovered.
Prisons minister Lucy Frazer: “Gamechanging technology is vital in our efforts to build a prison system that simply doesn’t allow drugs and other items to wreak havoc in our jails.
“These scanners will help to stem the flow of drugs and mobile phones into prisons and allow officers to focus on rehabilitation, meaning we can ultimately better protect the public.”
The investment will also fund new
measures to tackle drugs and violence in prisons, including X-ray baggage scanners and metal-detection equipment, phoneblocking technology and a digital forensics facility. A further £2.5billion is being spent to provide 10,000 additional prison places across the country and create modern, efficient jails. Ministers hope the move will “rehabilitate offenders, reduce reoffending and keep the public safe”.
Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, welcomed the investment and called for scanners to be used in all prisons. He said: “The POA has been instrumental in securing this major
investment that will enhance security and help eradicate the misery of the illicit prison economy.
“If we are serious about reducing violence and making our prisons safe havens that aid rehabilitation, we must ensure that body scanners become a set standard in all jails. I am pleased that the Government is starting to listen to the real experts, the staff on the front line.
“More investment is needed to enhance security and living standards after decades of under funding and neglect. I will continue to work with the Government to make our prisons safe.”