Britain’s prisons are facing a crisis, with scandal-hit facilities like HMP Wandsworth, Parc, and Berwyn receiving the lowest performance ratings due to issues like assaults on staff, illicit items, and inappropriate relationships between staff and inmates. In the past year, fifteen male prisons were rated as a ‘serious concern,’ up from just nine the previous year. Notably, no female prisons received the lowest rating.
The worst-performing prison in England and Wales was Lowdham Grange, with an overall performance score of 42.3 percent. Other poorly rated facilities included Bedford, Portland, Winchester, Lewes, and Wandsworth. These prisons have been at the center of high-profile scandals involving inappropriate relationships between prison officers and inmates, overcrowding, and poor living conditions.
HMP Wandsworth, in particular, has been under scrutiny for numerous issues. The prison had the highest number of assaults on staff in the past year, with 970 separate incidents reported. Close behind were HMP Berwyn, Parc, and Thameside. At Berwyn, several female prison officers were jailed for engaging in inappropriate relationships with inmates, highlighting a systemic problem within the prison system.
The lack of support for mentally ill prisoners, high levels of assaults, squalid living conditions, and staff shortages have contributed to a high turnover of prison officers. Incidents of self-harm among male prisoners have increased by 25 percent, indicating a growing mental health crisis within the prison population. The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged the challenges facing the prison system, including overcrowding, staffing shortages, and the smuggling of illicit items.
Despite efforts to address these issues, mandatory drug tests in prisons have not met expected levels. However, the number of drug discoveries in prisons has increased by 44 percent, with over 21,000 incidents reported. Additionally, there has been a rise in the discovery of mobile phones and weapons in prisons, indicating a pervasive issue of contraband smuggling.
While only a few of the worst-performing prisons have reported high levels of drug discoveries, efforts to curb the influx of illicit items remain a top priority. Facilities like Five Wells and Kirkham have seen significant drug seizures in the past year, underscoring the challenges faced by prison authorities in maintaining security and order within correctional facilities.
