Security as it affects teaching in prisons
Like anyone going into prison to work, teachers are required to have a check on their background through the Criminal Record Bureau. Once cleared, they may be given training in the importance of security, which will certainly take place if they are to be issued with keys. They may also be able to attend Jailcraft, which is a course specifically designed for civilians coming into prisons to work.
Some teachers see teaching in prisons as attractive because of the back up from uniformed staff available for dealing with challenging situations. However, others are put off by the fact that teaching takes place behind locked doors. Furthermore, security considerations make it difficult to access teaching aids such as DVDs and teachers may not bring in memory sticks. This can inhibit the teacher in the preparation of learning aids at home.
A less obvious aspect of the security process is the way some prisoners try to manipulate staff, including teachers, which is usually called conditioning. This is often done by getting them to respond in some apparently innocent way that contravenes the prison’s rules. They can then use such indiscretions to blackmail staff into more serious breaches of the regulations. Other more subtle techniques are based around prisoners being co-operative, helpful, easy going and supportive when they get what they want and disruptive and difficult when they do not. Experienced conditioners can use the natural human desire to lead an easier life to manipulate small, and then ever larger, concessions. Training in addressing these techniques is given to staff before they commence work in a prison as a part of the Security Talk.
Where any issues relating to security come to the attention of staff, teachers included, the information must be submitted on a Security Information Report (SIR) and this will be assessed along with other information, to build into an intelligence report. The intelligence report is used to direct and improve the establishment’s security.