This Report on the administration, effectiveness and problems of HMP Leicester based on the Report of unannounced full follow-up inspection during 21st to 23rd of August 2006.
HMP LEICESTER
Report on unannounced inspection
21-23 august 2006
STUDENT REF:
000 WORDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
. BACKGROUND 3
1.1. The Aim of the Report 3
2. INTRODUCTION 4
2.1. Location 4
2.2. Reception criteria and operational capacity 4
3. MAIN BODY 5
3.1 Building and accommodations 5
3.2 Education 5
3.3 Employment 5
3.4 Healthcare 6
3.5 Gymnasiums and Sports 6
3.6 Chaplaincy 6
3.7 Catering 7
3.8 Bullying and safer custody 7
4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONS 7
5. CONCLUSION 8
6. REFERENCES 10
. BACKGROUND
.1 The aim of Report
The Report present administration, effectiveness and problems of HMP Leicester based on the Report of unannounced full follow-up inspection during 21st to 23rd of August 2006. At the time of inspection prison was operating under the acute pressure caused by a record national prison population of 79.200. It is clear from the report that strains were showing. Of particular concern was the approach to suicide and self-harming, given that the prison had experienced nine deaths in custody over the previous 28 months, seven of them apparently self-inflicted.
In this report we will have a look on assessment and plans, which have been successfully completed, and those which are unacceptable, need urgently to be improved.
2. INTRODUCTION
.1 Location
HMP Leicester is a small, old, inner-city local prison, situated in a commercial and residential district about half a mile from the city centre, on Welford Road, in the Southfields area. It is immediately north of Nelson Mandela Park (formerly Welford Road Recreation Ground). The prison was designed by William Parsons and resembles a castle more than a prison. The Gatehouse is the oldest part, built in 1825. Further construction took place in 1874 and filled the bulk of the space within the secure perimeter. In 1990 a new visits and administration block was built adjoining the Gatehouse.
.2 Reception criteria and operational capacity
HMP Leicester operates as a local prison for adult males, is a category B prison that takes offenders of all crimes. It is a local prison, receiving prisoners directly from court on remand, or newly sentenced prisoners. It was originally intended for 199 prisoners, but according to the prison service, it had a capacity of 385 as of 31st January 2006. 80% of Leicester's inmates are local to Leicestershire and Rutland, serving sentences from 14 days to life. It only houses men over the age of 21. In 2001 it hit headlines as a 'failing prison' and David ...
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HMP Leicester operates as a local prison for adult males, is a category B prison that takes offenders of all crimes. It is a local prison, receiving prisoners directly from court on remand, or newly sentenced prisoners. It was originally intended for 199 prisoners, but according to the prison service, it had a capacity of 385 as of 31st January 2006. 80% of Leicester's inmates are local to Leicestershire and Rutland, serving sentences from 14 days to life. It only houses men over the age of 21. In 2001 it hit headlines as a 'failing prison' and David Ramsbotham1 declared that it should be shut down.
3. MAIN BODY
3.1 Building and accommodations.
The main living accommodation at Leicester is a long rectangular cell block with four landings. It has full integral sanitation and electricity is currently being installed in all living units. However most cells in HMP Leicester have 2 occupants, some have been converted into dormitories. The Prison Reform League described it in 2004 as one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country. It was originally intended for 199 prisoners, but according to the prison service, it had a capacity of 385 as of 31st January 2006.
The reception building had been cleaned and was much tidier, since the previous inspection. Information about the prison was displayed. Reception staff was relaxed and reasonably informal with new arrivals. The room for initial medical screening was the dirtiest in the area, had substantial graffiti and needed redecoration.
3.2 Education
The Learning and Skills accommodation has recently been developed and configured, now comprising six classrooms within the first two stories of a three story building, with space for 80 learners in vocational and foundation subjects. However there was no vocational work and only some of the prisoners could access education. Systems to monitor and truck learners progress should be developed and implemented, also outreach education provision should be broadened to reach all prisoner activity areas.
3.3 Employment
Employment centres on the Contract Services Shop, Kitchen, Domestic Cleaners and Works. Chief inspector recommended more challenging work, which should be provided for prisoners who remain in Leicester long enough to acquire skills. Up to 70 prisoners were employed in the kitchen, as orderlies or in domestic work but prisoners could not archive industry recognised qualifications in this area.
3.4 Healthcare
There is a purpose built Healthcare Unit, staffed by a full time SMO and a part time GP. Dental and Optician treatments are one session each per week. There are also four visiting Psychiatrists, each giving one session per week.
Healthcare had deteriorated since the last inspection, and was well below the standard the team expected to find. The management of health services was in a state of flux. Clinical governance arrangements were weak, clinical supervision was non-existent and the department was overseen by a governor grade who had no previous healthcare experience.
3.5 Gymnasium and Sports
PE facilities are limited, the gymnasium being a converted workshop. An outdoor sports area was built in 1999 on an old secure exercise yard. There is a full PE programme including weekends, but there is still no sports hall, and the outdoor - only usable in summer- has been taken over for monitoring exercise period, which limited access by PE Department Gym staff said that about 35 % of prisoners regularly used the gym. Area required further developments.
3.6 Chaplaincy
There is a full time CE chaplain. There are part time RC, Methodist, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jehovah's Witness, Hindu and Jewish Ministers. The chapel is located on the top level of the Education / Association building. A united service is held on Sunday mornings for VPU prisoners separately, followed by the CE service. Hindu meetings are held on Mondays. Sikh Worship is held on Tuesdays. RC Mass is held on Thursdays. Muslim Prayers are held on Fridays. Chaplaincy team was pro-active and well known to prisoners.
3.7 Catering
There is a new kitchen staffed by one catering manager, five caterers and a prisoner work party of seventeen. A five-week menu cycle is in operation. Pre-selection is limited due to the high turnover. Food is very good in terms of both presentation and taste.
3.8 Bullying and safer custody
Suicide and self-harm was a particular concern. HMP Leicester had experienced nine deaths in custody over the previous 28 months, seven of them apparently self-inflicted. Three recent deaths have occurred during the early days of custody. The timescale for implementing recommendations from inquiries into these deaths was unacceptably long and the operation of the new assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) process for supporting those at risk of self-harm was not effectively managed. None of the recommendations about the operation of the segregation unit had been implemented. It was recommended that the suicide and anti-bullying strategy should be reviewed following a prisoner survey. Also an annual anti-bullying survey should be carried out.
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4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Children's play area and child minding facilities are available in visits room. There are baby changing facilities outside of visits room. Also we need to add that disabled access is good.
5. CONCLUSION
Leicester prison shows some problems faced by an overcrowded and stretched prison system. Leicester had not improved against two of four healthy prison tests and had in fact deteriorated against the other two. There are numbers of recommendations regarded to different areas. Some of them can be classifies as follow:
* Regarding arrival in custody - prisoners dirty clothing should be washed before being put into storage.
* Residential units - smokers and non-smokers should not be made to share cells against their wishes, and prisoners should be provided with lockable lockers so that they can secure their in-possession items of property.
* Bullying and safer custody - all potential bullying incidents should be fully investigated and there should be structured interventions, such as those provided in other establishments, to support both bullies and victims.
* Race relations - a multidisciplinary team should review the cell sharing risk assessment of prisoners highlighted as potentially racist, moreover the race relations management team and how to submit a racist incident report form should be permanently displayed on notice boards.
* Applications and complaints - all replies to complaint forms should be legible and courteous.
* Healthcare - a chronic disease register should be established, record keeping should be improved and also there should be clear clinical and professional leadership of the prison's health services.
* Education, work and library provision - more challenging work should be provided for prisoners who remain in Leicester long enough to acquire skills.
* Management of resettlement - the membership of the offender management policy meeting should be broadened to include professional staff developing services within the establishment, as well as relevant senior managers based in the community.
* Catering - prisoners working in the kitchen should receive training for the basic food hygiene certificate.
Overall the report was quite disappointing. It is not a prison with a negative culture, nerveless, some of the deficits, particularly in safety are unacceptable, and need urgently to be improved.
6. REFERENCES
HMP Leicester, Report on an unannounced inspection 21-23 August 2006, Publication 29th November 2006
Jewkes Y. and Johnston H (2006), Prison Readings, A critical introduction to prison and imprisonment, Willan Publishing, University of Hull
Towl G., Snow L., McHugh M., Narey M. (2002), Suicide in Prison, Blackwell Publishing, Oxfordshire
Ives G. (2003), History of Penal Methods: Criminals, Witches, Lunatics, Kessinger Publishing, London
www.wikipedia.com
www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk
Ramsbotham became HM chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales in 1995 -2001. He was made Crossbench peer in 2005. He is also the author of Prisongate, published in 2003.
