Or visit the Prison Me!!! No-Way website at www.pmnw.co.uk/ for further information on the No-Way Trust Ltd.

Do you know what could happen when someone commits and is convicted of a crime? No? Then read on.

Prison? Me? No Way

Year 9 pupils from Aylesford School have taken part in a Prison? Me? No Way day. This was to help them understand the causes, consequences and penalties of crime.

The children worked with officers, the fire service, the prison service and magistrates during the day.

The day started with a play performed at the scene of a road collision where probation officers acted as scene of collision investigation officers and fire officers cut the roof off a car, to rescue one of the passengers.

Throughout the rest of the day, the children watched and took part in a pretend hearing about what happened after the collision.

This included seeing the driver being arrested by probationers, who then took her into custody, where Police Officer Sergeant Simon Owen booked her in. (She doesn’t look very happy in the photo does she? I bet she’s glad it isn’t real.)

Sgt Owen showed the pupils a very realistic custody situation and told them what custody is like, during a detailed explanation. Fingerprints and DNA (special cells that we all have that can help officers find out if we have done something wrong) were taken.

Once the ‘offender’ had left ‘custody’ after being charged, she appeared before a serving Magistrate and a jury made up of pupils from the school. The Magistrate guided the jury through the case, which helped them sentence the ‘offender’ for the crime.

The pupils also saw the ‘offender’ being taken to the prison cell van and then to ‘prison’ where the prison warder explained how her clothes would be taken away and the ‘offender’ would now have to wear the basic clothes she was given. Whilst the ‘offender’ is in prison, she is not free to go anywhere she wants anymore. (Imagine not being allowed to play or go to a friend’s house?)

At the end of the case, prison officers showed pupils around a prison cell set up in a van parked in the playground. They talked about the ‘offender’ only having one toilet roll a week, cheap soap (yuk), and being in a cell for over 23 hours a day. (Imagine having to stay in your room all that time without ‘luxuries’?)

The pupils appeared to enjoy the day and listened carefully. They asked many interesting questions like - what happens if you are claustrophobic - can they keep you in a cell? Are you kept in prison cells for 24 hours a day? and Are you allowed to see your parents if you are convicted?

The organiser, PCSO Gerard Veness said: ‘Prison? Me? No Way is about being responsible for your own actions with expert advice being passed on in an innovative and positive way. It was useful for the pupils.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about what happens when someone commits and is convicted of a crime.