Inmates sanctioned but Facebook use goes on
(CNS): Officials from HMP Northward have confirmed that a review was instigated following the appearance of various pictures on Facebook posted by prisoners directly from their jail cells, demonstrating that many of them have access to the internet via smuggled smartphones. Although some of the FB pages of prisoners have now disappeared, a number of prisoners are still posting on the social media site. The various pictures which were first revealed on CNS last month showed both convicted and remand inmates, some jailed for very serious violent offences, making gang signs and in at least one case smoking ganja in their jail cell. The prison has battled with cell phones use for some time and is now seeking legal changes to make the possession of phones, chips or other parts an offence.
“We will be exploring a change in legislation to make it a criminal offence to have cell phones or their component parts in a prison. This is consistent with the UK Prisons policy,” prison officials said Monday. “Cell phones are an ongoing problem and hamper our efforts to combat the continuation of criminal activities, the movement of contraband and general order and control in our prisons.”
The inmates who posted the pictures were “subject to disciplinary action”, the prison said, adding that a full review into the incident was launched as well as the problems of cell phone use in general. Prison officials believe that cell phones play a significant role in the smuggling of drugs inside HMP Northward and also in organising criminal activity outside of the prison walls.
However, the introduction of smartphones in the prison population, which gives inmates access to email, the internet and in particular social media sites such as Facebook, is a further dimension to the ability inmates have to contact the outside world, including potential witnesses and even victims. One of the prisoners who had posted pictures is charged with sex-related offences, which makes his access to the internet even more concerning.
In the wake of the revelations regarding the specific inmates who were posting pictures from their cells, a number of the pages have now disappeared. However, a cursory search of Facebook revealed that inmates are still commenting on their pages using Blackberry cell phones.
Nevertheless, following the recent review the prison said that the resulting action plan would go some way to disrupt the use of cell phone activity.
“However, due to developing technology it will probably not eradicate it in the near future,” a spokesperson warned. “This work will form part of a holistic approach to this and other security issues that we face.”
The official confirmed that, in line with prison policy in the UK, they hoped to see legislation enacted in future that would makethe possession of phones a criminal offence and add more jail time to the prisoner's sentence.
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Category: Crime
We must all can agree that not everyone up there is a criminal but it doesnt matter does it. When you enter into the prison system, everything changes for better or worse. Majority have nothing better to do. Its amazing that they can spend millions of dollars on a new educational facility and come up short on educating our inmates. Theres a saying, the Devil finds work for idol hands, long story short, try dedicating more time helping and rehabilitating them and reap success. God know we ALL should kno HMP offers absolutely NO Rehabalitation! Hey, at least we have a boot camp where the inmates can ENJOY their "Staycation" enough to want to revisit! BELIEVE THAT!
FACT : This type of lack of control is just a decades long protocal that has been followed by the Prison. Do we not remember the riots in which some of the Prison was burned down, or the hostage situation which was ended by giving into the demands of the inmates? This type of anarchy is allowed to try and not have a repeat of the above. Do not push them too hard, and let them do thier "thing" this way we do not rock the boat. We do not need to treat people against common human decency in order to have a low cost prison, We also do not have to allow the creature comforts, nor allow lawlessness to run rampant in order to adhere to Human Rights standards, While there very well may need some adjustments or new laws passed to stop cell phone use, DRUGS ARE NOT LEGAL NOW. The freedom in which these Prisoners enjoy is not something that is Gazzetted and therefore the lame duck exuse of law change does not hold water and needs to be disregarded. The fact that these guys smoke ganja at will, FB pals and post etc, go up to a fence and have someone bending over to provide some sex through a space in the fence, or with each other at will in the cells/showers or ladies coming into unsupervised contact within the maie inmates inside the prison or outside ( do we not remember the lack of supersvision on the inmate who murdered his love interest on a work realease farm program) is not one to blame on the laws on the books but the people who are charged with the overseeing of this facility. From the very top. This is not a situation that is complex. You are incarserated. You should not be allowed to walk around with "SWAGGER". The fact that these inmates have so much telecommunications only proves impotence on the protection of people who have or are giving evidence against them for crimes allegedly committed or have been convicted of committing. Stop the fancy talk and lip service.
I need to quit my day job i need to go and live in northward, free delicious meals, all the drugs i want, free sex, free medical on the government expense, and most of all i have human rights on my side. now ain't life a Bi##. Why the hell am i working in the hot sun, paying high costs of rent, medical bills out of control, struggling to make sure that i eat a proper meal every day and these guys can go to prision and don't have to worry about a thing. S##t they smarter than me!
If they can easily get away with cell phones, using social networking sites and uploading photos just imagine what contraband gets smuggled into the prison on a daily basis that they prisoners DON'T want the police knowing about. The fact that these prisoners have essentially unlimited access to the internet and all the information that comes along with an internet connection as well as open communication with civilians outside the hospital is absolutely appabalbe. I honestly can't believe that they got away with this so blatantly.
