Volunteer for visits to prison

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 28th Jan 2006.

AN organisation that visits prisoners in custody is appealing for more volunteers to come forward.

The Police Authority-run scheme involves members of the public making surprise visits to Gablecross police station to make sure prisoners are being treated properly.

The volunteers arrive unannounced to check those in custody have been given their basic rights.

The scheme has been running for 20 years in Swindon but the co-ordinator, Allan Johns, says more members are needed to keep it going.

Mr Johns, 62, a company director, said: "One thing we would like to see is more people coming forward from ethnic minority groups.

"It's also important to have a wide range, age-wise.

"A lot of young people feel they are busy trying to pay the mortgage or whatever but we would like to see people of a younger age come forward.

"In Swindon the turnover has been quite large and in the last 18 months we have lost three visitors.

"We have a very firm core of very, very good people we keep on but we do need some new blood."

The group aims to have 10 volunteers at any one time.

People visit in pairs and they are expected to go at least once a week.

The volunteers are there to check the people in custody have been given the right to have someone informed of their arrest, the right to a solicitor and the right to access the police's code of practice.

Mr Johns says there is no one type of person who volunteers but they do all have something in common a desire to give something to the community.

"Most of the people that take it on do so because they feel that they would like to put something back in to society," he said.

"They come from all walks of life."

In the last couple of years the Government has made such visits compulsory but this was not the case when the group started in Swindon.

Mr Johns said: "After the Brixton riots in 1981 a report concluded there was a lack of confidence in the police and that there should be random unannounced inspections.

"The professionalism of the staff at Gablecross now is excellent.

"But it is reassuring for the detainees to know that an independent body is interested in their welfare."

To find out more about custody visits call Ron Flux, the business manager for the Wiltshire Police Authority, on 01380 734022..

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