Visits play an important part of reducing reoffending as good relationships with family and friends is proved to reduce risk of reoffending.<\/p>
The management and guidance for the use of closed visits is within Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 15/2011. The PSI specifies that closed visits should be imposed where there is an identified risk of smuggling prohibited items.<\/p>
We recognise the benefits that Internet Based Video Services (IBVS) can provide in assisting prisoners with maintaining family ties. At present, however, prisoners are not allowed to use an IBVS as a way of communicating, due to operational concerns about the control measures available to safeguard the use of such communications. Work is currently underway to explore the options for the use of IBVS in establishments with strict safeguards in place, and the possibility of making greater use of such within prisons in the near future.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "187326"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:14:17.667Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Video Conferencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the merits of using video technology to allow relatives and friends to speak to convicted prisoners at appointed times.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"} ], "uin" : "187327"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156394", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156394/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Prison to Court Video Links (PCVL) allow offenders to appear in court via a live video link from a room in the prison. Relevant data has been collected from June 2012 following the introduction of the Government\u2019s Transforming Justice agenda and shows that the number of defendants heard via PCVL were 32,633 from June to December 2012; 53,487 in 2013 and 59,635 so far this year. The data only records the number of instances in which PCVL was used and does not record the hearing type. Consequently specific data about the number of sentencing hearings that are held using PCVL is not available.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Secretary of State and ministers meet regularly with the senior judiciary to discuss matters relating to the effective operation of the justice system including the use of video. The use of video in court \u2013 which includes prison to court video links - is also outlined in the Criminal Procedure Rules. These are drafted by the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, which is chaired by the judiciary and involves practitioners.<\/p>
<\/p>
To ensure a clear and shared understanding across the CJS of the policy and criteria around video links, national guidance for Magistrates and Crown Courts on Prison to Court Video Links has been produced. (This is attached as an Annex). The criteria that will be used in a case to assess whether it is suitable will include, amongst other things, whether it is an eligible hearing type, public protection and risk issues and the welfare of the defendant.<\/p>
S57B (6) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 sets out a presumption that in preliminary hearings for adults, magistrates will utilise video links. However reasons can be given for not doing so. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 extended use of prison-court live links to sentencing hearings and appeals.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1496", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Shailesh Vara"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Shailesh Vara"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "214947"} , {"_value" : "214948"} , {"_value" : "214966"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-25T17:48:16.057Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Video Conferencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria are used to assess whether a case is suitable for a prison video link.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1565", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Philip Davies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Shipley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Philip Davies"} ], "uin" : "214965"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156395", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156395/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Prison to Court Video Links (PCVL) allow offenders to appear in court via a live video link from a room in the prison. Relevant data has been collected from June 2012 following the introduction of the Government\u2019s Transforming Justice agenda and shows that the number of defendants heard via PCVL were 32,633 from June to December 2012; 53,487 in 2013 and 59,635 so far this year. The data only records the number of instances in which PCVL was used and does not record the hearing type. Consequently specific data about the number of sentencing hearings that are held using PCVL is not available.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Secretary of State and ministers meet regularly with the senior judiciary to discuss matters relating to the effective operation of the justice system including the use of video. The use of video in court \u2013 which includes prison to court video links - is also outlined in the Criminal Procedure Rules. These are drafted by the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, which is chaired by the judiciary and involves practitioners.<\/p>
<\/p>
To ensure a clear and shared understanding across the CJS of the policy and criteria around video links, national guidance for Magistrates and Crown Courts on Prison to Court Video Links has been produced. (This is attached as an Annex). The criteria that will be used in a case to assess whether it is suitable will include, amongst other things, whether it is an eligible hearing type, public protection and risk issues and the welfare of the defendant.<\/p>
S57B (6) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 sets out a presumption that in preliminary hearings for adults, magistrates will utilise video links. However reasons can be given for not doing so. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 extended use of prison-court live links to sentencing hearings and appeals.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1496", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Shailesh Vara"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Shailesh Vara"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "214947"} , {"_value" : "214948"} , {"_value" : "214965"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-25T17:48:16.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Video Conferencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on dealing with different (a) types of offences, (b) types of hearings and (c) individuals via prison video links.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1565", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Philip Davies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Shipley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Philip Davies"} ], "uin" : "214966"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156411", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/156411/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Prison to Court Video Links (PCVL) allow offenders to appear in court via a live video link from a room in the prison. Relevant data has been collected from June 2012 following the introduction of the Government\u2019s Transforming Justice agenda and shows that the number of defendants heard via PCVL were 32,633 from June to December 2012; 53,487 in 2013 and 59,635 so far this year. The data only records the number of instances in which PCVL was used and does not record the hearing type. Consequently specific data about the number of sentencing hearings that are held using PCVL is not available.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Secretary of State and ministers meet regularly with the senior judiciary to discuss matters relating to the effective operation of the justice system including the use of video. The use of video in court \u2013 which includes prison to court video links - is also outlined in the Criminal Procedure Rules. These are drafted by the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, which is chaired by the judiciary and involves practitioners.<\/p>
<\/p>
To ensure a clear and shared understanding across the CJS of the policy and criteria around video links, national guidance for Magistrates and Crown Courts on Prison to Court Video Links has been produced. (This is attached as an Annex). The criteria that will be used in a case to assess whether it is suitable will include, amongst other things, whether it is an eligible hearing type, public protection and risk issues and the welfare of the defendant.<\/p>
S57B (6) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 sets out a presumption that in preliminary hearings for adults, magistrates will utilise video links. However reasons can be given for not doing so. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 extended use of prison-court live links to sentencing hearings and appeals.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1496", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Shailesh Vara"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Shailesh Vara"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "214947"} , {"_value" : "214965"} , {"_value" : "214966"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-25T17:48:15.947Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Video Conferencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with (a) judges and (b) the legal profession over the use of prison video links.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1565", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Philip Davies"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Shipley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Philip Davies"} ], "uin" : "214948"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 4, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }