Jail crisis
PRISON SYSTEM ‘IS CLOSE TO COLLAPSE’:
THE Birmingham prison fiasco is the “tip of the iceberg” and the entire jail system is close to collapse, it was claimed last night.
Ministers stepped in to take over management of the privately run jail after a damning report said it had plunged into a “state of crisis”.
Last night union bosses and MPs warned it was not an isolated case and called for more funding to replace the 8,000 prison staff axed since 2010.
Even the lags agree. Former inmate John Graham said last night: “I’ve been in nine jails in Britain and Birmingham is by far the worst. It is crazy, it was easy to get any drugs you wanted and as for booze, it was like an off-licence.”
Steve Gillan, Prison Officers Association leader, writing in this paper, says: “Cuts have consequences and our prisons are in crisis. Birmingham is the tip of the iceberg.”
Peter Clarke, chief inspector of prisons, described “appalling” failings at the jail, which G4S has operated since 2011 and was the scene of a riot in 2016. He said it was the “worst prison” he had seen and added: “Surely somebody must have been asleep at the wheel.”
Outside the jail yesterday, one inmate released from a six-week sentence said: “It’s fair to say most prisoners are terrified but the screws are even more terrified. I’m surprised it has taken so long for the inspectors to do something.”
A new governor has arrived and 300 dangerous criminals will be moved out.
It comes after inspectors highlighted a series of issues. They reported blood, vomit and rat droppings on the floor. The smell of drugs was overpowering, while excrement was often flung at staff from cells. Officers locked themselves in secure rooms to avoid attack.
Videos of inmates taking drugs and “ruling the roost” – filmed on contraband phones – have emerged online.
There have been similar scenes at other jails including government-run Guys Marsh, Coldingley and The Mount. As well as Birmingham there are 13 privately run jails. G4S also has Altcourse, Oakwood, Parc and Rye Hill.
Mark Serwotka, Public and Commercial Service Union leader, said: “The colossal negligence at HMP Birmingham shows the disastrous impact G4S and other private firms have on public services.”
Labour’s Grahame Morris MP added: “Privatisation and cuts to the prison service caused this situation.
“No doubt G4S have made a healthy profit out of running the service... profit that could have paid for more staff.”
Paul Newton, who has 30 years’ experience in prisons, will take charge under the new regime at Birmingham.
Tory prisons minister Rory Stewart admitted some blame, saying: “This is partly the responsibility of me as the Prisons Minister, of the Government and also of G4S, which is why we’ve taken the step of moving in, bringing in our own management team and reducing the prisoners.”
G4S said it welcomed the move as the prison faced “exceptional challenges”. Figures last month showed violent incidents in England and Wales’ prisons had hit a record 31,025 – up 13% in a year. Cases of drugs being found
rose 23% to 13,119.