In-cell tablets at HMP Five Wells
Socrates Software has partnered with BT to deliver in-cell tablets to every man at HMP Five Wells, UK. This groundbreaking pilot empowers prisoners to take greater control of their learning and lives, as well as helping them to learn vital digital skills. Prisoners can access a whole range of content and features, including phone calling, text messaging, canteen services, news, radio, Encyclopaedia Britannica, job advice, and the NHS and DWP websites.
Electronic Monitoring across the US
Socrates Software is partnering with Track Group to support people on probation and parole across a number of US states. Service users can check in remotely by sending their location from their smartphone when prompted, providing an unobtrusive alternative to traditional supervision methods. Service users can also access a wide variety of content and features, including interventions courses, careers advice, a local services search, and video calling.
Partnering with MTC in the US
We are working with MTC at a number of facilities in the US, including prisons, halfway houses and immigration centres. We provide a wide variety of services to improve the lives of people at these facilities, including video calling, Virtual Attorney Visitation, access to extensive educational and life skills courses, careers information, and more.
In-cell tablets in Australia
We are providing in-cell tablets to all public prisons across Victoria State, as well as to a prison in New South Wales. Prisoners are able to benefit from secure video calling technology, targeted intervention programmes, induction information, and a calendar, as well as a variety of courses and advice on learning, careers and wellbeing.
Helping women to train as bike mechanics
At HMP Drake Hall, Socrates tablets are used to support bike mechanic training in the Halfords Academy. 18 women at a time take a year long training course, with a guaranteed full-time job at Halfords upon completion. We see that the women wear their Halfords polo shirts with pride - the programme not only gives them skills, and ultimately a job, but also self-esteem. In the first year, 17 of 18 women passed the training period and went on to full-time employment at Halfords. One has since left, but none have reoffended.
Supporting prison leavers across England
In partnership with Care UK (now Practice Plus), we provided the Socrates 360 Release App to people leaving prison at 45 sites across England during a two year project. The Release App allows service users to access health and wellbeing advice, continue or start education and training courses, and find local services, all at the touch of a button. Medical records can also be uploaded by staff to an individual's account, so that they will be easily accessible at any time.
Over the two years, over 3000 people benefitted from the Release App.
Supplementing classroom learning in prisons
In HMP Swaleside, tablets are used to supplement classroom learning, making 3 hour lessons more interactive and engaging, and helping to provide additional exercise for more able learners, or extra help for those who are struggling. A similar model is employed at HMP Ford, where the tablets are used in the Learning Centre. This allows learners to work at their own pace, on topics that interest them, and to learn vital digital skills at the same time.
Making facilities management more efficient
The UK Ministry of Justice are using Socrates tablets to make their facilities management more accurate and efficient. Staff use specialised software installed on our secure tablets to speed up their checks, and this means that the results can be directly uploaded to a central system, rathe than needing to be manually entered.
Graphic design training in prisons
In 2019, we ran a 6 month trial at Otago Corrections Facility in partnership with Maui Studios to provide graphic design training to people in prison. The programme is aimed at training participants to a level where they will be able to achieve employment in the sector. We provided a bespoke Maui Studios app via Socrates 360, which participants accessed on our locked down tablets. Facilitators ran sessions training participants in sketching, colouring and designing using the app, which provides templates and tutorials for creating cartoon figures and, eventually, full graphic novels. OCF reported that participant engagement was high and very positive.
Allowing boys in secure mental health unit to continue learning
In May 2020, Socrates Software partnered with Nacro to support boys at The Wells Unit, part of the secure forensic mental health service for young people, with free tablet computers, courses and digital content. Due to COVID-19-based restrictions, tutors were no longer able to access the unit, leaving the boys cut off from education provision. Socrates tablets enabled tutors to provide materials remotely, along with a variety of mobile learning courses, relaxation exercises, audiobooks, games and other resources via locked down digital tablets, keeping the boys entertained and allowing them to continue their education. We are delighted to be able to support some of society’s most vulnerable people at this extremely difficult time.