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PRISONERS CARE - CONTINUING NEED

Friday 21 November 2003

Many people in prison were effectively excluded before ever they got there, living on the margins of society, says Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons. She was speaking at Southwark Cathedral at a service to mark Prisons Week, on Tuesday 18 November. She emphasised that over 80% of young prisoners were excluded or truanted from school and nearly half have been in care. Many are mentally ill. Many are substance misusers.

Mrs Owers praised the work done by the prisons in adult education and drug detox programmes, as well as work with mental health. But she stressed that more work is needed both by prisons and in the community on two things:

• resettlement support - prisons need to build links through the gates, but society outside also needs to provide continuing treatment for drugs and mental health, employment opportunities and housing. If those who have been excluded behind prison walls are effectively excluded when they return to society, we too will start to live behind walls, said Mrs Owers.

• Overcrowding. For the prisons to provide the work that they want to do, and society needs them to do, with prisoners, they must have the space and time, and be properly resourced to do it. Only in that way can they really protect the public.

A former prisoner in Wormwood Scrubs told of the encouragement he received from the chaplain there, which helped him to rebuild his life. Another talked of his work as a listener, both while in prison and afterwards. A chaplain spoke of the calling to be of service to each other, and the diversity manager at Brixton Prison recalled his own hard knocks as a young black man, and the great work still needed to drive racism out of our systems. Brixton however is making good progress, he said.

Taking part in the service were magistrates and prison visitors, serving prisoners, staff and governors and representatives from voluntary sector agencies.

The London and Southwark Dioceses Prisons and Penal Concerns Group in association with the Dean & Chapter of Southwark hosted the service. The Rt Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark presided and gave the blessing.

Ends.

For further information contact: 

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468