Pubdate: Tue, 26 May 2009
Source: Wiltshire Times (UK)
Copyright: 2009 Wiltshire Times
Contact:  http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4479
Author: Lewis Cowen

WILTSHIRE JAIL WINNING WAR AGAINST DRUGS

Erlestoke Prison is winning its battle against drugs,  according to a
report published by the prison's  independent monitoring board.

It is the most encouraging vote of confidence prison  authorities have
had from the local volunteer monitors  for some years as serious
situations like drugs,  challenging behaviour and poor conditions have
been  successfully addressed.

Prison governor Andy Rogers welcomed the report,  published last
Thursday, and said that he was  determined to make Erlestoke Prison
drug free. He said:  "We tested a third more prisoners than in the
previous  year and the number of positive tests was much lower.

"I won't tolerate drugs in my prison and it will be  drug free as soon
as is possible. So far this month we  have had no positive tests at
all and I hope that is  going to continue."

Prisoners can be very cunning about smuggling drugs and  mobile phones
- - with which drugs are ordered - into the  prison. The prison recently
acquired a second drugs  sniffer dog and the amount of seizures of
drugs  increased. The prison recently took delivery of a BOSS  chair -
bodily orifice security system - in which  prisoners are sat down and
a high intensity metal  detector finds if they are carrying a mobile
phone  inside them.

Drugs are often smuggled in by post in greetings cards,  where the
front of the card is cut away and drugs  secreted behind it, or made
into a paste and smeared  over the back of the card. The sniffer dogs
are let  loose on all mail delivered to the prison each day.

The prison's training regime also came in for praise.  The prison was
graded as "good" by the education  watchdog Ofsted, the second highest
category, in a  recent inspection. More than 50 per cent of all
prisoners in British jails can barely read and write  but Erlestoke
has a good record of adult literacy  training.

There was also good news for the monitoring board  regarding the much
criticised Wren Unit. This 1960s  building has been very dilapidated
in recent years and  has created a very bad impression with new
arrivals who  had traditionally been received there.

Staff and prisoners have together redecorated it and  there are now
firm plans to demolish and rebuild it. It  has been put out to tender
with a number of local  firms.

Simon Petchey, who is standing down as chairman of the  monitoring
board, was fulsome in his praise of  governors and staff. He said:
"The board commends the  commitment, professionalism and dedication of
the two  governors (Mr Rogers and his predecessor Doug Moon) in
charge of the prison during the year, their management  team and all
their staff.

"They initially managed to maintain a generally humane  and
progressive environment despite severe financial  constraints, and
latterly have started to take the  prison forward with new energy and
vision." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake