Former Wakefield police officer creates mobile prison cell in scheme to keep kids out of trouble
A former West Yorkshire Police officer is running an innovative scheme to keep young people on the straight and narrow.
Mick Amos takes his HMP Not-4-Me project into schools to try to inspire young people to avoid crime.
At the centre of the project is a van that Mick has converted to look like a prison cell, complete with bunk beds and a metal toilet.
The eye-catching setup is part of a broader plan to motivate young people and offer early intervention.
Mick, who also plays a police officer on Coronation Street, said: “HMP Not-4-Me education tries to steer young people down the right path.
"It’s so easy in the modern world to make poor choices through peer pressure, online presence.
"Essentially we look at how crime robs people of life’s oppertunities. It robs people of friendships, family, a career and a future, and even freedom.
"So we try to look at what life can be like if we inspire people to do good things.”
Mick said the project looked at issues like the rule of law and democracy.
As part of the interactive scheme young people go through a mock custody procedure and swap a school jumper for a prison jumper.
Mick said: “We have a bit of fun but then there’s a serious message attached to it.”
The scheme offers advice on drugs and alcohol, as well as issues like county lines dealing and violence against women and girls.
It goes into schools and well as youth clubs, sports clubs, and other organisations.
It offers activities for children over school holiday and youth work out in the community.
Mick also works with people who have been to prison and rehabilitated.
He said: "There are good people who get steered down the wrong path. And to see the impact on them, their families and communities when I was a police officer was really sad.
"Anybody can make a poor choice or a mistake.
"Life can be wonderful, we can be saling the crest of a wave, and then something hits us, like grief, financial problems, relationship breakdown, or stress and mental health issues, and that can interfere with our thinking and our choices.
"People still have personal responsibility but there is sometimes a reason why people make mistakes.”
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