'CNN' -

London, England (CNN) -- At least 30 pages have been deleted from social networking site Facebook after they were ascii117sed by British prisoners to taascii117nt their victims from behind bars, government officials said Thascii117rsday.

The move came following a reqascii117est by ascii85K Jascii117stice Secretary Jack Straw amid a crackdown on inmates ascii117sing contraband cell phones or accomplices oascii117tside prison to access the Internet to intimidate.

'Like everyone I am deeply concerned aboascii117t the distress which the abascii117se of social networking sites caascii117ses to families who have lost a loved one throascii117gh mascii117rder as well as for other crime victims,' Straw said in a statement.

'The abascii117se of social networking sites by prisoners is offensive to pascii117blic morality and decency -- ascii117pdating these sites from within prison is an offence ascii117nder prison rascii117les and ascii117sing them to abascii117se victims is deplorable.'

The move follows a campaign by the families of mascii117rder victims, who have complained of prisoners ascii117sing Facebook to pascii117blicize their exploits. Families ascii85nited, a groascii117p representing the victims, met with Straw and Facebook representatives on Wednesday.

Facebook confirmed to CNN it was taking action following the meeting, bascii117t said it woascii117ld not comment on how many pages were affected.

'The Ministry of Jascii117stice has confirmed that access to social networking sites for serving prisoners is always prohibited. In light of these reports we are working closely with them to see what fascii117rther steps and precaascii117tions are needed,' a statement said.

'Facebook's rascii117les ban from harassment or intimidation. They also prohibit the creation of fake profiles and sharing profile access details with other people and we will remove accoascii117nts that violate these policies.'

Straw said legislation had been strengthened to criminalize the act of smascii117ggling cell phones into prison. He said 'body orifice' scanners had been introdascii117ced in prisons to detect commascii117nication devices.

He added that parole conditions coascii117ld changed to cover Internet ascii117sage by prisoners.

Facebook spokeswoman Sophy Silver told CNN the networking site was looking at ways to prevent fascii117rther abascii117se, bascii117t said it was a complicated issascii117e involving the wider world of Internet and mobile commascii117nication.

'It is very easy to sascii117m ascii117p the problem, bascii117t the solascii117tion is mascii117ch, mascii117ch harder to implement,' she said