HMP/YOI Styal
Published:
Inspection report - Styal (PDF, 1.8 MB)
Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP/YOI Styal by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (2–12 December 2024)
Styal healthy prison scores
What we found
Inspectors visiting HMP Styal were disappointed to find a deterioration in safety, with positive drug test results now the highest in the women’s estate, a problem which leaders appeared ill-equipped to tackle. A lack of enhanced gate security, an X-ray machine and a body scanner undermined the prison’s efforts to stop the ingress of drugs of which 44% of surveyed women said they were easy to get hold of. The rate of self-harm was the second highest of all 12 women’s prisons, with over 5,200 reported incidents in the past year.
The vulnerabilities of the women were evidenced everywhere; notably in the amount of mental health need, the four self-inflicted deaths, and near doubling of the amount of self-harm recorded since we last inspected. Many other safety indicators were similarly concerning.
Access to staff was reduced considerably, a fact keenly felt by the women. This was compounded by very little key work support, which limited women’s ability to get their requests or complaints dealt with without resorting to formal systems. The lack of access to officers was arguably one of the most important issues to address at Styal.
Access to staff was reduced considerably, a fact keenly felt by the women. This was compounded by very little key work support, which limited women’s ability to get their requests or complaints dealt with without resorting to formal systems. The lack of access to officers was arguably one of the most important issues to address at Styal.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor
Easy read summary – Styal
(PDF, 596 KB)
Prisoner survey methodology and results – Styal
(PDF, 386 KB)
Prisoner survey analysis (Excel workbook) – Styal
(XLSX, 364 KB)
Staff survey methodology and results – Styal
(PDF, 195 KB)