HMP/YOI Chelmsford was doing a good job, but needed to make further improvements, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection of the Essex local jail.

HMP/YOI Chelmsford is a medium-sized prison holding just under 730 prisoners, a small number of whom are young adults. It has expanded in recent years from the original Victorian prison to incorporate a number of modern wings. As a local prison serving an Essex catchment, it has a clearly defined role and is connected to the community it serves. Its last inspection in 2011 showed evident improvements. This inspection found a prison that continued to provide mostly reasonable outcomes despite the challenges it faced.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• the atmosphere was settled and calm and most prisoners said they felt safe;
• initiatives to reduce violence and bullying were effective;
• prisoners with complex needs who were at risk of self-harm were identified and well supported;
• the clinical management of substance misuse and interventions to reduce demand were sophisticated and comprehensive;
• staff supervision of the segregation unit was good with high levels of care, although the living conditions were poor;
• the quality of relationships between staff and prisoners was excellent;
• the number of prisoners who were successfully completing qualifications was satisfactory and improving;
• offender assessments were up to date and completed to a good standard, and offender supervisors gave regular support to prisoners, who were engaged with the preparation of their sentence plans; and
• resettlement needs were well identified and public protection work was robust.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

• tragically, since the last inspection, seven prisoners had taken their own lives and there remained high levels of self-harm;
• first night accommodation was in a poor condition;
• the first night centre held existing and problematic prisoners, which was a potential distraction when managing the risks associated with new arrivals;
• they were not assured that all uses of special accommodation or planned interventions with force were properly supervised;
• the promotion of equality had lapsed; and
• the range of education opportunities was narrow and there were too few activity places.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Overall Chelmsford was a decent prison doing a good job. The prison was well led, operated on the basis of good quality relationships and communication, and was well connected to the community it served. The prison had a clear role and many of the fundamentals were right. However, there was much work to do, not least in ensuring an improved regime; but in the better promotion of equality and, significantly, in ensuring improved safety outcomes. The prison was addressing most of these issues in a measured and sensible way, seeking to identify priorities, and ensuring incremental, and what will hopefully be sustainable, improvement.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Read the report.
2. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment, and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
3. HMP/YOI Chelmsford is a category B local male prison and young offender institution.
4. This unannounced inspection was carried out from 27 May – 6 June 2014.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview.