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Mobile prison cells visits Wakefield Schools to teach crime

Mobile prison cells visits Wakefield Schools to teach crime

by

Nicola Rees

BBC News, Yorkshire

BBC/ Nicola Rees A white man with a middle-aged man with brown hair with a black polo-neck-t-shirt with a sham prison logo on the chest. He stands in front of a light blue van with prison arts on the sides. He looks relaxed and smiles directly into the camera.BBC/ Nicola Rees

Mick Amos said

A mobile prison cell with bunk beds and a metal toilet attends primary schools to teach children about crime.

The project, HMP Not-4-Me, was founded by the former West Yorkshire police officer Mick Amos, who transformed a van into a prison.

He said that children can allow prison life to “inspire them to make good decisions”.

During a visit to the St. James Academy crigglestone in Wakefield, the students were “locked up” by a shelf conservation procedure and for a few minutes.

BBC/ Nicola Rees A young white girl with blonde hair that is bound in a pony tail is wearing a gray prison jumper. She holds a card with the words BBC/ Nicola Rees

Some of the children exchanged their school uniforms against prison jumpers and posed against package shots in the police style

Student of the 6th student, said Ava that the cell was “disgusting”, and when she was inside, she felt claustrophobic and anxious.

“It was really sad to see all the cards and pictures on the walls and to think about not seeing their friends and family,” she said.

As part of the interactive experience, the children were exhibited with prison jumpers and had their fingerprints and photos record.

BBC/ Nicola Rees The door of a prison cell is Ajar. In a bunk bed you can be put together with green blankets and pillows and with protective rails on the sides.BBC/ Nicola Rees

The prison cell was built with real objects from the HM prison -new Hall to make them as realistic as possible

Mr. Amos, who also plays a police officer in Coronation Street, said that the project was “not afraid” and that it is important to aim for children of primary age.

“Children can be arrested if they are 10 years old so they deserve to know about their responsibility,” he said.

The project attends 25 primary schools in Wakefield.

It is paid for by the mayor's safer municipal fund, who confiscated money from criminals in West Yorkshire and invests in local organizations and community groups.

BBC/ Nicola Rees A young school girl with dark hair is in a classroom with a card with the inscription BBC/ Nicola Rees

Shafia said she “grabbed” in the cell and “” missed the daylight “

Mr. Amos said that in his eleven years he saw as a police officer that “many good people would undermine the wrong way”.

“Everyone can make a mistake and then it has devastating effects on the person and also on their family and friends,” he said.

“Early intervention is the key, so I will show you how it is to take your freedom away, and that can be really effective.”

BBC/Nicola Rees A metal prison toilet is shown in addition to a basic group of drawers. The walls are brick, white painted and there is a blue toilet roll on a piece of wire from the ceiling. A towel hangs next to the toilet on the wall.BBC/Nicola Rees

Mr. Amos said that the children are often “horrified” by the toilet, which is very close to the bunk beds

The portable prison is also included in youth clubs, sports clubs and other organizations.

During the sessions, young people are given advice on drugs and alcohol as well as problems such as the exchange of explicit images in social media and violence against women and girls.

Mr. Amos said that no topic was “from borders”.

He added: “Obviously, it is about engaging them and the children have a lot of fun, but there is a serious message about social limits and the rule of law.

“There is a lot of group pressure with social media, so we look at how the decisions we make have consequences.”

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