New DVD and Web Site Launch
2008-04-17
PRISON! ME! NO WAY!!! Jersey have added another tool to their armoury in their fight against youth crime by launching a new DVD and interactive web site on Thursday 27th March.
Designed to enable parents to have an insight into the ‘Crime Days’ programme which Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey deliver to their children in the Island’s secondary schools on ‘choices and consequences of crime’, Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey will be showing this DVD at school parent evenings and Community Days and events at local Housing Estates.
The short DVD and web site are designed to engage with the parents, re-enforcing the message given by the States of Jersey Police campaign -‘Your Child, your responsibility’ and the website also offers parents as well as their children, factual information and guidance on addressing areas such as drugs, alcohol, internet safety. Health and safety feature as an important element and the website will have signposting to suitably qualified people who can offer professional advice and support if needed.
Making an appearance on the DVD are local Magistrates who attended the recent Crime Days - where students are given a taste of prison life - who give their insight into the initiative. Also featured on both the DVD and streamed onto the website are specially trained Police dogs who work with States of Jersey Police officers Pc Richard Blake and Pc Dave Bisson to help detect drugs and criminals. The dogs and their handlers were filmed being used in a variety of scenarios at Le Rocquier, Grainville, Haute Vallee and Les Quennevais schools with Police trainer Fraser Bentley lending a hand as a ‘stooge.’
The DVD and website also includes an input from trained Firearms Officers from States of Jersey Police, with Sgt Dean Machin and Pc Tommy Hayden called ‘Split Second’ which explains to students how officers only have a split second to decide whether a firearm they are confronted with is real or a replica.
The co-ordinator of Prison! Me! No Way is Pc Karen Houston who has been seconded full time to the project. She said: ‘It costs a significant amount of money each year to maintain one adult prisoner inside Jersey’s prison. We hope that the workshops we give will help youngsters to think differently about a life of crime. Prison is not only expensive to fund, it can be a lonely, frightening and isolating experience with harsh rules to follow. We hope that the students who complete our workshops think about the choices they have. If they choose not to offend, then that has a positive impact on the whole of our society.’
Chairperson of Prison! Me! No Way! Lesley Harrison explained: ‘The programme is a joint venture between the Police and HMP La Moye supported by various agencies such as Fire and Ambulance. The Crime Days are fun and exciting and we really feel the students get a lot out of them. The scenarios are interesting and give students an idea of real situations that Police Officers face. We believe that by continually investing in our people, programmes and by creating additional, relevant tools which will educate and inform both parents and children, then those young people who engage in criminal and disruptive behaviour who not only undermine their own chances of success in life but can also prevent others from realising their potential, will be able to make informed life choices to help them grow into responsible citizens and reduce the devastating effects of criminal behaviour on our society.’
Last year, Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey introduced a new resource vehicle. The specially converted Fiat Ducato van which houses a replica prison cell, enabled the anti-crime message to be spread more widely around the Island and in Jersey’s schools. The van was funded by the Rotary Club of Jersey. The dedicated van can be easily driven around the Island to wherever it is needed and has become a valuable tool in the work in which the Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey programme is trying to achieve.
Background:
- The Prison! Me! No Way!!!! scheme was launched in Hull in 1993, ( now known as the No Way Trust in the UK ) and in 2001, it was introduced to Jersey and registered as a Jersey charity in July 2005.
- The scheme is a joint initiative led by Police and Prison officers who use a multi agency approach with many other organisations to show young people about the consequences of their actions and what could happen to them if they decide on a life of crime, such as ending up in prison. The message behind the scheme is that everyone has a choice which can affect the direction their life takes.
- The Jersey scheme was founded by officers from HMP La Moye and States of Jersey Police. The Scheme now employs Police Constable Karen Houston who is seconded to the charity as a dedicated co-ordinator, funded by the charity. The scheme is also heavily supported by volunteers from both the prison and police service.
- The Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey scheme is fully self funded. The scheme, which is volunteer based. The charity currently has a strategic alliance and partnership agreements with the States of Jersey Home Affairs, Housing and Education Sport and Culture Departments and the Lloyds TSB Foundation Channel Islands.
- The Scheme has developed over the past six years and has various projects in place. The main project to date are the crime and safety awareness days during which officers go into all eight Island secondary schools and deliver a multi agency all day programme.
- During 2005 the scheme introduced a programme entitled ‘Your Choice Day’ into the primary schools, again using a multi approach delivering an all day programme, now reaching thirty two of the Island primary Schools.
- During the workshops at local schools, students learn to challenge the images they may have about prisons. They also investigate subjects such as drug and alcohol use, bullying, anti-social behaviour, fire safety, water safety, first aid and road safety and learn about making choices and the consequences of making the wrong ones.
- Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey also hold Community Days in local Housing estates where agencies set up and give demonstrations- these include the Fire Service and the Chip Pan Fire appliance, the Prison! Me! No Way!!! mobile resource vehicle which contains the replica prison cell, States of Jersey Police security marking mobile phones and bicycles, the Road Safety Officer and the Paramedics.
- Prison! Me! No Way! (Jersey) has a strategic alliance with Housing, Education, Home Affairs and the Lloyds TSB Foundation Channel Islands.
Media information:
At Jersey Museum on Thursday 27th March 2008 at 6pm, the DVD and Website will be launched in the presence of the Bailiff Sir Philip Bailhache, Chief Minister Frank Walker, Ministers Vibert, Kinnard and Le Main along with local Youth Magistrates and Chief Officers from the relevant agencies : Police, Prison, Fire and Ambulance and other senior key personnel.
This is a full uniform event for the force / service.
For further details:
The Chairperson of Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey is Lesley Harrison. Lesley can be contacted on 07700 750 106.
