Thorn cross open prison

[Lefthanddown]

I've just seen that Thorn Cross open prison is to start housing sex offenders! Thorn Cross is next to a primary school and near a housing estate. I can't believe the idiocy of some of the bureaucrat's. Apparently because more sex offenders are being jailed a new Cat 4 prison is required.

I'm aware prisoners need to be rehabilitated and return to their communities, but next to a school is asking for trouble.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-44952914

What could possibly go wrong...?!

clicky link

Is it literally opposite the primary school? Any locals know?

It was on the news last night, the school weren't consulted or informed until very recently.
Parents are removing their dc as we speak.

The school will close due to low pupil numbers if they do this.

We drive through there quite often. Yes, it's pretty much directly opposite.

An open prison isn't that open is it?
I thought prisoners were only allowed out on approval.

The Council weren’t informed or consulted either.
I don’t blame parents for removing their children, with no discussion or explanation of risk assessments etc.
Open Prisons regularly ‘lose’ inmates.

An open prison isn't that open is it?
I thought prisoners were only allowed out on approval.

You're right, but when they are it means they can abscond easily.

This piece indicates the fact that quite a number od abscond and also talks about the fact that prisoners sent to them are meant to be "low risk" to the community...

www.ibtimes.co.uk/what-are-open-prisons-how-secure-are-they-1453064

Yeah, I don't see how they can be described as low risk.

The mind boggles. I keep reading things on here with increasing incredulity as I begin to understand that the people in charge learned absolutely bugger all from the 70's child abuse scandals, Thalidomide, MeToo and Grooming Gangs targeting vulnerable working class kids/girls. It's like they look at history and instead of learning from it just think well, it won't happen this time.

What's that definition of insanity again? Doing the exact same fucking thing over and over again, expecting shit to change.

I just want to scream WAKE UP and learn from our mistakes.

Up to just a few years ago I was sceptical about the extent of child sex abuse that had gone on/was going on. Revelations which included prominent people (Savile, Cyril Smith, etc) and the likelihood that they were involved in child abuse and procurement groups and rings have opened my eyes to the very real probability that there are significant numbers of people today in powerful and prominent positions who might well have a vested interest in degrading safeguarding, child protection and safe spaces.

I think all the issues we're concerned with on this forum are joined-up.

I think all the issues we're concerned with on this forum are joined-up.

I agree and I see the agenda - but it is still hard to believe there aren't people standing up and saying 'what the hell are we doing?'

There are some very real safeguarding concerns for women and children and some people very invested in the erosion of such safeguarding.

There are some very real safeguarding concerns for women and children and some people very invested in the erosion of such safeguarding.

Absolutely. The last few years I worked in schools the agenda was (rightly) completely centred around safeguarding, especially child protection.

It seems to me that the attitude to child protection now is "Meh..."

First article states absconding from prison shouldn't preclude a prisoner from being placed into open prisons!

From what I've read it used to be the case that Sex Offenders admitted to open prisons should have completed a Sex Offender Treatment Programme, but I've read these have been abolished, not that they were much good.

It just seems so regressive to put sex offenders next to a school, as it isn't going to benefit the community at all and it also puts temptation in the offenders way with kids being so close.

I'm aware it can be a condition of bail to stay away from/ not loiter round schools/parks so cannot fathom why this would be appropriate.

insidetime.org/prisoners-who-abscond-must-not-be-banned-from-open-prison/

howardleague.org/blog/the-end-of-sex-offender-treatment-programmes/

It wouldn't actually be quite as bad if it were a high security prison for sex offenders because there would be very little chance of them getting out of the prison itself.

But this open prison allows prisoners to catch the bus from outside the prison (and the school) to get to work experience and education opportunities.

The other thing about open prisons is that the prisoners are free to wander around the establishment more or less at free will, they congregate outside education and the gym, and the residential units and OMU department etc. so I can't imagine non-operational staff are keen on this. You can say prison officers are used to this and trained for it, but non-op staff, admin and civilians etc, aren't and will be in amongst the sex offenders without knowing they're sex offenders.

Thorn Cross used to be a YOI only, and held young offenders and juveniles. When it opened up to adults too, there was uproar from the locals about that but it still went ahead.

I have to admit though that this doesn't seem right at all, with the school over the road. Parents use the Thorn Cross car park at drop off and pick up time, and park right outside he prison gate. That's how close it is!