CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

People visiting the CAB in Sitwell Street are probably not aware of it, but there is a chance they have received guidance from a convicted criminal. The CAB has an agreement with Sudbury Open Prison, where prisoners deemed suitable for the role, and who are due for parole in two years time, are trained as advisers. HMP Sudbury is classed as a category D prison for low-risk offenders and usually houses serious offenders who are due to be released after serving longer sentences. Derby CAB currently employs two prisoners serving long sentences who, according to the bureau, have proved model employees. The CAB will not say for what offence the prisoners are in jail, although it is understood that one of them is serving a 12-year sentence.

Stuart Chadbourne, director of Derby CAB, said, "The two people we've had have been excellent. "They're ordinary people who've done something wrong, they've served their time and now they're at the stage where they can be put back into society." Derby CAB is facing an ongoing struggle to cope with demand from customers. Employing prisoners is seen as a solution to coping with demand, as well as being a way to rehabilitate offenders. Mr Chadbourne added, "People don't really care how they get their advice. That sounds very trite, but that is the issue. When people come here, all they want is some help, and their biggest disappointment is when we say there's nobody available. The CAB has a massive reputation. People trust it to look after their interests and we wouldn't do anything that would potentially undermine those interests. We're confident that with this project we're not doing so."

However, there has been dissent from within the bureau. Bryan Meeds, a serving adviser at Derby CAB from Etwall, said, "Information given to advisers by clients is often of an extremely confidential nature. The clients place a high degree of faith in the trustworthiness and integrity of advisers and the bureau generally. If an adviser was to breach this trust, either personally or by divulging information to a third party, then someone could take advantage of any particular client's situation. Since prisoners are usually not noted for their trustworthiness, how would you reconcile their use as advisers?" Alison Clarke, head of activities and resettlement at HMP Sudbury, defended the policy. "They've committed a crime, been to court for it and have been sentenced, but this doesn't mean it's the end of their life," she said. "It should be about providing them with skills and training so they can be brought back into the community and find work."

It is absolutely wrong for prisoners to be working in such an environment, where trust and confidence in advisers is paramount if clients are to be able to feel free to discuss in detail their problems, many of which contain highly sensitive information. For instance, many of the problems brought to CAB involve advisers carrying out detailed statements on clients' finances. So for example, how would an elderly person feel if they knew they had just told a convicted criminal, on the road to release, their name, address and telephone number, and also that they own their house, have a few thousand pounds in savings, live alone and sometimes go for days without seeing anyone?

It is not unlikely that during an interview, a client may disclose some hidden secret. They will seek constant reassurance that the interview is totally confidential and that under no circumstances will their secret be divulged to anyone - especially not to their partner or employer. A perfect opportunity for blackmail. These are just a couple of hypothetical scenarios. But the fact remains that whatever the problems taken to CAB, clients must have trust and confidence in the advisers, and advisers must be protective of clients at all times. Incidentally, are clients asked if they mind being advised by a serving prisoner? Are they given a choice?

It is nothing short of arrogant nonsense for Derby CAB director Stuart Chadbourne to say "People don't really care how they get their advice." Does he view CAB clients as undiscerning? It is my experience that peoplechoose the Citizens Advice Bureau above any other advice organisation because CAB is regarded as the best, with a reputation second to none for giving free, impartial, confidential advice on practically anything you care to name and it is noted for getting things done. Clients who use CAB are vulnerable, often desperate and sometimes even in despair. Occasionally their world is collapsing around them, with all avenues explored and found apparently blocked.

Surely these people deserve better than to be used as unwitting pawns in somebody's experiment? I note that Derby CAB has accepted a £85,000 grant to enable them to accept more prisoners. Is that the current rate for 30 pieces of silver? June Lower

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