HMP Oakwood

What we found

Oakwood continues to be a highly successful prison with a safe and supportive culture. Nearly all prisoners could engage in work, learning or other forms of purposeful activity and time out of cell was significantly better than in other comparable prisons. Staff-prisoner relationships were positive, key work was reasonable and the prison was very clean with well-maintained grounds.

Overcrowding was an issue, as was poor quality food, but this was somewhat mitigated by nearly half the population being able to cook their own meals in well-equipped kitchens. The availability of illicit drugs, the under-resourced offender management unit and the number prisoners being released homeless was of concern, but violence was lower than at comparable prisons and there had been no serious incidents of self-harm for 9 months.

Points to note: Family support events were exceptional, wide-ranging, and highly valued by prisoners. The visits area hosted a kids club, family days and family cooking events, there were video visits that facilitated evening calls for bedtime stories, parent/teacher evenings and contact with partners who had just given birth and there was also a chance for prisoners to take a photo with their families and have it printed on keyrings, magnets, cards, mugs and cushions.