Sex offenders imprisoned in Northern England have lost their access to Facebook. Five prisoners in a Wakefield maximum security jail had created Facebook accounts in the last year in direct violation of prison rules. An investigation by the Yorkshire Evening Post turned up each prisoners social account information via a Freedom of Information Act request.
The names of the prisoners were not revealed because of national privacy laws but the prison says their accounts were shut down for rules violations.
The Wakefield facility is often referred to as “Monster Mansion” because it houses some of the nations worst sex offenders and violent killers.
According to prison rules prisoners are not allowed to maintain accounts on any social networks.
To gain access to social networks prisoners used illegally obtained cell phones and by telling visitors what to post on their social networks. In some cases prisoners sent letters with posting instructions.
A representative for the prison tells the Yorkshire Evening Press:
“The National Offender Management Services Offender Safety, Rights and Responsibilities Group have investigated and pursued the removal of five or fewer Facebook accounts which have had regular updates posted under an HMP Wakefield prisoner’s name/names.”
The social media issue is being handled by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
Prisoners will remained banned from social networking and internet access for the foreseeable future.
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