Advice in prisons
DAS regularly visits prisons across London and the south of England to provide immigration advice, and offers an in-depth, holistic casework service to foreign national prisoners and detainees held in those prisons it attends.
We work to ensure that foreign national prisoners and detainees are fully informed about their situation, and help them to understand and exercise their rights.
We also help to facilitate processes within prisons, and liaise with family, friends, solicitors and other agencies involved in individual cases. Where appropriate, we refer clients onto other advice agencies and community groups, to ensure that their range of needs are met.
"The work DAS does is immensely valuable. And it is effective because you get prison staff onside - you encourage, train, instruct, support. It's a real partnership ... Competent independent advice - all inspectorate reports show the need for this." (Dame Anne Owers, former Chief Inspector of Prisons, speaking at the DAS AGM 2003).
DAS advice workers currently visit the following prisons on a regular basis:
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For those who need a legal representative, DAS maintains a rota of experienced solicitors who will take immigration case referrals.
Prisoners and detainees held in sites that DAS visits can put in an application via the foreign national coordinator to see the DAS advice worker during their next visit to the prison; how the application is submitted in each prison may vary slightly.
They can also ask an advice worker to come and see them by calling DAS on 0207 254 6888, or by writing to us at Unit B3, 62 Beechwood Road, London, E8 3DY.
If you would like to find out more about DAS' work in prisons, please get in touch.
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Registered charity 1060145. A company registered in London 03289045 and limited by guarantee. |
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