Guidance

Prisoners assisting other prisoners: PSI 17/2015

Policy and guidance on prisoners helping other prisoners with their care and support needs, such as reading, accessing services and moving about the prison.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Prisoners assisting other prisoners: PSI 17/2015

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email web.comments@justice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This prison service instruction (PSI) explains when and how prisoners can appropriately assist other prisoners with their care and support needs. It includes guidance on:

  • how a prisoner’s needs are identified and met
  • the kinds of needs that prisoners are able to help with, such as reading, accessing services, moving about the prison and some types of personal care
  • the kinds of needs that prisoners must not help with, including intimate personal care
  • safeguards to protect both the prisoner giving assistance and the one receiving it

This is a current PSI. It came into effect on 1 April 2015 and was last updated on 27 January 2020.

Published 27 January 2020