In a damning report, Bedford Prison has emerged as a hotbed of violence, outstripping all other prisons in the country, according to a scathing review by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Bedford prison has been promised 15 extra prison officers and a programme of cleaning and painting cells, in the wake of a damning report by inspectors.
The Category B reception prison has become the fifth facility this year to be slapped with an urgent notification for improvement, raising serious concerns about the safety of prison officers.
Inspectors, who visited the prison between October 30 and November 9, discovered a nightmarish scene of rat-infested conditions. Inmates, confined to mouldy cells with broken windows, reportedly endure up to 23 hours a day in squalor, painting a picture of neglect and indifference helping to fuel the violence.
Prisons Minister Edward Argar minced no words, labeling the findings as “unacceptable” and pledging immediate action to address the issues.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, the government plans to deploy additional staff to enhance safety, with further improvement plans due to be unveiled very shortly
Argar emphasised the government’s commitment to the “biggest prison expansion since the Victorian era”, which saw large numbers of Britain’s prisons built or overhauled.
The report exposed Bedford Prison as a leader in violent assaults against staff, surpassing even HMP Woodhill, which had previously received an urgent notification in August. In seeming defence, staff were found to use excessive force, along with incidents of officers verbally abusing prisoners.
Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, swiftly issued an urgent notification for improvement, citing a sharp deterioration in conditions since the last inspection.
Taylor highlighted systemic issues, including a shortage of staff, overcrowded and squalid conditions, and inexperienced personnel unable to handle low-level behavioral issues. The report also disclosed an escape by a prisoner supposedly under constant supervision, raising questions about the prison’s insufficient staffing levels.
In March 2023 it was reported that the prison was on full lockdown with all visits cancelled and prisoners confined to their cells whilst a deep search was carried out. This followed intelligence that a gun had been smuggled in to the prison.
In addition to the conditions, inmates were found housed in cells marred by mould and graffiti, further highlighting the need for urgent intervention. The government has formed a task force to address repairs, with funding applications for larger repairs set to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in the coming months.
The report revealed another grim finding:
since the last inspection, incidents of self-harm within the prison have surged by a staggering 84%. In 2012 the prison had the highest rate of suicide of all prisons in the UK, but this has since dropped.
There are calls to prioritise the safety, protection and numbers of prison staff before spending any public money on impoving the comfort of prisoners who are serving time as a punishment and are not at a holiday camp.
The secretary of state has 28 days to respond to the report’s findings.
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