APPENDIX 10
Memorandum submitted by Expac (Ex-Prisoners
Assistance Committee)
Expac is an organisation that has worked with
ex-prisoners for almost seven years. Our concern in relation to
the situation in Maghaberry arises in the context of our work
with the families of serving prisoners who have raised various
issues with us. As an organisation that works with both serving
and former prisoners, Expac is aware of the issues concerning
and relating to prison management and how this impacts on the
lives of all those within the prison as well as those beyond the
walls, ie families of prisoners and prison staff.
In its submission to the Steele Review Expac
focussed on a number of aspects of day-to-day prison management
ranging from safe accommodation, prisoners' health, prison visits,
letters, telephone contact and security for all within the prison.
We believe that additional work on a number of points raised in
our initial submission would be beneficial to those in prison.
1. PRISON OMBUDSMAN
In its initial submission to the Steele review,
Expac commented on the need to ensure the safety of all those
within the prison and simultaneously accepted the authorities'
concern that this be achieved within a controlled environment.
In view of this we particularly welcome not only the Steele Review
recommendation vis-a-vis separate accommodation but also that
an ombudsman be appointed to encourage fair play. We would suggest
that this position (ie of ombudsman) be viewed as a collective
position encompassing representatives from civic society including:
the trade unions, CBI, the Community/Voluntary sector and those
working with former or serving prisoners.
Such a development should provide greater scope
for wider public involvement and should allow for greater openness
and transparency within and regarding all aspects of prison management
and moreover, may prove helpful in terms of diluting the perception
of the NIPS as being partisan.
Expac believes that the enactment of a Charter
of Rights for prisoners should be given serious consideration
while addressing the issue of an ombudsman.
2. SENTENCE MANAGEMENT
AND PLANNING
To help prisoners engage in beneficial activity
while incarcerated, sentence management and planning should involve
the prisoner (and where feasible, family members) from the outset
of a sentence. This process should be reviewed and assessed periodically
in order to gauge progress and should entail consideration of
various factors such as the prisoner's family or family ties,
age, outlook, personal skills, cognisance and capacity to adapt
to circumstances and conditions, length of sentence, and nature
of offence. Every effort should be made to ensure the widest possible
participation in this process in order to facilitate the resettlement
of a prisoner. It would be helpful, therefore, if potential employers,
trade union officials, representatives of statutory agencies,
people familiar with the world of education and training were
encouraged to participate in this process.
Successfully reintegrated former prisoners should
also be considered for inclusion in this process. The concept
of using peer support in an encouraging and mentoring role is
not new but when used in a structured and formal way can have
positive impacts. Models of best practice adopted elsewhere might
profitably be examined and one successful example of peer support
being used in a positive way can be found in Canada where the
"Lifeline" project is currently drawing favourable comments
from many quarters.
3. AFTER-CARE
After-care should be viewed as a potentially
long-term commitment rather than the provision of certain limited
and basic services—even should these services initially
include accommodation. Issues such as counselling often require
a lengthy input of time. After-care should involve provision for
assistance from suitably qualified people who have experienced
imprisonment since they frequently have an instinctive understanding
for the needs of former prisoners.
9 October 2003
| 
