'Tsunami' of drugs in Manchester prison - inspectors
A report has found inexperienced officers struggled to deal with high levels of drugs and violence at HMP Hindley
Last updated 12th Mar 2024
A report has found a "tsunami" of drugs inside a prison in Greater Manchester, which houses 600 prisoners near Wigan.
More than half (52%) were using at the time of the inspection, while there were also high levels of self-harm among prisoners.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons also found serious staffing problems at HMP Hindley, and many officers were living a year into their employment.
However, the report said despite the criticism, there was "no sense of helplessness at the prison" and some "very good" offending behaviour and resettlement work was taking place.
Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “This is a worrying report.
"Hindley is supposed to be a training prison, helping people to move on from crime and prepare for the future, but instead we see hundreds of men locked inside their cells while drug use, violence and self-harm are rife."
“Drugs are a destructive force in prisons.
"The best way to reduce their supply is to reduce the demand for them in the first place and the government’s own Prison Drugs Strategy recognises that many people use drugs to relieve boredom and to provide temporary respite from depression and anxiety.
"This prison needs enough staff on duty to get men out of their cells and into exercise, education, work and training.”
We've asked the prison for a statement.