HMP Frankland staff provided a safe and decent environment for prisoners, with good opportunities for work, training and education, said Peter Clarke, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the report of an unannounced inspection of the high security prison near Durham.

Frankland is the largest high security dispersal prison in England. Most prisoners are serving long or indeterminate sentences for very serious offences. Just over a quarter are classified as category A prisoners and around half the population are vulnerable prisoners, kept separate because of the nature of their offence or other vulnerability. At its last inspection in 2012, the prison had sustained good progress. This more recent inspection found that progress had been maintained.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• prisoners felt as safe as those in other dispersal prisons and the systems to manage safety were generally sound;
• levels of violence were not high, although there had been a recent increase;
• prisoners in distress generally received good support;
• security arrangements were significant but proportionate to the risks that presented;
• the residential accommodation was clean and well-maintained;
• staff-prisoner relationships were mostly good;
• most prisoners had reasonable time out of cell and were engaged in work, training or education during most of the working day;
• the progress made in providing work, training and education was impressive;
• the prison continued to deliver offending behaviour programmes that met the needs of the population and the few prisoners released directly from Frankland received good resettlement support; and
• the Westgate unit provided intensive support to men with personality disorders and was an example of good practice.

Inspectors were, however, concerned to find that:

• the regime in the segregation unit was too restricted;
• the diversion of prescribed medication remained a significant problem, despite generally good support for men with substance misuse issues;
• further progress was needed in equality and diversity work;
• there were excessive delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities; and
• some offender supervisors no longer had the time to maintain regular contact with prisoners and there was a backlog of offender assessment reviews (OASys).

Peter Clarke said:

“The outcomes for prisoners at Frankland were reasonably good or better. Staff managed considerable ongoing risk every day, while maintaining a safe and respectful regime in which prisoners had good learning opportunities. The governor had established a business plan, ‘Moving forward with pride, principle and purpose’, which aimed to help staff understand the needs of the long-term population and develop a rehabilitative culture. The approach adopted was likely to help foster well-being and hopefulness, and to support prisoners’ levels of motivation throughout long sentences. These were essential for the population held and, therefore, from our point of view, very welcome initiatives.”

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

“I’m pleased that the very positive work being done at Frankland has been recognised in this report.  The prison holds a long-term population including some of the country’s most dangerous prisoners – but provides a humane, purposeful environment and manages risk proportionately and effectively.

“The challenges presented by prisoners held at Frankland are considerable but the rehabilitative approach helps provide purpose which helps reduce risk and ultimately protects the public.

“They will continue to build on their successes and build on the recommendations raised in the report”.

 

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 Frankland is a high security prison for category A and B convicted and category A remand prisoners.
4. This unannounced inspection was carried out from 22 February – 4 March 2016.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons in HM Inspectorate of Prisons press office on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview.