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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Degree call for prison officers | Degree call for prison officers |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| All prison officers should be educated to degree level to help give them the necessary skills for the "challenging" job, a penal reform charity has said. | All prison officers should be educated to degree level to help give them the necessary skills for the "challenging" job, a penal reform charity has said. |
| Prison officers in England and Wales currently have eight weeks' training and do not need formal qualifications. | Prison officers in England and Wales currently have eight weeks' training and do not need formal qualifications. |
| The Howard League for Penal Reform said currently staff were "turnkeys... barely skilled or literate". | The Howard League for Penal Reform said currently staff were "turnkeys... barely skilled or literate". |
| The Prison Officers Association said personal qualities not qualifications helped make a good prison officer. | The Prison Officers Association said personal qualities not qualifications helped make a good prison officer. |
| It added the idea was "naive and narrow-minded". | It added the idea was "naive and narrow-minded". |
| The Howard League argued the job should be a profession, as with teachers and nurses. | The Howard League argued the job should be a profession, as with teachers and nurses. |
| We have massive practical skills which are overlooked by the Howard League Prison Officers Association chairman Colin Moses | We have massive practical skills which are overlooked by the Howard League Prison Officers Association chairman Colin Moses |
| It said officers focus on prison security rather than helping prisoners with mental health or drug problems and believes that having higher-qualified staff could help cut reoffending rates. | It said officers focus on prison security rather than helping prisoners with mental health or drug problems and believes that having higher-qualified staff could help cut reoffending rates. |
| 'Perilous situations' | 'Perilous situations' |
| In future, said the Howard League, only graduates in subjects such as criminology, prison law or sociology should be accepted for the role. | In future, said the Howard League, only graduates in subjects such as criminology, prison law or sociology should be accepted for the role. |
| Frances Crook, director of the organisation, said prison officers were faced with difficult and perilous situations on a daily basis with only eight weeks' training to draw on. | Frances Crook, director of the organisation, said prison officers were faced with difficult and perilous situations on a daily basis with only eight weeks' training to draw on. |
| "Prisons are violent and dangerous places, full of very vulnerable and damaged individuals," she said. | |
| "The prison officer currently has to help prisoners with everything from housing to finances and from detoxification to anger management, all within a horribly complex framework of legislation. | "The prison officer currently has to help prisoners with everything from housing to finances and from detoxification to anger management, all within a horribly complex framework of legislation. |
| "Eight weeks is not enough time to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfil this hugely challenging and complicated role." | "Eight weeks is not enough time to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfil this hugely challenging and complicated role." |
| 'Dedicated workforce' | 'Dedicated workforce' |
| But Colin Moses, chairman of the Prison Officers Association, dismissed the idea, insisting that personal qualities were more important than paper qualifications. | But Colin Moses, chairman of the Prison Officers Association, dismissed the idea, insisting that personal qualities were more important than paper qualifications. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there should be more training for existing prison officers. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there should be more training for existing prison officers. |
| He said: "We have a professional workforce now, there are some shortfalls in training, but what we do not need is to pursue this line of a degree. | He said: "We have a professional workforce now, there are some shortfalls in training, but what we do not need is to pursue this line of a degree. |
| "Currently we have massive practical skills which are often overlooked by the Howard League. | "Currently we have massive practical skills which are often overlooked by the Howard League. |
| "What we want to see is more ongoing training, more specialised training, and we want that very quickly. | "What we want to see is more ongoing training, more specialised training, and we want that very quickly. |
| "We have a very dedicated workforce. That's what we have and that's what we need." | "We have a very dedicated workforce. That's what we have and that's what we need." |
| Are you a prison officer? What do you think about the Howard League's comments? Does the job require a degree? Are you planning on becoming a prison officer? Will you now consider putting yourself through university? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you a prison officer? What do you think about the Howard League's comments? Does the job require a degree? Are you planning on becoming a prison officer? Will you now consider putting yourself through university? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |