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…out improving the jail. HMIP recommended that the prison should tackle its drugs problem as a priority. Safety in the prison was not good enough, Mr Clarke said. ‘Much of the violence and bullying… was, in our view, linked to a significant drug problem, and yet the prison lacked an effective drug strategy. Work to confront and reduce violence was weak and uncoordinated, and staff confidence and competence in ensuring reasonable challenge and super…

Published: 07 November 2017

…s of prisoners being used as so-called ‘spice pigs’ to test new batches of drugs; debts are sometimes enforced on prisoners’ friends or cell mates in prison, or their friends and families outside; and drug misuse damages rehabilitation. Individual prisons need a whole-prison response to drug misuse based on a thorough needs analysis. A whole-prison approach will include measures to reduce supply and measures to reduce demand through effective trea…

Published: 18 December 2015

…ow take on board the recommendations of the report, including those around drugs, and look at how further to improve. ‘We are committed to tackling the issue of illicit drugs across the estate and will continue to work with the police and other authorities on prevention strategies.’ Notes to editors: View a copy of the report. (386 kB) HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions…

Published: 21 August 2012

…ent.” However, the use of technology to scan mail as a potential source of drugs was “a useful initiative” and the availability of drugs had reduced in recent months. The amount of self-harm in the prison had increased significantly and, since 2015, two prisoners had taken their own lives. Most prisoners had “quite good” time out of cell but outcomes in education, skills and work had deteriorated. Mr Clarke said: “The range of provision was dimini…

Published: 08 January 2019

…of illicit drugs was a key concern for inspectors. Evidence suggested that drugs were too easily available and the prison needed to do more to stem the flow. The proportion of prisoners who said they had developed a drug problem while at Drake Hall had increased since 2016 and was higher than in similar prisons. However, the proportion of self-harm incidents was lower than inspectors have seen in similar prisons and the care provided was good. Pro…

Published: 22 May 2020

…rs who were vulnerable and being victimised or bullied by other prisoners; drugs and alcohol were easily available here too, and action to address this was poorly co-ordinated; prisoners from black and minority ethnic groups reported more negatively than white prisoners, there was little help for foreign national prisoners and the needs of prisoners with disabilities were not identified or met; prisoners did not have confidence in formal processes…

Published: 18 June 2013

…needed the kind of security equipment seen in many other prisons to tackle drugs, including an ion detector to test incoming mail for illicit items. In the Inspectorate survey 32% of prisoners said it was easy to get illicit drugs. “In addition,” Mr Clarke said, “it was clear that the closure notice had affected staff morale. This was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. In our survey, 55% of staff who responded to it said that morale had declined…

Published: 03 November 2020

…me good work had been done to understand and address the issues related to drugs; security was rigorous, which was justified, but despite this, the units were largely calm; care for prisoners deemed vulnerable to self-harm was good; a new provider of substance misuse and health services had recently started, resulting in better integration of these services, though challenges remained; drug workers maintained a service in local courts which ensure…

Published: 29 May 2015