9. PFI prisons have been innovative in their use of new technology. IT systems are used to monitor the whereabouts of prisoners and to provide information on the purposeful activities they are engaged in. Public sector prisons use paper-based systems, which provide less reliable information that is not instantly available. PFI prisons also make far wider use of CCTV to improve security. The Prison Service is currently introducing an IT system which will allow public prisons to monitor prisoner activity. But it would be difficult to make wider use of technology, such as CCTV and electronic doors, in many of the older public prisons built in the 19th century.9
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