Are those Versace shades?…
Did I not hear about big plans in the newspaper, that prisoners will be out working. How much money did government spend to equip thos workshops, and like one prisoner said recently, ” them boys not going out there, just a few” Guess the new Boss will really look at the Rehabilitation. Well it is rumored on the road that security ain’t an issue no more. I hear they halt sending the female prisoners up there with all that was going on.
Why dosent HMP have Cell phone jammers installed ? The phones dont work unless they can connect to the network.
what a joke !!!
government should be ashamed !!
This has been going on for quite sometime….there are more than this man on facebook posting from NOrthward Prison….
This is what we pay 52K a year for…
Damn, thinking I oughta get me a spot in that place. Problem is knowing what crime to commit so RCIPs can catch me!! 'Cos it sure as hell ain't home invasion, mugging, drunk driving or drug dealing that will put me down..and I am not doing more serious stuff…any ideas anyone??
Time for a change! Let's negotiate with Cuba or Jamaica to take out prisoners (probably for a fraction of the price). Alternatively, built a prison in the Brac – they want more job opportunities there, they got it! Prisoners would have really nowhere to go if they escape and family and friends couldn't visit and smuggle in things every week. Even Cayman Airways would stand to profit from that!
It seems to be that the prison staff has no leader and that people there are afraid of repurcussion once the prisoners are released. Who can blame them? Thereare some seriously vindictive people in jail.
Problem is, prisoners have gotten away with crap and attitude and they are used to a princess treatment. Time for someone to grow a pair and show them what prison is all about.
Could we not get some K-9s to be part of the permanent prison staff? I am very sure, this would resolve some "situations" quickly and may adjust some attitudes very easily!
Yup, and they will never learn like this…if they can do the same thing on the street in there then we have failed as a country! because this is BS!
There are a variety of obvious problems with allowing smartphones in a correctional facility. Which of the following do you believe bothers the officials the most?
A. phones make the task of severing communication with the enabling criminal network impossible, opposing any hope of remediation.
B. phones enable coordination of pizzas, drug mules, and regular package deliveries hurled over the fences.
C. phones endanger non-gang member prison population, and subject their families to possible retribution outside the walls.
D. phones broadcast drug prevalence and how poorly the inmates are controlled inside the complex.
Where is Mr.Ozzy with the cow cod when you need him?
You need a few swipes with one, which I am sure will settle you down.
Small 5-band universal cell phone jammers are $200 at Radio Shack. Put them in the problem areas, or for total ban at $2500, there are High Power 45W Jammers that will block a 100m radius.
This seem like the obvious solution at a minimal cost but let's waste time creating new laws and bog down the court system to enforce them instead.
Jamming the signals could be illegal and require amendment of existing laws; moreover; jamming can interfere with legal cell phones in the wider area. Jamer coverage is not evenly dispersed and there are often areas that are open; prisoners could find those areas and still use their phones. Jamming may be problematic in the case of a prison riot where inmates get control of areas of the prison that house landlines. Officials would be unable to communicate with the outside via cell phone if access to the jammer was also impeded.
Better to use an even simpler and often cheaper solution: a cell phone detector to alert officials to the use of the devices and to assist in locating the contraband device. They are used in many prisons with a fairly good degree of success. Does Northward use them? If not, why not?
I reckon a year in jail per photo or outside call might help. And definitely no early release for these arrogant scumbags.
close this expensive joke facility and send them all to cuban jails…..
another example of government workers not doing their job….. and then looking for legislation??….. to solve the issue….zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Nice smoking a blunt, FB, Free meals no bills that really is a vacation spot
Guess what….don't get any of the above at work!!! Who is doing the time!!!
01:38, Don't forget westar cable packages, pool table, nintendo, playstation, gym, the ability to go on work release, special wifey visits and the list goes on.
And they wonder why they keep coming back…..
Well I’ll be a ………..! These kids need to be showing their faces working in a bright orange jumpsuit chain gang cleaning up our roads. They got it too easy at NWP! This kind of foppishness shouldn’t be tolerated at any time. And what more evidence they need than a Facebook posting to identify an offender. Increase their sentences. Stat!
Love the hairdo.
This does raise my faith in the officers and their leadership at northward prison. Not. The inmates are truly running the asylum oops sorry institution. Whats the point of it when there is not a control factor. A bleeping joke.
Clearly they have more issues than just the phone usage. These pictures and internet accounts illustrate the lack of control the prison has over the inmates. What is being done to the people who provide them with teh phones? Surely they can check the phone providers for account details and to disable the phone services.
All I can say is we don't see Vybez Kartel or Buju tweeting or facebooking from prison.