Prison violence costs taxpayer £13million
TAXPAYERS have forked out £12.7million in the last two years as compensation for prisoners and guards who were hurt in jail clashes.
The latest figures show £4.9million was paid in 2020-21 – the second largest amount ever – beaten only by the £7.8million in 2019-20.
And since 2010-11, the Ministry of Justice has spent £33million in compensation for jail workers and inmates, equivalent to the salaries of 1,044 prison guards, figures from Labour show.
Staff have received £26.9million in total, while £6.6million has been paid to offenders.
The payments included five prison staff and one prisoner who each received more than £1million in 2010-11.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “The latest figures show violence is down by almost a third following our £100million investment to clamp down on the weapons, drugs and phones that fuel violence behind bars. And our Prisons White Paper goes further in detailing plans for
an unprecedented £2.75billion to create modern, innovative jails that will cut crime while equipping staff to do their job safely.”
He said that the department was constructing thousands of extra places in modern, efficient jails that rehabilitate offenders and keep the public safe. He added that £150million was going on urgent maintenance to create safe and decent conditions for offender rehabilitation.
Prison officers have also been given bodyworn cameras, police-style restraints and PAVA incapacitant spray – similar to pepper spray – to allow them to do their jobs more safely.
The increase in compensation follows a 242 per cent rise in prison violence between 2010 and 2020. There was a drop last year but incidents were still 166 per cent higher than in 2010.
Steve Reed, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, said: “This high-on-tax, soft-on-crime Conservative Government has brought about a horrifying upsurge in prison violence and taxpayers are footing the bill.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “Labour is weak on crime and wasteful with taxpayers’ money.they voted against tougher sentences for the worst offenders and increasing police funding. Under Labour, departmental waste was higher while funding for victims was three times lower.”