Books in the Nick

Books in the Nick (BiTN) supplies police station custody suites with books for detainees to read whilst they are being held and keep when they leave.

Books in the Nick was started by Give a Book in collaboration with Special Constable Steve Whitmore of the Metropolitan Police.  The project began when, after giving his own book to a young man brought into Brixton Custody Suite, SC Whitmore saw the positive and productive reaction this simple action received.

“I met this man, gave him a copy of Catcher in the Rye which I was reading because he seemed so distressed. Later when we was leaving he asked me if he could keep it and I said sure.” SC Whitmore 

Custody suites are the first place someone is taken for processing when they are arrested. They can be held there for as little as two hours, but sometimes it can be a whole weekend. The books are specifically selected to be appropriate and reflective of the needs of the detainees in custody suites. A mixture of short stories, Quick reads, poetry, classic stories, non-fiction and pictorial books for young and emergent readers are provided.

In June 2019, BiTN volunteers were recognised with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

In 2024, Give a Book supplied detainees with 1600 + books through Books in the Nick.

“Kept their minds off being in custody, and keeps detainees occupied, relaxed and entertained.” King’s Lynn Police Station