North Rhine-Westphalia prisons test supervised internet access for inmates

Prisoners in North Rhine-Westphalia will be allowed to use the internet under supervision as part of a pilot project in three prisons.

The Justice Ministry plans to create special rooms with secured computers in Geldern, Rheinbach and Essen. The so-called digital social rooms will allow inmates to maintain and establish contact with the outside world, while accessing education, training and leisure services in a structured and supervised setting.

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To prepare for release in a targeted way, prisoners should, for example, be able to use a wide range of information services and submit digital applications inside and outside the correctional facilities.

A ministry spokeswoman said the project would also help prepare prisoners for release. They could use a range of information services and submit digital applications both inside and outside prison. Translation tools could help overcome language barriers.

A prison officer will monitor every computer session, and inmates will only be able to access a limited selection of websites.

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Language barriers can be overcome through the use of translation tools.