Aerial View Maps

Are British inmates allowed to use computers and the internet?....?

If so, what are the restrictions, if any? It's just at the moment i am on Google Earth, and out of curiosity i typed in the name of a place where a relative spent some time in prison. and it has an aerial view of the whole prison, exits, main entrances, basically a map of the prison grounds. And it occurred to me, a prisoner could use Google Earth to work out the safest and fastest means of escaping, and places where guards are and aren't likely to be, and security levels during days and nights. And not only that, they could get timetables from the internet and plan their escape to coincide with a bus or other public transport arriving. To The Citadel: They COULD guess...if you spend all day around them, then surely you'd notice a few places where they go everyday. well the prison where my relative was had the bus stop right outside of the visiting room, and main gate was right next door to it. From what I've gathered, they're not exactly given a guided tour of the prison, so they'd need Google for Google Earth and whatever Timetables they wanted.

Public Comments

1. the computer have bars on them
2. If they are in jail for hacking then probably not!
3. Why would they? They get free bed and board, luxury living and the best entertainment technology available. They get better medical care than anyone outside and very little to worry about if they break the law again. Where else can they go? Super-Prison?
4. im sure you can get anything in prison if you work it right, apparently its like room service, drugs, anything man.
5. They are actually there so they probably know where the exits and entrances are , it's that bloody big wall~(fence) that is the problem.YOU SAID: "and places where guards are and aren't likely to be, and security levels during days and nights". How can they tell that by google. DUH!!! EDIT: IF THEY COULD GUESS , THEN WHAT THE FOOK HAS GOOGLE GOT TO DO WITH IT? . DUH!!! AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA WAIT FOR A FRIGGIN' BUS IF THEY HAVE JUST ESCAPED PRISON!!! ARE YOU SURE THAT IT WAS A PRISON AND NOT A MENTAL INSTITUTE. does it run in the family
6. Certain inmates may have access to computers, however, the computers do NOT have access to the internet. This would make it too difficult to monitor inmate communications with other parties. They make collect phone calls which are monitored and recorded, or write letters which are reviewed by prison staff.
7. I read a report a few weeks ago in the newspaper, which specifically said prison inmates had access to the internet. Never thought about them using it to plan escapes! Maybe you should mention your theory to the Prison Service or Home Secretary. Lived close to a prison some years ago; would have liked to see them plan any escape to coincide with public transport, though, since there wasn't any within several miles. Maybe that's deliberate?
8. Prison will very soon be a better option than civvy street.
9. All prisons have access to the internet to some extent, but access is generally limited to staff for work purposes, and not all staff have access. A few prisons have limited access to the internet for prisoners-such as ‘off line’ arrangements to upload specific data for educational or work purposes, or limited ‘on-line’ services to dedicated sites for resettlement and work purpose There are no specific plans at the moment to extend the use of the internet for self-litigating prisoners, or to make specific use of prison libraries for this purpose. The government recognises the importance of education in helping prisoners address offending behaviour but the development of e-learning is limited by security considerations, DFES who are leading on prisoner education expect e-learning to increase in coming years and are working to develop a strategy to take these plans forward. However, this strategy is at an early stage, and it would not be in the public interest to release this information under Section 35 of the Act, formulation of government policy.
10. No they dont, its prison.