Samaritan volunteers of Chelmsford and Mid Essex actively support prisoners at Chelmsford Prison
Throughout the country Samaritan volunteers support the country’s prison population with a view to reducing the number of prisoners taking their own lives. The prison suicide rate in the UK currently stands at about 10 per month. The inmates contact Samaritans by using special phones which are available 24 hours a day that can only call Samaritans.
At Chelmsford and Mid Essex Samaritans we actively support the prisoners held at Chelmsford Prison. The Prison is category B and currently holds about 700 inmates.
We support the prisoners by training ‘Listening volunteers ‘ who are themselves inmates. They support the other prisoners when they are in emotional distress by listening to them and talking them through their problems and emotions. The training given to listening volunteers is similar to the initial training given to all Samaritans.
Volunteers from Chelmsford and Mid Essex visit the prison every 2 weeks to support the listening volunteers. These meetings are confidential without prison officers in attendance allowing the listening volunteers to talk openly.
HM Inspector of Prisons has acknowledged the invaluable contribution Samaritans have made to the welfare of inmates at Chelmsford Prison.