Prison tech: Mobiles blocked and bodies scanned

Body scanning chairs and mobile phone blocking technology will be rolled out to UK prisons to stamp out drug abuse in jails.

Mobile phone use will be blocked and Bodily Orifice Security Scanner (Boss) chairs will be fitted throughout non-high security prisons from March 2009.

The technological measures were announced by the government on the back of a report by ex-chief constable David Blakey on how to stop drugs getting into prisons.

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Drug deals are often arranged using mobiles smuggled into prisons, with the prison service seizing 7,200 mobiles per year.

The Boss chair performs a scan of the person sat on it, signalling any metal objects and allowing it to detect items such as mobile phones.

Prisoners reportedly pay between £250 - £850 to have mobile phones smuggled inside, with the Blakey report estimating current detection rates are already taking at least £1.8m out of the black market each year.

In his report entitled Disrupting the supply of illicit drugs into prisons, Blakey warns the technology would cost "many millions" and should be rolled out to the highest security prisons first.

He said: "The possibility of blocking is presently being addressed. It is not without technical difficulty, and it would be very expensive.

"The process should begin first with those establishments with the greatest security and trafficking problems."

Blakey is critical of the lack of technology in prisons, calling for CCTV, biometric, scanning and phone blocking systems to be stepped up.

He said: "There is generally less technology in prisons than one would expect to see and what there is, is uncoordinated and somewhat ad-hoc."

He said it would cost about £1m to fit the Boss at all prisons but adds its presence is a deterrent to smuggling, as prisoners regard it "warily".

The government welcomed the report and pledged to implement all 10 of Blakey's recommendations.

In its response to the report it said: "His report highlights the complexities and interdependencies of tackling an issue common to prison services around the world."