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Table of contents

  1. What we found
  2. Action plan

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HMP Swaleside

Published:
Open document

Inspection report - Swaleside (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Report on an announced inspection of HMP Swaleside by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (11–21 September 2023)

What we found (Back to top)

Over 40% of prisoners at HMP Swaleside were serving lengthy sentences of more than 10 years, a further 43% were serving indeterminate sentences, mostly life, and one unit was dedicated to the accommodation of men convicted of a sexual offence. The prison was relying on staff on detached duty loaned from other prisons to deliver even a severely restricted daily routine, which failed to provide the kind of purposeful, rehabilitative environment needed for such a high-risk population.

Overall this was a concerning inspection. Swaleside is a prison that continues to struggle and where outcomes still need to improve dramatically. Without the reduction in the prisoner population and the deployment of staff from other jails, it is hard to imagine how the prison would have coped.
Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons
Read the press release in full

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Easy read summary – Swaleside
(PDF, 658 KB)
Population statistics – Swaleside
(PDF, 146 KB)
Prisoner survey methodology and results – Swaleside
(PDF, 377 KB)
Prisoner survey analysis (Excel workbook) – Swaleside
(XLSX, 321 KB)
Staff survey methodology and results – Swaleside
(PDF, 195 KB)

Action plan (Back to top)

HM Prison and Probation Service Action Plan – Swaleside
(PDF, 265 KB)