Mobile phones seized from prisoners at jail
INMATES at Channings Wood prison are getting hold of banned mobile phones to use to direct crime from behind bars.
Despite it being illegal to have a mobile in prison, latest Ministry of Justice figures show 33 phones and 45 SIM cards were confiscated at the Category C prison near Denbury, Newton Abbot, in the last 12 months.
Although down on the 121 seizures in 2008, it is still up on the 58 in 2007 and just two in 2006.
The Government admits its own data may not show the true extent of the problem, by underestimating the actual number of finds.
It comes amid continuing concerns that illegal phones are being used by convicts to run criminal empires, including drug dealing, from behind bars. In prison phones can cost £400 each. Experts believe three times as many mobile phones are in circulation.
6 Comments
by Judge Jefferies, Torbay
Friday, March 12 2010, 9:10AM
“"if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" as Fletcher used to say. The whole point of being put in prison is that criminals are deprived of liberties as a punishment. If you don't want to be deprived of family contact then don't break the law, and consider yourself relatively fortunate - in other times and places your punishment would have been far more severe. Siberia, anyone?”
by Smokey Joe, Exeter
Thursday, March 11 2010, 9:42PM
“A prison office was stopped driving up Telegraph hill with a boot full of beef, maybe that might explain why prisoners like Mr Green are starving in prison, visitors use to be allowed to take food in on visits and in most other countries it is allowed, they stopped it here in case visitors take in drugs.”
by mr green, paignton
Thursday, March 11 2010, 8:52PM
“I had a week in exeter for a made up crime which i was totaly cleared of so have to say they should have phone IF they are being good!! forget the clap trap scare monger rubbish there saying about doing deals and rubbish....... most people just want to be able to ring loved ones and hear a friendly voice, I for one was shocked at how bad or shall I say un eatible the food in Exeter is I always thought the food was good in jails but how wrong I was, think the goverment should bring in all prison food from say icelands the shop and microwave it they wood save millions and give the prisoner good food not like the bone meal and bread so hard it word last for 100years before going off, i for one will never forget my week there, also shocking to think the basic right in that prison to even see out and see the sky is blocked off from you. real reason they want phones banned is who do you think takes them in for £400?? as the prisoners can not do it and your stripped searched after each visit so oh yes the prison guards of course!!! can not beleve they really caught one other month for his drug imports wonder how many warnings he had before they did him in the end.”
by terence hill, lambeth, s london
Thursday, March 11 2010, 5:35PM
“I agree with fone 4 cons in that they are used to phone families.
My friend was in Brixton prison and he always had a phone hidden away from the cell. I suspect Susan is living in a daydream world.
Prison is a fantastic place to be I may even go myself one day.”
by Susan, Torquay
Thursday, March 11 2010, 4:22PM
“Yes and why dont we buy them for them and maybe even pay for the calls as well. The idea of being in prison is that privelages afforded to those who obey the law are taken away from those criminals! I think you missed the point somewhow.”
by fones 4 cons, Exeter
Thursday, March 11 2010, 2:46PM
“It wasn¿t so long ago certain people said we should ban all mobile phones because criminals use them, this situation is the same, most prisoners just want to phone there families, let them have the phones, we live in a democracy and even people who have been to prison have the right to vote”