HMP Pentonville – entrenched problems continue in troubled jail
Historic HMP Pentonville has received a series of poor inspection results over the last 10 years. This inspection found that recent progress will be very difficult to maintain while this ’Victorian relic’ continues to be plagued by overcrowding and poor living conditions.
It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Pentonville cannot safely and decently care for its current population, as illustrated, for example, by the high number of prisoners with mental health needs who could not get prompt appointments, and the wholly inadequate access to purposeful activity.
Violence had decreased since the last inspection, and leaders had better oversight of aspects of safety such as violence and use of force. There was some useful work with young adults who showed problematic behaviour. However, 40% of prisoners surveyed said they currently felt unsafe, over half said they had been victimised by staff, and the amount of illicit drugs in the prison was a major threat. There had been seven self-inflicted deaths since the last full inspection, and support for those at risk of suicide and self-harm was not good enough.
Prisoners were spending far too long behind their doors, and Mr Taylor commented that violence reduction was only part of what made a jail safe: “an institution that promotes safety is also one that considers the impact of lengthy periods of lock-up on mental health and on prisoners’ chances of being released into society with the skills that might help them to stay out of trouble.”
There were enough activity places for all prisoners, but the restricted regime limited opportunities for education, skills, and work and many prisoners became demotivated and disengaged because they could not access their preferred course.
Despite the prison’s many challenges, prison leaders were committed to making improvements. In some respects, leaders were taking the prison in the right direction, for example in an ambitious long-term plan for a new unit for the support of neurodivergent prisoners. Leaders had also attempted to change the staff culture. However, many of these efforts were not yet or not at all affecting prisoner outcomes, which reflected the much larger problems posed by the crumbling and overcrowded jail.
Mr Taylor concluded:
“If the prison is to make further progress, national leaders need to accept the limitations of an establishment that has to work harder than most to battle through its entrenched problems.”
Notes to editors
- Read the Pentonville report, published on 18 October 2022.
- 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.
- HMP Pentonville is a local category B resettlement prison for remand and convicted male prisoners aged 18 and over.
- At the time of this inspection, the prison held 1,111 prisoners.
- Inspectors identified five examples of notable positive practice during this inspection.
- This inspection took place between 4–5 and 11–14 July 2022.
- Please email media@hmiprisons.gov.uk if you would like more information.