| | | | | | others. |
| | | | | It stinks of credibility, too. Visiting |
| | | | | criminals appeals to even those toocool- |
| | | | | for-school students who would |
| | | 55 | | never be seen volunteering to take fruit |
| | | | | to old people’s homes. |
| | | | | The volunteers spent four months |
| | | | | under the tuition of a former East End |
| | | | | gangster and armed bank robber, |
| | | 60 | | Bobby Cummines. He appreciates the |
| | | | | value of a small gesture of kindness. |
| | On Wednesday, Goldsmiths | | | | “I got into crime at an early age, and |
| | College student Rae Jenkin will not be | | | | went down at the age of 16 for |
| | spending her afternoon off playing | | | | possessing a sawn-off shotgun,” he |
| | hockey or watching soaps. Instead, | | 65 | | says. |
5 | | she will step on to C Wing of Brixton | | | | “Later I served 13 out of 20 years |
| | prison, and come face to face with an | | | | for armed robbery, but a judge and a |
| | inmate. She doesn’t know who, only | | | | probation officer both told me I was |
| | that it will be someone selected for a | | | | worth more. I started an Open |
| | visit by the prison’s chaplain. Rae will | | 70 | | University course to find out why I was |
10 | | be there for an hour, during which she | | | | different and why I had got involved in |
| | and her inmate might talk about | | | | crime. People glamorise the lifestyle, |
| | television, what’s happening in the | | | | but mine was a seedy, gutter world. |
| | news, or what life is like - inside or | | | | I learnt how to escape from it through |
| | out. | | 75 | | education.” |
15 | | “I wanted to understand what prison | | | | Today, Cummines is passionate |
| | was like for people, and to offer them | | | | about improving rehabilitation schemes |
| | someone to talk to,” says Rae, who at | | | | to prevent re-offending. “The Inmates |
| | 21 has been inside one of Britain’s | | | | scheme is about chaIIenging people’s |
| | most notorious jails four times. | | 80 | | belief systems - both the students’ and |
20 | | “We spend an hour in the prison, | | | | the prisoners’. It’s about teaching |
| | once a week. You can’t comprehend | | | | offenders to become employable, and |
| | spending a whole day in there. It is so | | | | about decent citizenship. We hope |
| | cramped that two people are shoved in | | | | offenders will see another side of life, |
| | a single cell, and they are allowed out | | 85 | | and come out of jail feeling less |
25 | | on to the wing for only an hour a day. | | | | inclined to burgle someone’s house, |
| | The prisoners say they are supposed | | | | because it might belong to that |
| | to get out to exercise once a week, but | | | | student. These students can help |
| | is so understaffed that sometimes | | | | prisoners to develop self-confidence,” |
| | they don’t even get that.” | | 90 | | he says. |
30 | | If the pilot scheme takes off, | | | | “This scheme will help us to recruit |
| | Inmates, a new prison-visiting | | | | volunteers who are younger and from |
| | volunteer scheme for students, might | | | | different ethnic backgrounds,” says |
| | be introduced nationally. | | | | Colleen Munroe, who organises visits |
| | One reformed ex-convict who is in | | 95 | | for the Prison Service. “Prisoners |
35 | | favour of the scheme is actor Stephen | | | | should benefit from seeing people to |
| | Fry. He landed a spell in a young | | | | whom they can relate better than the |
| | offenders’ institution aged 18 after he | | | | average National Association of Prison |
| | stole a family friend’s credit card and | | | | Visitors volunteer - who is generally |
| | booked himself in at the Ritz. “Many | | 100 | | white, middle class and retired.” |
40 | | people have a simplistic approach to | | | | With four months’ training and |
| | crime and its causes, but the situation | | | | security clearance procedures to |
| | is often more complex than it appears,” | | | | complete, it’s not been 21 for these |
| | he says. | | | | students, but 32 are fully trained, and |
| | Goldsmiths College wants to make | | 105 | | 15 are already visiting people in |
45 | | clear that volunteering is not being | | | | prison. |
| | dull. The Inmates scheme is perfect for | | | | Think you can handle it? A similar |
| | getting bleary-eyed students to switch | | | | scheme may appear at your university |
| | off the television and do something | | | | soon - and there’s a lot to learn from |
| | that might challenge their abilities and | | 110 | | doing a bit of time. |
50 | | ideas, while improving the lives of | | |