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Did you enjoy your stay Sir? Prisoners handed hotel-style questionnaires asking if cell conditions were up to par

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on August 16, 2009 at 12:00pm
Prisoners in police cells will be asked to fill in questionnaires with 41 questions about issues such as comfort and quality of food

DailyMail Reports It was once considered something of a punishment. But a night in the cells is now followed by a 'customer satisfaction' survey, with those detained in custody asked to rate the 'services' on offer behind bars. The hotel-style questionnaire asks their views on the brightness of the cells and the quality of the food on offer. The survey will be given to 1,000 detainees as part of a pilot scheme by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. Detainees will be invited to judge the quality of a variety of aspects of their incarceration, including the food, how 'safe' they felt, cleanliness, lighting and air temperature, and the provision of towels. The questionnaire begins by stating: 'Devon & Cornwall are committed to providing the best possible service to people who are detained in custody. 'We would be grateful if you could complete the following survey and return it to the custody centre.' Recipients of the questionnaire are asked a total of 41 questions, the results of which will eventually be entered into a database for analysis by senior officers.

One officer in the force, who did not wish to be named, said: 'It is a bit rich really. These people are in the cell for a reason, it's not like they've come here on holiday. They are starting to treat the emergency cell buzzer like a room service hotline.' He added: 'We are getting asked all sorts - to get them celebrity magazines, to put aircon on, to bring them a salad. It's not funny after a while.' But Chief Inspector Ivan Trethewey, the force's head of custody, who is behind the project, told Police Review magazine yesterday: 'It does not mean we will be providing steak dinners as a result. There could be some valuable learning points, however. 'I wanted a reality check: what I think the service is that we are providing versus what detainees tell us we are giving them.' The survey is being given to those currently in custody across the force and posted to others detained in June and July. Dave James, secretary of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, said: 'You would not get a questionnaire that detailed in a Holiday Inn. 'However, if it is being done as a one-off to identify best practice and to enable people to learn from areas of concern, I can understand it.' Chief Inspector Trethewey said the scheme, which started on August 1, would cost 'a couple of hundred pounds at most'. Superintendent Chris Brown, head of the force's criminal justice unit, said: 'We must also be mindful that not all those in our custody are charged with a crime, and indeed for some the custody centre is used as a place where members of the public, not guilty of any crime, can be assessed under the Mental Health Act.' But Tory MP and former prisons minister Ann Widdecombe - who moved to Devon last year - added: 'This is a nonsense. If cells are not cleaned properly then you know they will be dirty. 'You don't need a prisoner to tell you that - or anything else for that matter.' The questions in full: Q1 What Police station were you held at recently? Q2 How old are you? Q3 Are you? Male/Female Q4 Have you ever been held in police custody before? Q5 How long were you held at the police station? Q6 Were you given information about your arrest and your entitlements when you arrived there? Q7 Were you told about the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Codes of Practice (the rule book)? Q8 If your clothes were taken away, were you offered different clothing to wear? Q9 If you used the toilet, were the following things provided on request? Toilet paper/Sanitary wear/soap/water/towel Q10 How would you rate the condition of your cell for Cleanliness/ Ventilation/ Temperature/ Lighting Q11 Did staff explain to you the correct use of the bell/buzzer? Q12 If you were held over night, were you given bedding? Q13 If you requested a shower, was this allowed? Q14 If you requested outside exercise was this provided? Q15 Were you offered anything to eat or drink? Q16 Was the food/drink suitable for your dietary requirements? Q17 If requested were you given reading material? Q18 Was someone informed of your arrest? Q19 If requesting a phone call, was this allowed? Q20 If you were denied a free phone call, was a reason for this given? Q21 Do you think you were treated fairly? Q22 Were you interviewed by police officials about your case? Q23 Were you kept updated as to the progress of your stay in custody? Q24 How long did you have to wait for your solicitor to attend? Q25 Were you officially charged? Q26 Did you feel safe in the Custody Suite? Q27 Were you handcuffed or restrained whilst in the custody suite? Q28 Were you told how to make a complaint about your treatment, if you needed to? Q29 Do you have any other comments to add about safety in the custody suite? Q30 When you were in police custody were you on any medication? Q31 Were you able to continue taking your medication whilst there? Q32 Did someone explain your entitlement to see a health care professional, if required? Q33 Were you seen by any of the following healthcare professionals during your time there? Doctor/Nurse/Paramedic/Psychiatrist Q34 If requested were you able to see a healthcare professional of your own gender? Q35 Did you have any drug or alcohol problems during your time in custody? Q36 Did you see, or were you offered the chance to see a drug or alcohol worker? Q37 Were you offered relief or medication for your immediate symptoms? Q38 Please rate the quality of your healthcare whilst in police custody - Very good, good, bad, very bad. Q39 Did you have any specific physical healthcare needs? Q40 Did you have any specific mental healthcare needs? Q41 Do you have any other comments to add about your time in police custody?
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