DEATHS, DRUGS AND DESPAIR: WANDSWORTH PRISON ISSUED WITH URGENT NOTIFICATION
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
We are the independent inspector of prisons and other places of detention in England and Wales.
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.
Eighty percent of prisoners shared cells designed for one person, and most men spent more than 22 hours a day confined to these cramped, squalid, conditions with no idea if or when they would leave them or have any access to fresh air. During the inspection, prisoners on one wing had been unable even to shower for five days. Many were in despair, with no hope that improvement was possible, creating an environment Mr Taylor said was characterised by “a degree of despondency that I have not come across in my time as Chief Inspector”. Self-harm was high, with inspectors finding men in clear distress and without support. Despite this, and the high number of self-inflicted deaths, around 40% of emergency cell bells were not answered within five minutes.
Relationships between staff and prisoners were poor or non-existent. Most staff at every level were very inexperienced, and, despite being fully staffed on paper, over a third of operational staff were not available for work each day. This led to further restrictions on prisoners, and burnt-out prison officers struggling to keep things going. The level of inexperience was also preventing the prison from bringing about much-needed change, with inspectors noting that, while staff were not wilfully neglectful, they did not understand their role and they lacked direction, training, and consistent support from leaders, many of whom were themselves inexperienced and temporarily promoted.
Despite a high-profile escape in September, security remained a serious concern. Wings were chaotic and staff across most units could not accurately account for their prisoners during the working day. “Given the recent escape,” Mr Taylor noted, “it was unfathomable that leaders had not focussed their attention on this area”.
Wandsworth was not reducing the risk of men reoffending. With very poor access to education, employment and the library, and the appalling conditions in which men were held, it was unsurprising that only 35% said their experiences at the jail would make them less likely to reoffend – a much lower figure than other reception prisons. Adding to this, only 11% of those released from Wandsworth in the past year had had sustainable accommodation to go to.
Mr Taylor said:
For further information go to our HMP Wandsworth Urgent Notification webpage where you can read the Chief Inspector's letter to the Secretary of State for Justice and the inspection debriefing paper.
Key concerns by healthy prison test:
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Retired from NHSE Head of Commissioning, Health and Justice (Northern Region)
6 个月Oh Charlie.. how so desperate and sad it feels so much like nothing is improving anywhere in the prison system. Its neglect at the highest level in Government and yet… I bet the Governor has been made scape goat (again). What would a labour government do to improve this situation I wonder? ( I won’t hold my breath)
Lead Nurse- Former Dep Chief Nurse Proud Queens Nurse
6 个月Such a difficult/ but not entirely unexpected outcome. Failure systemically at leadership and chronic under investment. Minimal capacity, little resource. People are being harmed at a time when we are screaming about patient safety. Prisons must count. Needs a huge whole scale approach. It can be done.