Ministers have vowed to stamp out illicit affairs between prison staff and offenders amid a surge in the number of criminals caught exploiting relationships to smuggle contraband into jails.
The number of workers exposed for inappropriate relationships increased by 30 per cent since 2017 to more than 40 a year, according to data released under Freedom of Information laws.
During the same period, the number of female prison staff rose by 27 per cent to 15,000 – now accounting for 42 per cent of all staff – as part of a diversity drive.
No, this ain’t to say that women are uniquely vulnerable to such prisoner wiles. Would be interesting to see what the rate of male screws to female prisoners is in the other wing. If we have any that is, or gave up on that idea of diversity some time ago?
Stick a largely hetero species into cross-sex contact and some will contact through sex. Just one of those things that happens.
Reading the Colditz story years ago I was always amazed how often they would get escape stuff was by befriending a goon. (a camera? wells up from the depths?) Especially given that the penalties for aiding the enemy in wartime nazi Germany are not known for their progressivenss.
Made me think that some people are just naturally manipulatable and others know how to identify them and just how to go about it.
There’s a known problem of (some) women having a fondness for bad boys. Presumably such women will be drawn to a career in men’s prisons.
Maybe we should look on the bright side – inmates who are having relationships with staff may be less likely to try to escape.
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