HMP Grendon offered excellent opportunities to the men it held to
understand and address their offending behaviour, said Peter
Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the
report of an unannounced inspection of the training prison in
Buckinghamshire.
HMP Grendon holds just over 200 men, all of whom are serving long
sentences. All were at the prison to undertake accredited therapy
in one of five democratic therapeutic communities (TCs). Grendon
is one of only two prisons
in England and Wales dedicated specifically
to this type of work. TCs provide prisoners with a range of
therapy so they can understand and address their offending
behaviour and live in a collaborative setting with their peers
and staff. Prisoners are given a say in the day-to-day running of
the jail, which aims to equip them with greater insight into
their own behaviour and instil in them a greater sense of
responsibility. This happens within the usual security
imperatives of a category B prison. At its last inspection in
2013, inspectors described a safe, decent prison with an
excellent focus on therapy but with some improvement needed on
the provision of training and education.
Inspectors were pleased to find that:
- most men reported feeling safe and secure and far fewer men
than at the last inspection felt victimised by staff;
- violent incidents remained infrequent, the prison operated
without a segregation unit and very few men were required to move
to other jails for security or disciplinary reasons;
- although the physical fabric of the prison was shabby, men
showed respect towards their living environment and staff made
efforts to ensure they had the wherewithal to live
decently;
- relationships between staff and prisoners and among prisoners
and their peers were excellent and underpinned much that was
positive about Grendon;
- therapy was the main purposeful activity and consumed a
significant proportion of the day;
- time out of cell was excellent, a range of activities were
offered and work, skills and learning provision had improved; and
- the whole prison was focused on providing a rehabilitative
culture and environment.
Inspectors found, however, that the automated night sanitation
system was outdated and presented real challenges.
Peter Clarke said:
“The
strong picture we reported at our previous inspection had been
enhanced, and outcomes were even better. Nearly all
recommendations we made previously had been achieved, or
significant progress made in doing so. Many men at the prison
recognised the benefits of the opportunities offered and how they
would help them live offending-free lives in the future. This was
in no small part down to the strong, principled and focused
leadership of the prison, which provided more junior staff and
prisoners with role models, exemplifying the positive behaviour
and thinking expected of them. Not every prison can or needs to
be a therapeutic community, but the values, principles and
practice seen at Grendon could provide positive lessons and
inspiration for other prisons. HM Prison and Probation Service
should ensure this example is shared more widely for the benefits
of others.”
Michael Spurr, Chief Executive of HM Prison & Probation
Service, said:
“HMP Grendon continues to provide a safe and supportive
environment for men, allowing them to participate in the
therapeutic process, which is vital to successful rehabilitation.
The positive relationships noted by the Inspectorate are
testament to the hard work of the prison’s dedicated staff and
the strong leadership of senior management at the prison.”
- ENDS -
Notes to editors:
- A copy of the full report, published on 14 September 2017,
can be found on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website
at: www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons
- 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 Grendon is a category B training prison. It provides
group therapy and structured community living in which prisoners
are encouraged to have shared responsibility for day-to-day
decision-making and problem-solving.
- This unannounced inspection took place from 8-18 May
2017.
