Prison work praised (From Oxford Mail)

Prison work praised

5:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Bicester

FOUR prison workers have been awarded for their “excellent work” in tackling inmates’ alcohol problems.

Officer Bertil Boyles and colleagues Piers Harris, Stephanie Chick and Adam Payne helped set up an Alcohol Dependency Treatment Programme 18 months ago after spotting a gap in the system.

Jails, including Bullingdon Prison, Arncot, near Bicester, where the team work, offer drug prevention programmes to offenders, but there was no similar scheme for inmates with alcohol problems.

So the group set to work developing a scheme and have helped in the region of 200 inmates complete a course, which has also involved Alcoholics Anonymous.

Now the team has been recognised by the Butler Trust, a charity that promotes good practice in prisons, and have been given a commendation.

Programme manager Mr Harris said: “This commendation would not have been possible without the support of our managers in both organisations.”