A day in the life of an independent prison monitor
manchestereveningnews.co.ukAlthough I have a full-time job, I am also on the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at a women’s prison. This makes me one of a group of people in the local community who go behind prison walls, to monitor how prisoners are being treated and whether they are being given the support needed to change their lives.
I am a firm believer that how we treat prisoners reflects the values we hold as a society. Also, once released back into the community, their experience in prison will affect not just them, but all of us.
We are a very diverse group, with different life and work experience: that’s what makes us strong. My visit starts when I show my ID at the prison gate and draw keys, giving me unrestricted access to all parts of the prison.
First, I look at what has been happening in the prison over the last 24 hours. I then head off to the segregation unit, so I can understand why those prisoners are there and check how they are being treated, before moving onto the prison wings where I interact with both prisoners and staff.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk