Phone recycling scheme deployed to process confiscated handsets
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 - 10:46:56
Mobiles which have been recovered by prison officers from inmates incarcerated at institutions around the country are now being recycled in order to make sure that they are dealt with sustainably, according to the Lancashire Business Review.
In an average year the total number of confiscated devices can exceed 14,000 so it makes sense to recycle them rather than simply sending them to landfill. Obviously they cannot be returned, as prisoners are not allowed to have access to devices which give them an opportunity to communicate with the outside world.
Smartphones and more basic devices weighing over a quarter of a tonne have now been crushed and sorted for recycling as part of this new scheme, which has the full backing of the Ministry of Justice.
Spokesperson, Rory Stewart, explained that confiscating mobiles from inmates was important for a number of reasons, chief among which is the need to ensure that prisons are places where rehabilitation can be carried out uninterrupted and without outside influence taking its toll.
Perhaps most importantly the recycling process itself is carried out by a company which works with offenders in order to give them the skills and experience they need to get legitimate jobs once they have completed their sentences.
This means that these old mobile phones serve a dual purpose and there are plans to roll out this scheme on a broader scale, creating opportunities for those who want to turn their lives around after a stint in prison.
Money generated from recycling the phones is plumbed directly back into a number of projects which are designed to lessen the likelihood that inmates will reoffend when they are released.
While mobile devices are being confiscated, politicians recently announced plans to make landline phones more widely available in prisons in an attempt to improve inmate satisfaction and strengthen family interactions.
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