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Report published 7 September

Published:

HMP High Down

Type of inspection: full inspection

Dates of inspection: 1–11 June 2026

Summary of findings: Time out of cell for prisoners on an enhanced regime or in full-time work could be up to 10.5 hours. The prison also offered popular employment-focused courses run by Railtrack and XO Bikes. However, attendance at education remained too low, unemployed prisoners averaged only around 3.5 hours unlocked, living conditions on some houseblocks were poor and offender management shortages continued to delay sentence progression and access to offending behaviour programmes.

Points to note: Self-harm was 22% lower than at the last inspection. The prison’s response to illicit drugs had become more robust, with a comprehensive recovery offer and a reduction in positive random drug tests from 31% before the last inspection to 19% at this inspection, however, this result was still too high. The illicit economy remained the biggest threat to the prison’s stability.

Read the report: HMP High Down