Gangs taking control of jails amid shortage of prison staff

STAFF shortages in jails have left a “vacuum” allowing organised crime gangs to take over the running of some prisons and sell illegal drugs, the former chief inspector has warned.

Prof Nick Hardwick said a lack of experienced officers had allowed inmates to take control of day-to-day aspects of some jails.

This had boosted the trade in illegal drugs, he said, pointing to jails in Scotland where staffing levels were higher and drug problems were less serious.

He said: “I’m quite sure that in some prisons the absence of experienced staff has left a vacuum that organised crime has filled.

“What’s certainly happened in some prisons is an alternative structure has developed where prisoners are running too much of what is happening.”

Prof Hardwick, who was sacked as chief of the Parole Board, told the Justice select committee that prisons were struggling to retain staff amid surging levels of violence.

“You get punched,” he said. “Why would you turn up to work with these levels of violence? You can earn more money in comparable or less stressful jobs close by.”