GUERNSEY schoolchildren might be given a taste of life behind bars if a new scheme is introduced. The Home Department is looking to follow Jersey in bringing in Prison? Me? No Way!

Department member Deputy Jenny Tasker travelled there to see the scheme in action with Year 8 pupils at Les Quennevais School.

It is aimed at raising awareness among young people about the causes, consequences and penalties of crime and the effects of anti-social behaviour.

One of the core features she saw was the mock-up of a police cell in a vehicle that is driven to the schools.

‘It’s a programme of information and workshops giving various messages to young people that tells them to make a choice,’ said Deputy Tasker.

‘The programme was set up some 14 years ago as a trust in the UK and Jersey set up a charity three years ago and introduced a similar programme there. Having been to see it in action, everyone who was on the visit felt that it was something we should be looking at introducing here in Guernsey. But there would be differences if we were able to do that, because we already have certain agencies involved in schools in a way that is not quite the same as in Jersey.’

Representatives from Education, the prison, the Youth Service and the police joined her on the visit.

The department felt it was a good project to work towards to meet the objectives of the Government Business Plan, she said.

Deputy Tasker saw the whole year group of 12- and 13-year-olds divided into seven ‘prison’ wings, in which they had to stay all day with two prison officers making sure they behaved. As they moved from one workshop to another, they had to walk two abreast in a line.

Classes included watching a video on gun crime, with a hard-hitting talk on the problem of replica guns.

Another recreated a street scene to encourage the students to think about anti-social behaviour.

‘There was a lot of learning,’ said Deputy Tasker.

Ambulance and fire crews gave safety talks and another workshop concentrated on drugs.

Through all of them there was the thread of alcohol and what it does to young people.

The scheme also has workshops aimed at Year 6 primary school children.

In Jersey, two charities provide the money for the prison cell mock-up. The scheme also has a full-time coordinator, seconded from the police for three years and supported by fund-raising.

‘We would have to be looking at how we could, if we were going to introduce it, raise sufficient funds for the cell – which is crucial, I think – and would want to speak to various groups, as they did in Jersey,’ said Deputy Tasker.

‘The Home Department would lead, although it’s important Education is on board because it’s a whole day, but a whole day that gives so many powerful messages to youngsters.’

A working party will now look at how the scheme might be introduced.