HMP Kirklevington Grange

What we found

Violence at Kirklevington Grange was rare. Prisoners ate communally every evening in a large dining hall and staff-prisoner relationships were good. About a quarter of the population were released on temporary licence (ROTL) to go to work every day and through ROTL prisoners could also attend community support groups, like Gambling and Narcotics Anonymous, and have driving lessons. Six months after release, 60% of prisoners were in employment. However, staff did not conduct spot checks on prisoners during ROTL, and this was well known among prisoners.

Points to note: Prisoners with additional needs were well supported. A committed neurodiversity manager provided staff with guidance on how to better support neurodiverse prisoners, and experienced reading specialists helped prisoners with low reading levels to develop their skills. Prisoners who were returning to closed conditions, or who needed to be separated for their own safety, were routinely strip searched before they entered segregation cells, which seemed disproportionate and was done without proper safeguards in place.