Give prisoners iPads to help rehabilitation, says report

Aim is to make time in cells more constructive

Prisoners could use tablets for educational purposes (Getty Images)

Prison inmates could be given iPads under a plan to improve rehabilitation being considered by the Government, according to a report.

Sir Martin Narey, former head of the prison service and a Ministry of Justice adviser, told The Times newspaper that prisoners could use tablets for educational purposes, but also to stay in touch with their children or other relatives.

“Prisoners spend a lot of time in cells, and we need to make that time more constructive,” he said.

“They should be meeting a tutor once a week, but doing work on literacy and numeracy on their own.

“We could look at giving prisoners iPads to work on in their cells.”

Perhaps anticipating a backlash, he said there had been resistance to convicts being allowed to use relatively new technology for decades.

“When I joined the prison service in 1982 people were terrified of allowing prisoners to have FM radios,” he said.

“They worried about having telephones on wings, but prisoners should be Skyping or Facetiming their children.

“We should use technology for education and to maintain family times.”

Jerry Petherick, head of UK prisons for the private contractor G4S, said he expected tablets to “become the norm” in cells.

However he said: “There will have to be safeguards built in — we must not have people contacting victims.”

The Times reported that the plans were being considered by Dame Sally Coates, an ex-headteacher who is looking into the education provided by prisons on behalf of Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary.

“If you haven’t got the skills to get a job, then you’re much more likely to reoffend,” she said.