- Urgent repairs and renovations to improve the prison
- Extra staff and improved training to tackle violence and boost safety
- Repaired CCTV system and new prison-wide drug strategy to bolster security
Extra specialist staff, urgent repairs to cells and CCTV cameras and renewed safety training will be carried out urgently at HMP Winchester, following concerns raised last month by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.
The jail received an Urgent Notification in October, with inspectors finding high levels of violence, poor living conditions, and inadequate support for prisoners, including issues with drugs and self-harm.
The Prison Service has now published a new action plan to bolster safety and conditions at the prison. This includes more frequent cleaning schedules and urgent repairs to cells damaged by mould and vandalism. Meanwhile, a rapid audit of cells has removed nine from use, ensuring all accommodation is fit for purpose.
The prison will also boost security by completing a comprehensive survey of its CCTV systems by the end of this month to ensure they are operating effectively. In addition, a new drug strategy will be rolled out to tackle the high number of illicit drugs entering the jail and help more offenders beat addiction.
Additional staff will also be deployed to help reduce violence and improve safety on the wings.
Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons and Probation, said
The dire situation at Winchester highlighted by the Chief Inspector is yet another symptom of the prison crisis we inherited.
We are supporting the prison and its staff who are working hard to deliver improvements in challenging circumstances. This action plan will ensure they have the support they need.
The report also highlighted only around a quarter of prisoners were offered a phone call when they arrived, with some men waiting weeks to have their telephone numbers approved. To address this, all new prisoners will be offered a telephone call within their first 24 hours, and systems will be improved to ensure calls can be made to families outside normal business hours. This will help offenders maintain communication with their loved ones, which is crucial to their rehabilitation.
Extra staff have also been deployed to increase prisoners’ time out of cells and improve access to the education and training they need to turn their backs on crime.
There have now been 5 prisons across England and Wales that have received Urgent Notifications from HM Inspectorate of Prisons over the last 12 months. The government is tackling the crisis it inherited and has already taken action to reduce overcrowding that is contributing to violence, pressure on staff and a decline in education and training.
