HMP/YOI Hatfield had come through change and uncertainty and was now confidently establishing its priorities and showing significant improvement, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the report of an unannounced inspection of the open prison in South Yorkshire.

HMP/YOI Hatfield had in recent years been part of the South Yorkshire cluster of prisons and managed collaboratively alongside HMPs Moorland and Lindholme. At the conclusion of a failed market test in late 2013, the prison was retained in the public sector and since April 2015 has been re-established as a separate institution. The prison holds about 270 category D adult male prisoners and is on two sites – the original Hatfield site and a new addition, a disused section of neighbouring HMP Lindholme, now referred to as the Lakes Unit. Hatfield achieved inspectors’ highest assessment across all four tests of a healthy prison – safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• there had been really good work to develop the Lakes Unit as an effective reception/induction facility and nearly all prisoners said they felt safe on their first night;
• there was little violence or self-harm, security was applied proportionately and illicit drug use appeared low;
• the environment at both sites was generally very good and living conditions and access to amenities had improved;
• relationships between staff and prisoners were excellent;
• prisoners had good access to an open prison regime;
• the provision of work, training and education was focused, well planned and coherent and assessed as outstanding by Ofsted;
• excellent partnerships with local employers were providing high quality training, employment and progression opportunities in paid and unpaid roles;
• teachers and managers had high expectations of prisoners;
• although the prison’s approach to resettlement would have benefited from better coordination and greater attention given to offender management work, all prisoners had an allocated offender supervisor and most risk assessments were of good quality; and
• there was good partnership working between the prison, education providers, the National Careers Service and the community rehabilitation company.

Inspectors were, however, concerned to find that there was some evidence concerning the diversion of prescribed medication and the emergence of new psychoactive substances.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Hatfield was a very good prison. It was well led and had a clear vision of what it was trying to achieve. Change and new initiatives were thought through and planned well, and there was a competence about the way new work was delivered. Prisoners were treated with respect, risk was managed properly and proportionately and prisoners had an incentive to invest in what they could achieve for themselves and their futures. The governor and his team deserve credit for their work in developing this effective prison.”

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service, said:

“As the Chief Inspector has found, Hatfield is a safe and well-run prison, where prisoners are being given excellent support to turn their lives around upon release.

“The Governor and his staff deserve huge credit for their crucial role in rehabilitating offenders, including providing high quality education, training and employment opportunities.

“Staff will now use this report to build on the successes and achieve further 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 Hatfield is an open resettlement prison for men.
4. This unannounced inspection was carried out from 10-21 August 2015.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons at HMI Prisons press office on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview.