News / HMP Bristol
Report highlights ‘chronic failings’ at Bristol Prison
“Bleak, squalid” living conditions, high levels of violence and lack of care for vulnerable inmates at Bristol Prison have been uncovered in a damning report.
Peter Clarke from HM Inspectorate of Prisons has called for urgent government intervention to address “chronic and seemingly intractable failings” that, he says, have been evident at the Horfield men’s jail for the best part of a decade.
An unannounced inspection of the prison between May 20 and June 7 identified numerous significant concerns about the treatment and conditions of prisoners. This follows a series of damning reports, with the most recent inspection in 2017.
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Clarke reported that the facility failed to keep inmates safe, with two thirds saying they felt unsafe at some point during their stay, as levels of violence – much of it serious – increased.
The rate of self-harm had also risen and was found to be much higher than average for local prisons.
“An extraordinarily high number of prisoners – one in ten – were identified as being at risk of suicide and self-harm,” said Clarke, who assessed the care and case management processes as “unmanageable”.
He continued: “There was no effective strategy to reduce levels of self-harm and this was an indication of risk aversion rather than considered risk management. This was poor practice and potentially an impediment to care for those in crisis.
“We saw examples of very poor care for prisoners identified as being at risk of suicide and self-harm.
“We were extremely concerned to find that a hotline for the family and friends of those in crisis, to call and report their concerns, had not been checked by staff at all for the two weeks before the inspection.” He reported that when the line was checked, 21 voicemails requiring attention were found.
Conditions within the prison were described as “bleak and sometimes squalid”
The social care arrangements were deemed to be completely inadequate, leaving several prisoners with unmet care needs.
The prison’s record in providing purposeful activity for the men held there, including training and education that may equip them to lead productive lives on release, was found to be equally poor.
The inspectorate’s report describes most accommodation as “bleak and grubby with too many overcrowded cells”.
The report states that of some 80 prisoners released from Bristol Prison every month, “a staggering 47 per cent” were released homeless or into temporary accommodation, which did little to enhance their chances of rehabilitation.
Clarke acknowledges there has been some improvements in staffing levels, tackling drug use and investment in the facility.
But he concludes: “These pockets of improvement, although welcome, are not sufficient to give me confidence that the prison’s chronic failures have been addressed.
“For instance, we were told that following the refurbishment of D wing, other wings would follow suit, but we were not shown evidence of any plans for ongoing investment, despite the poor and sometimes squalid living conditions we have reported for many years.”
He added: “While Bristol may not have reached the extreme lack of order and crisis seen in some prisons, it has demonstrably been in a state of drift and decline for many years.”
Clarke implemented the urgent notification protocol, which calls on the secretary of state to respond in public within 28 days with proposals for improvement measures at the prison.
Prisons minister Robert Buckland told the BBC that much more work is needed.
He said: “We have immediately addressed the issues around prisoner phone support lines to make sure those problems can never happen again, and will publish an action plan within 28 days to reduce violence and self-harm and help turn the prison around.”
Read more: Bristol Prison safety concerns amid rise in violent attacks on staff
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