14/05/2013

Report Critical Of Regime At Privately Run Prison

A one-year-old privately run prison in southeast London has been criticised over the level of violence and its restricted regime.

A report from the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, Nick Hardwick, said that Thameside jail was effectively in lock down for the majority of its first year, according to the BBC.

Some of the reports finding include “high” levels of assault, with prisoners lacking “confidence in an inexperienced staff group to deal with violence". The overall prison regime was described as

was "one of the most restricted inspectors had ever seen", with 60% of prisoners locked up during the working day and some spending 23 hours a day in their cells.

The report did also highlight some positive findings at the Serco Home Affairs run jail, with prisoners at risk of self-harm “reasonably well cared for”, and “excellent” accommodation throughout the prison.

(MH/CD)


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