Drugs 'severe threat to stability' of Doncaster prison
Inspectors have criticised a troubled prison near Doncaster for a drugs and violence problem.
Drugs, violence and understaffing - just some of the issues still affecting one of Doncaster's troubled prisons, according to inspectors.
Psychoactive substances (previously termed legal highs) are apparently posing a 'severe' threat to the stability of HMP Moorland - which holds 1000 prisoners just outside Doncaster.
The prison was inspected back in February - almost half of prisoners surveyed by inspectors said it was easy to get hold of drugs there.
Rob Preece is from the Howard League for Penal Reform - he told Hallam it's worrying:
"New psychoactive substances which are being taken to fill that void when people are lying idle on their bunks is a big concern as it's leading to an increasingly violent environment. In the 6 months prior to the inspection there were 77 assaults on prisoners, 70 fights and 27 assaults on staff."
"The way to tackle the problem of drugs in prisons is to give prisoners something meaningful to do. To give them work, education or training. If you don't have anything to do in prison you look for other ways of filling the time and unfortunately there will always be people prepared to fill that void with illicit substances."
Inspectors say a rise in violent incidents at the prison is also concerning - which were higher than at similar prisons.
HMP Moorland's had its fair share of problems over the last few years - there was big riot in at the prison back in 2010.
Three years ago there were also questions over its handling of sex offenders.
Inspectors say its progress is being held back by big drugs and violence problems.
Rob Preece agrees:
"This is a prison that's facing immense challenges and what this inspection report really shows is how the prison's struggling to deliver what it's there to do. I't there to provide purposeful activity for people in prison and unfortunately for one in three prisoners they're doing nothing all day."
"When people aren't being pushed to obtain new skills, education, training - all the things that might help them get a job on the outside - it increases the likelihood that when they're released they'll have nowhere to go, no way of finding money without resorting to crime once again."
The inspectors did identify some areas in which the prison is improving though - including care for prisoners at risk of suicide or self-harm and in the sex offender treatment programme.
Michael Spurr, Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service, said:
“I am pleased that the inspector has highlighted the real progress being made at Moorland in purposeful activity as well as successfully introducing and managing sex offenders. The prison is currently going through a challenging time of transitioning to its new role as a resettlement prison and is working to ensure prisoners are prepared for release.
“We are not complacent about safety and there is clearly more work to do to address levels of violence and tackle increasing availability of NPS at the prison. The Governor and staff have put measures in place to reduce the rise in drugs and I am confident the team will continue to build on the firm foundations in place to take this work forward.”