“Years ago a relative of mine worked in a call centre for a mobile phone company, she had to be CRB Checked, how’s this going to work with inmates handling peoples personal bank details etc” Paul Smith – Atos Victims Group
The Ministry of Justice is planning to set up call centres inside jails as part of its work programme for prisoners, according to documents promoting the scheme.
Details of the plans have emerged after marketing material from an MoJ- supported company, which described the call centre scheme as a “rehabilitation revolution”, were passed to the Guardian.
The MoJ stressed that the company, UrbanData Ltd, was no longer involved in the programme as it had filed for liquidation this month but the department confirmed they are still interested in setting up call centres from inside the prison estate as part of their programme for expanding ONE3ONE Solutions, formerly known as the Prison Industries Unit.
In a leaflet sent out to various organisations late last year, UrbanData said it could offer “lower costs and overheads” if businesses signed up.
“The opportunity for your organisation is a higher corporate responsibility profile by engaging in a high-profile initiative supported by the Ministry of Justice, lower costs and overheads for trained contract centre agents, flexible resources that can deal with overflow calls and specific projects, all dedicated to growing and supporting your business,” the leaflet read.
Advertising the scheme as a “fantastic rehabilitation revolution” the flyer added that prison-run call centres could offer trained operators “with British Regional [sic] accents as an effective alternative to off shoring operations”. A marketing email sent with the flyer confirmed the plans to get prisoners to work manning phones were backed by the government.
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Now, i can imagine we would be told that there would be supervisory managment.
However i doubt there would be any realistic hardcore supervision and i have to agree, there a huge element of trust needed that is paramount to that of personal data exploitation.
I sure as hell wont label any one inside as a definate thief and scoundrel, but theres a factor of the issues involved.
There is that of also, many disabled folk whom are being forced to work could actually work in a call center job, the activity of work is suitable for many.
The disabled folk whove commited no crime should be first in line for such a job description.
As for prisoners, im sorry to say, many petty criminals would benefit more from a harsher sentence that prevented any return to the clink and leave any job going for those whom are in dire need to keep a roof over their heads.
The prison call centers are nothing but cheap labour for multinational companies that has nothing to do with getting prisoners to work per se…… Its cheap labour for the rich.
nah ann they very devious our torys would they pass credit card details over to them only to be passed straight out into the wide world where their balance could go up .and when they come out be millionaires just like said torys self made its called ,who in his right mind would have prisoners take their details not many i would wonder ,its just another unbeleavible that they would allow it brain dead idiots jeff3
Devious indeed Jeff….. Damned ludicrous shite this unelected gov say n do, next itl be, letting Beverly Allit out of the mental institute to organize child care services….
Or releasing prisoners out early if they promise to behave….
Good God the lack of intellect and moral decency that these twerps contain is nigh on zero
and unemployment is going up because???? …of stupid schemes like this. Is there NO limit to which this gov’t will not sink. cheap labour, free labour all courtsesey of gov’t “schemes”.
Well said!