Coracle wins Google Social Impact Award

Prison tech company wins Google Social Impact Award

A company which provides laptops that prisoners can use in their cells has been awarded a Social Impact Award by tech giant Google.

Coracle provides specially designed offline laptops to prisoners in 91 jails in England and Wales and is one of the very few companies permitted by the Ministry of Justice to do this.

The Cambridge-based company, founded by James Tweed, has developed a secure offline platform which means prisoners can study and gain qualifications from providers such as the Open University and Prisoners’ Education Trust. Inmates can also practice driving theory tests and obtain employability ready qualifications such as health and safety certificates. 

“Myself and the team have worked long and hard in prisons for the past seven years so we are delighted Google has recognised our work. I believe technology can and should be a force for good,” said CEO James Tweed.  

James Tweed says he believes access to education is key to cutting offending and solving the British prisons’ crisis. 

“All the evidence suggests that improving the educational levels of inmates cuts reoffending, but there’s so much that needs to be done.

“We need to ensure that the majority of prisoners gain access to education and that they also have the chance to develop digital skills. 

“As it stands, far too many people are being released from prison having learnt nothing new and having gained no skills. Many simply return to their previous lives as a consequence,” said Tweed. 

Inmates accessing Coracle do so via secure Google ChromebookS and have a wide variety of courses and digital activities to choose from, all the time staying off the internet. 

“The laptops are incredibly popular and inmates often become very enthusiastic learners. What we’ve found is that it is possible to transform people’s lives and outlooks with technology.”