A DEERBOLT prison watchdog has warned about gangs, drugs, increasing levels of violence, attacks on officers and a shortage of staff.
Deerbolt Independent Monitoring Board has called for the government to take action to address growing concerns about the young offenders’ institution in Startforth.
The board said the increase in violence in recent months is a “cause for concern for the safety of staff and prisoners” .
The watchdog reports that overall, prisoners are treated fairly and humanely. But its report, which covers the period from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018, noted:
Prisoners who are sent to Deerbolt from across the country bring gang rivalries from different cities. Too many drugs get into the prison. Both these issues have led to more violence.
Staff numbers are tight and too many are young and inexperienced recruits
Too many prisoners stay locked up all day, even though Deerbolt has good facilities for education and training.
The report added: “Despite the introduction of body-worn cameras at Deerbolt during the past year, levels of violence and bullying have steadily risen as the year has progressed and at the time of writing, they are continuing to do so. The board believes this is an issue affecting many prisons which requires further action at national level beyond measures already announced.”
Gang rivalry-related incidents have continued despite the problem being repeatedly flagged up to the prison and probation service. It has also been requested that trouble-makers are transferred, the watchdog said.
Deerbolt accommodates up to 513 male prisoners aged 18 to 24. Prisoner numbers fluctuated during the year but have generally been between 50 and 100 below capacity.
The monitoring body’s report said: “There continue to be prisoners who have been victims of violence or bullying, who choose to isolate themselves because they fear for their own safety.
“The prison does continue to be alert to the contraband issue and continues to take action in an attempt to prevent drugs entering the prison. Such action includes all paper correspondence being photocopied in case of impregnation of psychoactive substances, replacement of outer cell windows, searching of prisoners on return from the exercise yard and supervision of all movements.”
The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) chairman John Stoney praised staff for their efforts despite them feeling constantly under pressure and at risk of attack.
He said: “The staff at Deerbolt are faced with a wide variety of challenging but often vulnerable young prisoners.
“The IMB volunteers visiting the prison observe many instances of staff treating vulnerable prisoners sensitively and challenging prisoners robustly.
“We marvel at the ability of many staff to switch their approach as required. But staffing numbers are extremely tight. Early retirement offered to long serving officers a few years ago means that a high proportion of the staff are inexperienced.
“This is made more difficult because the prison service now recruits mainly young people, rather than bringing in older people who bring valuable life experience and skills from other jobs. As IMB volunteers we are very concerned that too many prisoners stay all day in their cells.
“This is also basically down to staff shortage: courses and activities are too often cancelled due to lack of staff, and not many activities are offered for dangerous prisoners, because these require a higher staff to prisoner ratio.”
The monitoring board said its spot checks showed cells are generally fit for habitation and wings are kept clean and reasonably well decorated.
But it said progress in some areas highlighted in last year’s annual report has been limited or non-existent.
“Many cell windows are bent, broken or partially missing. We understand that the funding has been secured for replacement of the outdated windows by Mark 8 windows to be undertaken on all wings, but there is no sign of this happening. The board regards these matters as important enough to be treated as urgent. The new windows are an essential step in reducing the quantities of drugs getting into the prison,” the report said.
The Independent Monitoring Board has appealed for volunteers. Mr Storey said: “You need to want to help vulnerable young people in difficult circumstances and you must have time to spend about four half days per month at the prison. Our present team is both men and women and ages from the 20s to the 70s. To find out more and apply to join, visit the website www.imb.org.uk.”
