A Prison Visit
The
Government and Penal Reform Charities claim the Prison service works
hard to help prisoners maintain links with family and friends. It is
they claim evidence of how prison works to achieve successful
rehabilitation.
Elizabeth, a regular visitor to a prisoner, describes how she was
treated. Sadly her experience is not uncommon-
"I'm
52 years old. I have been an almost weekly visitor to the same private
prison in the UK for nearly 3 years.In November 2006 I alighted from a
public service bus with 2 other ladies and were subjected to having all
my personal data collated by police officers in the prison car park .
My bags were rummaged by 2 police officers. Nothing was found. We then
lined up in the middle of the car park and had our already rummaged
bags sniffed by a drug dog, as well as our persons. Nothing to report
likewise.
We then went into the prison visitor's centre, and
after checking in I was further questioned by police as to how tall I
am. I am very petite, but have no accurate idea. Two police officers
deliberated and came up with 'my height' measurements. My bags were
already in a locker. The police officer ordered my bags to be removed
and the entire contents, including reserve sanitary pad was screened in
public gaze of prison visitor's centre snug against the communal
lockers. I was then told that they needed to investigate me further,
and was taken off to the prison staff toilet and a strip search was
performed. I had no pockets to turn out, there were no reasonable
grounds to by-pass the primary procedures of asking me whether I had
any 'unauthorised articles' which I had not. They did not offer me a
pat down. They did not electro scan me. They did not provide me with a
F2141 consent form to read and sign so as to offer consent to the
search. (see Wainwright v United Kingdom). No record of the search
incident was offered to me at time of strip search nor after.
Aparently
flawed intellegence had been given to the police by the prison. This
was linked to a misunderstanding 6 months ago, and cleared up, at that
time, by the Governor of the prison. His letter to me was dated May
2006 accepting my honest explanation, and wishing me very positive
visits at the prison. Six months later this is what they did to me. I
was strip searched by a police woman whilst trying to explain that the
matter had been the focus of correspondence between the Governor and
myself. I mentioned his name. The police woman asked who Mr. X was
whilst I was wearing no lower underwear. I was then allowed to go for a
'normal' visit. Nothing was on my person to find.
I found out my
rights after the trauma. I found the case of Mrs Wainwright who was
subjected to a strip search and given the consent form after her
ordeal. I wasn't given the consent form before of after by prison, nor
a record of the outcome of my strip search by police at time of
incident.
They control the information and use our ignorance as
a weapon to manipulate us into 'consenting' or we are 'expelled from
the prison'. It was a choice of having no choice. Being obligated to
comply or forego a visit to a low category prisoner, no drug history,
and does not smoke. I have no history of drugs, never even seen drugs!
No history of violence either! Please ensure you are aware of your
rights as protection if you are obligated to be marched off to the
prison staff toilet and strip as I was.
Has anyone else been degraded in this way without being told why it is
happening, and the object of the strip search?"
Solidarity Without Prejudice
A prison dispatch from Jeff "Free"
Luers
A
Prison Visit
Two short letters from Jerome
White-Bey
