News

The Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, has written to the Secretary of State for Justice to issue an Urgent Notification for improvement following a deeply concerning inspection of Wandsworth prison which found ongoing failings in security, severe overcrowding, vermin, drugs, violence and rising self-harm. Tragically, seven prisoners had taken their own lives in the past year.

Reports on inspections of HMP/YOI Chelmsford and HMP Cardiff.

Reports on inspections of HMP Whatton, court custody facilities in Staffordshire and West Mercia and short-term holding facilities (STHFs) managed by Mitie Care and Custody.

These are challenging times to live and work in prisons, with rising drugs, violence and self-harm and overcrowded, squalid conditions in many jails. Reoffending rates remain stubbornly high, at almost 37%, and the proportion of prisoners recalled to prison is 13% higher than it was a year ago. Amidst these pressures, most prisons are struggling to provide any kind of activity to reduce the likelihood that people will end up back inside.

Peterborough prison, one of the country’s largest reception jails, is struggling with the churn of those caught in a cycle of reoffending and recall to prison, a new inspection report has found.

Reports on inspections of HMP Five Wells and an escort flight removing detainees to Albania.

Leaders at Wymott failed to tackle the very high staff sickness rates, which meant too few officers were available for operational duties on the wing. This led to an incredibly restricted part-time regime for unemployed prisoners on the main site, some of whom spent 21 hours a day locked up, and the weekend regime was poor for all.

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Humber

Following a worrying inspection at Hindley, Charlie Taylor reflects on the causes and consequences of a resurgence in drugs in prisons.