Prison 'like third world'

10:58am Thursday 8th May 2008

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CONDITIONS in some parts of Erlestoke Prison, near Devizes, are more third world than modern Britain, according to an independent report published this week.

The report of the independent monitoring group, formerly the prison's board of visitors, lambasts the Government for lack of investment in the prison system in general, which has led to problems at Wiltshire's only jail.

The report, which covers the period up to October last year, says: "Erlestoke is regarded as a good prison by many prisoners, but management and staff face a major challenge in maintaining this standard on a daily basis.

"Official expectations of this prison have not been matched by the provision of corresponding resources and the problems besetting the Prison Service as a whole have made matters worse."

The report refers to overstretched staff, inadequate funding for the maintenance of the buildings, increased security challenges by a more difficult prison population and a higher incidence of illegal drug and mobile phone use.

Wren Unit, which houses around 100 prisoners, is singled out for criticism. It has been condemned by both the monitoring group and HM Inspector of Prisons on a number of occasions over the last few years but nothing has been done as funding is not available to do more than patching work.

Plaster is coming away from walls and ceilings, it is stifling in summer and freezing in winter. Simon Petchey, chairman of the monitoring board, said: "Wren unit should be torn down and completely rebuilt.

"It is the unit that takes in new prisoners and it creates completely the wrong atmosphere. They are later moved on to more modern, pleasant units, but first impressions will stay with them.

"The place is tatty, grubby and not fit for purpose.

"A key issue is that the Prison Service are so busy building new units, they are not spending money on replacing or maintaining the existing stock."

Mr Petchey said members of the board were also concerned about drugs in the prison and the widespread use of illegal mobile phones to deal in drugs.

He said: "Every prison has a drugs problem but Erlestoke was the third worst in the country in a recent survey.

"We see this as a consequence of staff being overstretched."

The report concludes: "It is certainly the case that other prisons have equally squalid accommodation wings, but it is long overdue for the Government, through the Justice Ministry, to seriously address these issues, which are more third world than modern Britain."

The report notes that, while the prison is on the face of it up to strength as far as the number of officers is concerned, staff are stretched because of other officers taking lieu time and some on long-term sick leave.

It goes on: "Most of the issues raised in this report are as a direct consequence of the overstretch in the Prison Service after years of unrealistic planning, insufficient investment and repeated annual budget cuts in real terms.

"The board has been dismayed to learn that the budget for Erlestoke for 2008/09 is to be cut by a further half of one per cent.

"This, combined with 2.5 per cent inflation, effectively imposes a three per cent cut in real terms."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said Ministers will comment on the report when they have had a chance to consider it.