Three prisons holding 2,500 men convicted of sexual
offences were found by HM Inspectorate of Prisons to have taken
swift action, based on clear planning, to manage the COVID-19
pandemic at the start of the lockdown.
Information about COVID-19 and its impact on the daily
regime was well communicated to the prisoners and inspectors who
visited on 2 June found all three sites – HMP Littlehey, HMP Rye
Hill and HMP Stafford – to have remained calm, well ordered and
safe.
However, the visit took place ten weeks into the lockdown
and inspectors also found that prisoners were frustrated with the
continued extreme restrictions, which meant 23 hours a day locked
in cells for most prisoners.
Peter Clarke, HM Inspectorate of Prisons, said that the age
and disability profile at all three prisons heightened the risks
associated with contracting the virus. Stafford and Rye Hill
selected prisoners who were in a very high-risk category due to
their age or serious underlying conditions – around 10% of their
populations – and put systems in place to shield them from the
virus.
Littlehey had been declared an official outbreak site in
March. Three prisoners had died from COVID-19-related illnesses
and there was a spike in the number of prisoners and staff
testing positive for the virus. The prison took swift action to
control the spread of the virus, Mr Clarke said, and “in a
relatively short period of time the prison, in conjunction with
health specialists, managed to bring infection rates down to a
low and manageable level, which was commendable.” Mr Clarke
added, however, that improvement in the severe regime at
Littlehey was slow.
Prisoners at Stafford, and the vast majority at Rye Hill,
could shower every day and most prisoners had daily access to
telephones and exercise. At both sites, there was little
difference between provision for shielding and non-shielding
prisoners. In contrast, neither group at Littlehey was unlocked
every day and the regime was particularly harsh for some
shielding prisoners who could go up to 72 hours without access to
showers, phone calls and exercise.
Cleaning across the sites was good and prisoners and
inspectors noted positive relationships between staff and
prisoners. However, while the prisons had retained roles in key
areas of work such as kitchens and cleaning, most prisoners
remained locked up during the day. They were provided with
activity packs and workbooks to help pass the time. Rye Hill had
been particularly innovative with an information channel to
provide stimulation and entertainment and Stafford continued to
offer PE in the open air at least once a week. However, classroom
education had ceased and there had been a disappointing response
to marking in-cell work books.
As in all other prisons, visits had ceased and prisoners
had not seen their family and friends for nearly three months. Mr
Clarke added that it was reassuring that appropriate public
protection measures had been maintained, “given the serious
nature of the offenders held at the three sites.”
Overall, Mr Clarke said:
“Prisons of this type typically house a compliant
population and this had remained the case throughout lockdown.
However, it was clear that prisoners were becoming more
frustrated by the restrictions in place and the impact they were
having on their mental health, their families and their ability
to progress. While this report highlights some successes in
keeping the prison population safe during the pandemic, it also
points to some of the negative and unintended consequences of
continuous restriction and demonstrates the need to take steps to
restore a safe, more reasonable and purposeful regime as soon as
possible.”
- End
-
Notes to
editors
1. A copy of the full report,
published on 22 June 2020, can be found on the HM Inspectorate of
Prisons website at: www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/
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. Our methodology for short scrutiny
visits (SVVs) to men’s prisons during the COVID-19 period is
explained here - https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/03/Short-scrutiny-visit-briefing-document-for-website-1.pdf
4. HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire, HMP
Rye Hill in Warwickshire and HMP Stafford all hold adult
prisoners convicted of sexual offences. At the time of our visits
the combined number of prisoners held in the three prisons was
over 2,500: Littlehey held 1,161, Rye Hill 657 and Stafford 711
prisoners.
5. The report identifies eight examples
of notable positive practice.
6. These announced short scrutiny visits
took place on 2 June 2020.
