Volunteers are being sought to spend time inside Norwich prison to learn more about life behind bars.
The Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Norwich is recruiting new members to make regular visits and to help keep watch on standards inside.
Every prison is required by law to have a monitoring board in place to check on the jail's performance and how prisoners are being treated.
Jim Parish, who is on the IMB board at HMP Norwich, said new members living within 30 miles were needed to make two to three visits per month.
He said: “The role is a really important one to help monitor standards inside the prison and speak to prisoners about the issues affecting their lives and how things can be improved.
“The prison is facing a number of challenges including understaffing which is having a knock on effect on the prisoners.
“Empathy and the ability to relate and communicate with all sorts of different people on lots of different issues are key skills.”
Members are independent, monitor day-to-day life inside the prison and produce an annual report.
They have unrestricted access to all areas, from cell blocks to the kitchens, and can talk to any prisoner without members of staff if necessary.
HMP Norwich houses category B and C prisoners.
It includes a segregation unit, a specialist wing for elderly prisoners, and a category D open prison for inmates who partially work in the local community.
The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to increase its capacity by 160 on top of the existing 769 prison places, as well as refurbishing parts of the jail.
In its most recent 2021-22 annual report the monitoring board said it had concerns about the planned expansion without additional support and education facilities.
It also highlighted issues with measures to assess prisoners who self-harm and that prisoners with mental health issues continue to be held in the segregation unit as “there is no other suitable place of safety”.
The amounts of alcohol and drugs continuing to circulate and gang violence were also concerning, it said.
For more details and how to join Norwich IMB visit imb.org.uk/join-now/current-vacancies/
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