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Prison security

01 January 1991

Prison security
artdoc August=1993

Following the Hennessey Report into the 1983 mass escape from the
Maze Prison in Belfast the Northern Ireland Office introduced a
special regime for a few prisoners it regarded as `high risk'.
The so-called `red book' system was designed to prevent such
prisoners building any relationships with other prisoners or
prison officers. It involved a cell move every few weeks and a
cell and strip search every 72 hours. At night red book prisoners
were supposed to be checked every 15 minutes. From 26 August,
this regime will be substantially modified and prisoners will now
be allowed to stay on a wing for up to six months. However, they
will still be denied the paroles granted to other prisoners.
There are currently 10 red book prisoners.
The change was announced at a time of increasing tension within
the prisons and the prison service itself. The Prison Officers
Association has been in dispute with the Northern Ireland Office
over staffing levels. But there are growing signs of conflict
between prisoners and staff, particularly loyalist prisoners. For
example, in June a prison officer was badly beaten by loyalists
in Maze Prison; this was followed by several UVF gun attacks on
the homes of prison officers.

Statewatch vol 3 no 4 July-August 1993