Some of the most dangerous and radicalised extremists are now
being housed in the Government’s first specialist centre at HMP
Frankland - helping stem the flow of radicalisation behind bars
and preventing their influence over others.
More than 4,500 frontline officers have also received the latest
specialist counter-extremism training to identify and challenge
extremist views, boosting the Government’s ability to tackle this
evolving threat. New recruits to the prison service now receive
the training as standard, and work will continue at pace to train
every prison officer across the estate.
HMP Frankland is the first of three separation centres, forming
part of the wider government strategy to tackle extremists in
prisons. Two further centres are planned to follow at other
establishments in the coming months, with the three centres
combined holding up to 28 of the most subversive offenders.
Offenders are placed in the specialist centres if they are
involved in planning terrorism or are considered to pose a risk
to national security. Those seeking to influence others to commit
terrorist crimes, or whose extremist views are purposely
undermining good order and security in the prison estate, may
also be placed in the centre.
Prisons Minister said:
“Extremism must be defeated wherever it is found. The most
dangerous and subversive offenders are now being separated from
those they seek to influence and convert – an absolutely crucial
element of our wider strategy to tackle extremism in prisons and
ensure the safety of the wider public.
“It is also right we give our hard-working staff the skills and
knowledge they need to keep our prisons and communities safe.
Over 4,500 frontline staff have now received the specialist
training they need to identify and counter the poisonous and
repugnant activities of extremists – work that is essential to
the safe running of prisons and fundamental to public
protection.”
The new centre at HMP Frankland was one of the central
recommendations of a landmark review into extremism in prisons.
The Government takes the threat of radicalisation and extremism
in prisons extremely seriously and has built on the
recommendations in the review to further boost efforts to tackle
extremism.
Today’s news forms part of the Government’s wider strategy to
tackle extremism, which includes:
- The formation of a new directorate for Security, Order and
Counter-Terrorism - responsible for monitoring and dealing with
the evolving threat of extremism.
- A launch of a new unit that will analyse intelligence and
advise prisons in England and Wales on how to deal with specific
threats, as well as instruct and train prison and probation staff
on how best to deter offenders from being lured into extremism.
- Extremist literature being banned from prisons and the
removal of anyone from communal worship who is promoting
dangerous views.
- A new training package to identify, report and combat
extremism being rolled out to all prison officers and new
pre-employment vetting check for chaplains and imams was
introduced in February 2017.
Notes to Editor
- The first of a number of offenders were placed in the
separation centre last week. For operational security reasons, we
will not comment further on the identity or number of offenders
held within the centre.
