Islington Tribunbe News: Prison Staff | Greg Foxsmith

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 12 September 2008

Prison staff fear lost computer disk ‘will fall into wrong hands’

HUMAN rights lawyer Greg Foxsmith attacked the government this week over the loss of a computer hard drive containing details of up to 5,000 prison officers.
The Lib Dem councillor spoke out after officials from Islington’s two prisons, Holloway and Pentonville, tried to establish whether the disk contained private details of local officers which could make them and their families vulnerable.
Justice secretary Jack Straw has apologised and ordered an inquiry into the loss of the hard drive by a private computing firm, which was reported to the Prison Service in July.
But Cllr Foxsmith said: “Many prison officers will be very worried this week. They don’t know if the data will fall into wrong hands or get published on the internet.
“Prison officers are often at risk of reprisals from prisoners and already work in often pressurised conditions.”
He added that news of the loss comes at a time when staff at Holloway and Pentonville have made great strides in improving morale and conditions despite overcrowding.
“As a solicitor I know how important it is to have details of clients securely locked away,” he added. “We have signed records of private information.
“But the government appears to have a disregard for confidential material. I fear that once identity cards are introduced we will all be at risk.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: