Read the report: HMP Full Sutton

HMP Full Sutton, a high security men’s prison near York holding many prisoners convicted of very serious offences, was found to be performing well, with inspectors from HM Inspectorate of Prisons awarding the highest possible grade for safety.

At the time of the inspection in February and March 2020, Full Sutton held around 560 prisoners. Over 80% were assessed as presenting a high or very high risk of harm to others, and nearly 60% were serving indeterminate sentences.

Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said that in 2016 Full Sutton had also been performing well, achieving grades of reasonably good in safety, respect and rehabilitation and release planning, and good for purposeful activity.

In 2020, the grades awarded for respect and rehabilitation and release planning remained the same, while safety improved to the highest grade, good. However, purposeful activity declined to not sufficiently good.

Mr Clarke said; “Full Sutton had the lowest levels of violence in the high security estate, with a comparatively small proportion of prisoners (22%) reporting to us that they felt unsafe at the time of the inspection.

“It was pleasing to see that the segregation unit had improved considerably since the time of the last inspection. The incentives and earned privileges scheme (IEP) was used in a way that did genuinely encourage good behaviour.”

However, prisoners suffering with mental health problems or who were disabled had more negative views of their treatment, including their safety, than other prisoners. The prison was urged to analyse and take action on these perceptions.

Inspectors were disappointed by the findings for purposeful activity. There were not enough work or activity places for the population, and allocation was too slow in some cases. Ofsted inspectors recognised that plans were in place to bring about improvements, but those had yet to materialise. Mr Clarke added: “The prison was very confident that its plans would come to fruition quite quickly, and said they would be encouraging Ofsted for an early re-appraisal of progress.”

Public protection work was generally robust, an important finding given the high risk posed by so many of Full Sutton’s prisoners, though inspectors were disappointed that around 40% of prisoners did not have an up-to-date assessment (OASys) of their risks and needs. Mr Clarke commented: “In a prison such as this, with many prisoners serving very long sentences, it is obviously important that they should feel that their needs have been recognised and that there is an opportunity to make progress.”

Inspectors assessed that more could be done to help prisoners maintain meaningful contact with families and friends but, “on a very positive note”, they identified as good practice the way psychology staff were well integrated across the prison.

Overall, Mr Clarke said:

“Full Sutton is a prison that performs its important function well. It is fundamentally a safe and decent establishment, benefitting from energetic leadership and a staff group who interact well with the prisoners in their charge. If the plans that are now in place to improve the provision of education, skills and work bear fruit, and a few key issues in other areas are addressed, there is no reason why Full Sutton could not aspire to be one of the best performing prisons in the country.”

Phil Copple, Director General of Prisons, said:

“The Governor and staff deserve real credit for creating a safe, well run establishment with low levels of violence and I’m grateful for all of their hard work. We’ve already increased the number of drug tests and are introducing new classes and qualifications so offenders can focus on turning their lives around.”

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Notes to editors

1. The report, published on 11 June 2020, can be found on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website.

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 Full Sutton opened in 1987 and is a high security dispersal establishment, which is part of the newly formed long-term and high security estate directorate, housing a complex prisoner population. The population predominantly compromises indeterminate sentence prisoners and a substantial number of longer sentenced determinate prisoners who have category A or B status.

4. HM Inspectorate of Prisons assesses adult prisons against four ‘healthy prison tests’ – safety, respect, purposeful activity and rehabilitation and release planning. There are four grades – good (4), reasonably good (3), not sufficiently good (2) and poor (1). In 2016 Full Sutton scored 3-3-4-3. In 2020 it scored 4-3-2-3.

5. Notable features from this inspection: 59% of the population were serving indeterminate sentences; more than a fifth of the population (22%) had category A security status; 83% were as assessed as presenting a high or very high risk of harm; 98% of prisoners were subject to multi-agency public protection arrangements; prison data showed 44% of the population had a disability; and the supporting transition and enabling progression (STEP) unit, a national resource, accommodated a small number of long-term segregated prisoners.

6. This unannounced inspection took place between 24 February and 6 March 2020.

7. Please contact John Steele at HM Inspectorate of Prisons on 07880 787452, or at john.steele@justice.gov.uk, if you would like more information.