A NEW radio station will soon be broadcasting in the cells at prisons in Dorchester and Portland.

Prisoners and young offenders will be able to tune into the new radio service for up to 12 hours each day, with the station including educational programmes, news and prison information.

The Ministry of Justice set up the new station as prisoners are locked in their cells for longer periods.

Head of reducing re-offending at HMP Dorchester Tim Ellis said: “For us it is a very positive step as it will improve communication to prisoners and the whole point is that everything will be controlled locally.

“This enables us to have another line of communication which is in a more attractive form and is therefore more likely to get messages across.”

“I hope it helps turn the prisoners in a positive direction as that’s the challenge for the prison.”

The Ministry of Justice gave the go-ahead for the scheme in England and Wales after they found that keeping inmates locked up for longer each day was saving £17 million a year.

The 200 prisoners at Dorchester prison spend between 12 and 20 hours in their cell each day, according to Mr Ellis.

Deputy Governor at Portland Young Offenders Institution, David Bourne, said the radio station will help their 600 offenders.

He said: “The station has a number of benefits as you are able to reach all of the prisoners wherever they are.

“There’s quite a lot of information that we need to pass onto them and a lot of the frustrations of being in prison could be helped by giving better quality information. If we are able to run programmes that compliment the vocational courses and qualifications it will be useful.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the majority of running costs for the reported £2 million cost of the station would be paid by the Prison Radio Association charity and further set up costs will be met from existing budgets.

But the Prison Officers Association’s Dorchester branch chairman, Mike Sear, expressed shock at the idea.

He said: “We are in a time of increasing budget cuts.

“The station could benefit inmates and help them lead law abiding and useful lives.

“But do you really want to spend your money on that when it could be spent on drug treatment.

“We would be happier if our jobs were not being cut – which they are – rather than funding going on unproven programmes.”

Singer and political activist Billy Bragg, who lives in Burton Bradstock, said: “Our best hope for reducing re-offending is through rehabilitation.

“A dedicated prison radio system would be a powerful tool in this process.

“Giving inmates a voice within the system will encourage self-confidence – proven to play an important role in preparing them to return to society as law-abiding citizens.”