Design and staffing problems hit security, morale and rehabilitation at new, G4S-run private prison

Errors by the Ministry of Justice and by security firm G4S have resulted in a new prison suffering serious problems in its opening year, a report from the prison’s independent monitoring board (IMB) has revealed.


By CivilServiceWorld

16 Aug 2013

Oakwood prison near Wolverhampton experienced a series of knock-on problems caused by poor design and staffing issues.

The design and construction process, handled by MoJ, suffered delays: building firms Balfour Beattie and Kier are not expected to finish their work until later this year. And though the prison was purpose-built, the IMB says that a lack of space has limited its ability to offer training and rehabilitation for offenders.

While prison director John McLaughlin has talked about the importance of getting prisoners working, the report describes “unrest” among inmates who are being locked in their cells from 9am because they haven’t been allocated a job to do.

The IMB said the first year has been characterised by “many challenges, prisoners testing the systems, testing the staff, challenging authority and taking advantage of weaknesses in the service provided”.

A high rate of staff illness created serious problems in the Offender Management Unit, which had to be manned by admin staff and probation officers because offender supervisors had to cover for guards off sick.

Prisoners’ health was also a focus for concern – the IMB called on justice secretary Chris Grayling to look into the withdrawal of a 48-hour target for seeing a doctor – and the report complains that passers-by are able to throw drugs into the yard.

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