Jan 31, 2006
Xerox kits out Stamford Hill Prison
UXBRIDGE -- Today HM Prison Service unveiled its brand new digital print centre at Standford Hill Prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, installed to provide prisoners with valuable NVQ qualifications in creative services and desktop publishing. Opened by Ann Beasley, the HM Prison Service's director of finance, this centre is part of an initiative designed to increase prisoners' employment prospects and to help prevent prisoners from re-offending once they are released.
Xerox was chosen to equip the prison with state-of-the-art digital kit including a Xerox DocuColor 5252 Digital Colour Press and a Xerox Nuvera 100 Digital Copier/Printer with an inserter module. These systems will merge colour with black-and-white applications and use a powerful finishing and booklet maker from Morgana.
"This represents a unique opportunity for us to help prisoners learn professional skills which will help them find better skilled and well-paid employment when they are released," says John Wilson, Governor of HM Standford Hill Prison. "So far the take-up from the prisoners has been very encouraging - many are already discussing setting up their own businesses and gaining further qualifications once they have left. The print shop is a prime example of what the Prison Service could implement nationwide."
Well known for promoting high standards of training, Xerox staff with NVQ-accredited qualifications will train prison supervisors in a range of operator courses for both the colour and monochrome products and provide materials to support long-term learning. Prisoners will then be trained by the prison supervisors to develop their operator skills and will receive follow-up supervision from Xerox trainers to verify that they have attained Xerox's Customer Education training course and later the Advanced Customer Training (ACT) course. Prisoners will be using the digital printers to produce professional work for the prison, and contracted work for businesses outside of