Prisoner Escort Custody Services Lay Observer
- Body
- PECS Lay Observer
- Appointing Department
- Ministry of Justice
- Sector
- Prison & Policing
- Location
- Nationwide
- Number of Vacancies
- 4 in the South West (Devon & Somerset, ideally Plymouth, Bristol or Barnstable) - 2 in Oxfordshire 5 in the South East (Sussex) - 10 in London 1 in Essex/Hertfordshire - 3 in Durham - 4 in the East Midlands (Derbyshire and Lincolnshire) - 5 in the North West (Manchester, Liverpool and Chester areas) - 2 in the West Midlands (Worcestershire)
- Remuneration
- Unremunerated though reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. Unfortunately, applicants cannot be reimbursed for interview expenses.
- Time Requirements
- Approximately 2 to 3 visits per month and this can be flexible, depending on the needs of the region and the individual.
- Closing Date
- 03/11/2017 1700
- Interviews
- tbc
Vacancy Description
You will monitor custodial suites in courts and vans that transport detained persons to and from prisons and police stations. You will speak to prisoners about the conditions they are held in and how they’ve been treated. You will also observe how prisoners are handed over to the care of new officers when they arrive at their destination. At the end of each visit, you’ll complete a short report to record what you’ve observed.
Person Specification
Applicants do not need any special qualifications or experience. We will provide all necessary training and support; however, you will be required to undertake Security Clearance Checks. You need to be enthusiastic, open minded, possess effective communication and team-working skills and can exercise sound, objective judgments. Lay Observer reports are downloaded onto a database, so you should have basic computer skills and be familiar with MS Word and emailing. It is likely there will be some travelling, for which you will be reimbursed.
Anybody over 18 can apply. We are particularly keen to hear from young people, those of working age and people from black and minority ethnic communities, since these groups are underrepresented at present.
Additional Information
Lay Observers are volunteers appointed by the Secretary of State for Justice under the 1991 Criminal Justice Act, to monitor the welfare of prisoners whilst they are in the care and custody of the Escort contractors. The escort of prisoners from prisons and police stations to courts in England and Wales is contracted out to the private sector and is managed by the Ministry of Justice.
How to Apply
An application pack, along with further details on these posts and how to apply, is available at: http://layobservers.org/join-now/current-vacancies/. Alternatively, please telephone 0203 334 3265 for a pack to be posted out to you. Completed applications should be emailed to LOrecruitment@justice.gsi.gov.uk, or posted to: Lay Observers Secretariat, 9th Floor, Post Point 9.52, The Tower, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