The Prison Service has revised its policy on the use of X-ray body scanners in men’s prisons, following a court judgement earlier this year in which a prisoner was awarded £7,500 in damages because he had been unlawfully scanned.
The changes were made in an updated version of the Use of X-Ray Body Scanners (Adult Male Prisons) Policy Framework, first published in 2020 to govern the use of the devices.
In that year the then-Conservative government spent £6 million installing body scanners at 74 men’s prisons in England and Wales. Hailed as a ‘game-changer’ in prison security, the devices can detect drugs or mobile phones concealed inside prisoners’ bodies (pictured). In three years they were used 435,000 times and suspected contraband was found 46,925 times.
However, the previous policy caused confusion because it said that “each scan must only be conducted where there is intelligence or reasonable grounds to suspect that an item is being concealed by a person internally”. It said the intelligence could be “either linked to specific prisoners or cohorts”, but also said: “A person must not be scanned routinely or on a random basis.”
In practice, many prisons adopted a policy of scanning all newly-arrived prisoners, leading to complaints from men who said they had been scanned despite having a history of compliance and with no intelligence or suspicion against them as individuals.
The new policy makes clear that ‘cohort scanning’, including the scanning of all newly-arrived prisoners, is permitted within the rules. However, it also makes clear that ‘random scanning’ remains forbidden. Prisoner Vincent Horsfall was awarded damages after he was made to go through a scanner on his way back from a social visit by staff at HMP Oakwood who had been selecting prisoners at random for scanning.
The updated policy framework states at paragraphs 5.74 to 5.78: “Cohort scanning is where a prison opts to scan a cohort of prisoners where there is intelligence or reasonable suspicion that prisoners in the cohort are conveying illicit items internally via a particular route into or within a prison, but it has no other means of determining which specific prisoners are doing so.
“The scenarios where a cohort scan could be used include, but are not limited to, new receptions, transfers from another prison, recalls, court returns, release on temporary licence (ROTL). It could also apply if there is intelligence or reasonable suspicion that prisoners in a particular area of a prison, such as a place or work, or a wing are conveying items within the prison.
“Under no circumstances should prisons conduct random scanning on cohorts of prisoners.”
If a prison decides that cohort scanning is necessary, officials must discuss and renew the decision monthly at their security meetings, documenting “clear supporting evidence” based on “live and relevant” data as to why the approach is justified. The revised version of the Policy Framework carries a statement saying it has been “amended to include further information on cohort scanning”.
My view
The Hidden Health Risk Behind Prison Security: My Experience With X-Ray Body Scanners
I want to share my personal experience and raise awareness about an issue that isn’t getting nearly enough attention — the overuse and abuse of X-ray body scanners in prisons.
I currently have an ongoing case against the Prison Service regarding the excessive use of these scanners, and it’s something that affects countless prisoners across the UK. What’s happening behind closed doors raises serious concerns about health, safety, and human rights.
Radiation Exposure: The Hidden Cost of Prison Body Scanners
The biggest concern — and the reason so many are speaking up — is radiation exposure. These scanners are often portrayed as harmless, but that’s far from the truth. Even low doses of X-rays, when repeated frequently, can have cumulative effects on the body.
Scientific research has long shown that there’s no such thing as a completely safe radiation dose. Yet in prisons, there seems to be little to no consideration for how often individuals are subjected to these scans.
To put it into perspective, I personally experienced being scanned eight times in a single week. That’s on top of strip searches, which are still routinely carried out — even though body scanners were introduced to reduce the need for them. Instead, both methods are now used side by side, doubling the intrusion and the risk.
When Security Becomes Excessive
The situation gets even worse during hospital visits or prison transfers.
When prisoners attend hospital appointments, they’re scanned before leaving, scanned again upon return, and sometimes X-rayed again at the hospital itself. That can mean three or four exposures in a single day.
Transfers between prisons are no better. You’re strip-searched, scanned before departure, and then scanned again on arrival — all in the name of “security,” even though the purpose of these scans is the same each time.
It’s excessive, unnecessary, and potentially dangerous.
Violating Prison Service Policies
What makes this even more concerning is that it goes against the Prison Service’s own rules. Official Prison Service Instructions (PSIs) and operational policies clearly state how often scanners can be used and under what circumstances.
But in practice, these safeguards are routinely ignored. Many prisons treat X-ray scanners as a default security measure rather than an exceptional one. There’s little oversight, no record-keeping of individual exposure, and almost no accountability when limits are breached.
This normalisation of unsafe practices highlights a deeper issue — a culture where control outweighs care, and where rules meant to protect people’s health are dismissed as inconvenient.
A Human Rights Issue, Not Just a Prison Issue
This isn’t only about prisoner rights — it’s about basic human rights.
No person, regardless of their circumstances, should be repeatedly exposed to radiation without clear justification, consent, or medical oversight. Prisons have a duty of care to safeguard the well-being of those in custody, not place them at unnecessary risk for the sake of convenience or control.
Health and dignity don’t stop at prison gates. The system must be held to the same standards of safety and human rights as any other public institution.
Time for Transparency, Accountability, and Change
It’s time for transparency, accountability, and reform. The Prison Service must review how X-ray body scanners are used, enforce its own policies, and implement strict tracking of exposure levels.
Independent watchdogs and human rights organisations should investigate the extent of radiation overuse in prisons, ensuring that prisoners’ health isn’t quietly sacrificed in the name of security.
This issue may seem niche, but it reflects a much larger problem: when systems operate without oversight, abuse becomes routine. And when people behind bars are the victims, it’s all too easy for their suffering to be ignored.
Until there’s real change, I’ll keep speaking out — not just for myself, but for every person who’s being silently scanned, stripped, and exposed without protection, oversight, or respect for their basic human rights.
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