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plan presented to prevent suicides is celebrating its 20 th anniversary of the prison, but some fear it will soon be in danger

Raj thinks he has "probably saved four lives." Taylor is not sure, but it surely has been rewarded for helping people who are deeply upset, and have the opportunity to reflect on their own mistakes.

two are serving prison sentences in HMP Swansea for violent crimes and the two are completely convinced that their lives will be different when they are released. Here are some 1540 prisoners in British jails, which runs the rehabilitation program in the criminal justice system more broadly, as the auditors of the prison. Enter the cells of the sessions face to face with his fellow prisoners and to reassure the new inmates, speaking from his first day inside, a moment of real danger for long sentences desperate or fearful in the reality of being in difficult environment of a prison.

Samaritans first tested the proposed HMP Swansea 20 years ago this month. After a series of suicides increased large cells of self-harm among prisoners that began in late 1980 with a series of incidents in young offenders' institutions, as the plan was implemented in 126 prisons and saw the decline rates of suicide for the first time people were desperate to talk to someone. This is a free, voluntary approach has led to strong resistance to first place among those who thought it was the "namby-pambying" convicted criminals and worried that allowing the condemned to speak in their cells was a security risk. But as the anniversary took place in silence and announced its success by the directors of prisons and prisoners, many are worried that cuts in the public sector and a growing prison population - a new record Friday - has been compromise the system ". / Aa>

Jane Van Eyl, Chief Operating Officer of the Samaritans, said prison staff unless it is a major concern: to act as interim regime officials, escorting the listener to the cells and research warning signs in people who may be at risk or suicidal.

"Of course we can not prove that the auditors have reduced rates of suicide or self harm," said Van Eyles. "But I think a lot can be said to have reduced anxiety the prison is taken very seriously and we know that the audience seems to ex-ancedotally recidivism -.. Many will volunteer Samaritan "

HMP Swansea, one of the most overcrowded prisons in the United Kingdom, the Governor Neil Lavis see enormous benefits for the sound system.

"I am very proud that it all began here in Swansea," he said. "Listeners do a fantastic job. The prison staff today must be versatile, not only to lock, unlock, food, do workshops, the hand of the drug, as it used to be. It's a big change and demanding in bulk. We have many very vulnerable people, many mental health and substance abuse and a listener can go talk to someone and say, "I know how you feel", so they have a lot of credibility. Hearers are not workers in mental health and prison officials, and to some extent, you can not measure what they do, but would not do justice scheme which does not make a difference. We had deaths in custody here, two last year, and the impact is huge. As the staff takes care that someone's life is devastating. "

Lavis said he agreed with the auditors was not a substitute for professional advice or medical help, it said. "We can do what we can with what we have is not long ago that a suicidal person went to get a letter F in the map from your door and it was, there was no action or interaction - do not know what the reality, although F was first put my personal duty to protect the public, but they are. hopes to do with humanity and treat people decently. Your safety is a part of that. "

HMP Swansea Taylor listeners Raj and admit their work can be very difficult. "But it's good for us and for others. My family will benefit from the way I changed when you leave," said Taylor, 33. Eoin Lawrence, head of the safe custody at HMP Swansea, remembers well the dark days of the high mortality in custody and is proud to seven detectors of the prison and the center of Swansea care for vulnerable people. He lives there and knows the pressures of unemployment and drugs in the private part of Wales. "We reflect the current state of society there, so you get a lot that come with drug abuse and alcohol appears to increase."
walk through dark rooms