MoJ Confirm Plan To Run Call Centres From Prisons

The Guardian has revealed a plan by the Ministry of Justice to set up call centres inside jails, as part of its work programme for prisoners.

Details of the plans emerged after marketing material from an MoJ- supported company, which described the call centre scheme as a "rehabilitation revolution", were passed to the newspaper.

Initially promoted by a company called UrbanData Ltd, the MoJ have said that while that company is no longer involved, after going into liquidation this month, they are still interested in setting up call centres from inside the prison estate as part of their programme for expanding ONE3ONE Solutions, formerly known as the Prison Industries Unit.

In a leaflet sent out to various organisations late last year, UrbanData said it could offer "lower costs and overheads" if businesses signed up.

Advertising the scheme as a "fantastic rehabilitation revolution" the flyer read that prison-run call centres could offer trained operators "with British Regional [sic] accents as an effective alternative to off shoring operations".

A marketing email sent with the flyer confirmed the plans to get prisoners to work manning phones were backed by the government.

"Working in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, we are establishing call centres inside prisons," it said.

"We are training prisoners to become qualified contact centre operators. This gives them employment during their prison term and also prepares them for a more productive life when they return home," the email said.

The Prison Industries Unit which was rebranded as ONE3ONE Solutions after the 131 prisons in the prison estate, has used inmates to make uniforms and office and garden furniture or package headphones for companies such as DHL and Virgin.

However putting call centres inside prisons would be one of the first instances of prisoners serving lengthy sentences coming into direct commercial contact with the public. The idea is already established in the US.