by Bryan Gibson
There are of many films about prisons and prisoners, from Shawshank Redemption to Scum. Criminologist Professor David Wilson once wrote a book about this phenomenon for us, Images of Incarceration, which was launched at the British Film Theatre. But it is encouraging when the wider world takes an interest in work initially published for a completely specialist niche, when an unsung author suddenly finds himself or herself in the limelight.

This has happened several at Waterside Press. Most recently with Justin Rollins’ book The Lost Boyz: The Dark Side of Graffiti. First published in 2011, it has been optioned by No Dog Films who are now working with the author to put his life story on the big screen. This same book has also, quite remarkably, become required reading for students at both Birmingham City and Aberdeen universities. Justin grew up in south London as one of life’s "throwaways", his time spent on the streets, rarely going home. He ended up in Feltham Young Offender Institution. His book turned his life around and his graffiti that once adorned the London Underground is now sought after as free-standing artwork. His advice on gang culture has been published by various media organizations. 

Calum Macleod, Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, speaks at the PolFed annual conference:

When I first became a police officer more than 22 years ago in Strathclyde, I never imagined I’d be sat here, as chair of the organisation that represents the backbone of British policing the Home Secretary.

Yet here I am, on the eve of my first conference as chair, reflecting on a situation where we have welcomed another newcomer to the political stage, the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid.  

Prison governors should be encouraged to empty prison wings during the day, using release on temporary licence (ROTL) and get far more prisoners out on temporary release to engage in work, training and education in the community, a new briefing by the Prison Reform Trust (PRT) says.

As part of its forthcoming employment strategy for prisoners, the government should introduce a radical approach to using release on temporary licence (ROTL) at scale across the prison estate. This would be a huge incentive to good behaviour in prison as well as an effective aid to resettlement, the briefing suggests.

The Federation has given a “cautious welcome” to the news that the Government is to consult on proposed changes to the law in relation topolice response driving.

Pursuits lead Tim Rogers says the development is a move in the right direction after the Home Office today (Tuesday 22 May) launched a consultation on proposals to amend proposes the legislation on careless and dangerous driving to recognise the high level of training and skill possessed by trained police drivers.

Niall Kelly, CIO of Netwatch Group, discusses the relationship between prison standards and comprehensive video surveillance…

The capabilities of modern video surveillance technology are staggering. Across the prison estate, they are enabling occupational capacity with unprecedented standards of surveillance that go hand in hand with good governance and help to achieve the highest standards of control and safety.

Comprehensive monitoring makes the most of valuable human resources and mitigates the ever-present risks presented by overcrowding, violence, drug use and accusations of misconduct. Huge advances in digital signalling, video analytics, cloud processing, AI and deep learning are combining to enable proper stewardship of far-flung, secure areas.

The Home Secretary will be invited to take the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of police officers as he addresses the rank and file for the first time tomorrow.

Calum Macleod, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, will welcome the Right Honourable Sajid Javid MP as he take the stage to address delegates at the PFEW annual conference - his first major appointment since being appointed Home Secretary.

Among the issues Mr Macleod will raise are the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill and he will call on the Government to show support for emergency service workers and “agree that they are not society’s punch bags for those fuelled by drink and drugs, or trying to evade arrest” and to show officers that they are worth “more than an abused household pet.” 

An officer from Avon and Somerset, who has worked tirelessly to help women trapped in street sex work, has been recognised with the national Women in Policing Award at this year’s Police Federation Annual Conference. 

As a partner of the Custodial Facilities Forum, The Custodial Review are pleased to announce that you have chance to present at the event – where secure estates and facilities of the future will be the focus. 

The CFF are inviting submissions to present at the conference, which is being held on November 15 and 16 at Whittlebury Hall, Northants.

If you’re involved in the design, delivery or management of secure estates we’d be interested to hear about the following subject areas:
•    Facilities that meet the needs of an ageing prison population including accessibility and designing for dementia. 
•    Custodial facilities that keep both staff and those remanded safe. What’s the latest best practice, how can we reduce the risks of self-harm and protect staff?
•    Integrating rehabilitation and design, facilities of the future.
•    Balancing efficiency, performance and long term cost-effectiveness in modernising secure facilities
•    Innovations in the custodial sector – what can we learn and adopt from other countries, and other sectors such as mental health? 

Tom Murtagh OBE's new book The Maze Prison: A Hidden Story of Chaos, Anarchy and Politics has been launched in County Antrim at the Lower Maze Social and Recreational Club – which overlooks the remaining buildings of this iconic prison.
 The Maze Prison describes how an establishment built to hold those involved in terrorism, atrocities, murder and other horrendous crimes became a pawn in the partisan conflict as politicians and officials by-passed procedures when it suited them.

Dr Danielle McDermott, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Leeds Trinity University, supported by co-author Dr Dominic Willmott, Research Fellow in Legal & Criminal Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, offer readers of The Custodial Review an academic insight in the rising problem of self-harm and violence in male prisons.