Officer wins prison work accolade

A prison psychologist has won a lifetime achievement award for her work in rehabilitating offenders.

Margaret Newton, senior psychologist at HMP Grendon in Bucks, was honoured at the fourth Prison Officer of the Year Awards held on Monday night in Leeds.

Ms Newton has been a psychologist with the prison service since 1963 and has been a central figure in researching treatment for serious repeat offenders.

The award scheme was set up to reward and recognise the work of officers.

Ms Newton was the first member of the prison service to research recidivism (reoffending) in the 1970s.

Margaret has played an integral role in HMP Grendon's rehabilitation of offenders during her 40 years in the prison service Phil Wheatley

A prison service spokesman said: "Her effort in this important area of reducing reconviction is ongoing and has a significant contribution to offender rehabilitation policy."

Phil Wheatley, director general of the prison service who gave out the awards, said: "Margaret has played an integral role in HMP Grendon's rehabilitation of offenders during her 40 years in the prison service.

"I am delighted that her contribution to HMP Grendon's therapeutic work has been recognised through the prison service's first lifetime achievement award."

Grendon was opened in 1962 as an experimental psychiatric prison to provide treatment for prisoners with antisocial personality disorders.

It accommodates about 230 prisoners.