HMP Parc
Inspection report - Parc (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Parc by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 6–17 January 2025
Parc healthy prison scores
What we found
Previously judged by inspectors to be one of the most successful prisons in England and Wales, HMP Parc had suffered a serious decline in standards. A failure to tackle an alarming ingress of drugs had led to a spate of tragic deaths at the prison and it had weathered two years of turbulence. Although overall rates of violence had reduced over the past year, it remained a problem, which prisoners attributed to frustration with the daily regime, boredom, long periods locked up, the widespread availability of drugs and not having enough to eat.
Points to note: The arrival of a new director in June 2024 had begun to stabilise the leadership team, and improve the recruitment, retention and morale of officers, and it was clear that Parc had begun to recover. Nevertheless, huge challenges remained, with far too many drugs getting in and a failure to allocate prisoners to work, training or education meaning many were stuck in their cells for up to 21 hours a day.
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