Prison conditions ‘most disturbing ever seen’ with staff now accustomed to jails not fit for 21st century, watchdog says

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Politicians and campaigners warned that the prison system had reached the point of “emergency” and said the chief inspector’s warnings of rapid deterioration in jails must not be allowed to “fall on deaf ears”. I have seen instances where both staff and prisoners alike seem to have become inured to conditions that should not be accepted in 21st century Britain.” There was an “obvious” correlation between the significant increase in violence across the prison estate over the past five years and the large reductions in staff numbers and resources that has taken effect, he said. “We should not tolerate a situation in a civilised society where thousands of prisoners are forced to share cells designed for one, eating their meals next to an unscreened toilet; where violence and self-harm have risen exponentially; and where a fifth of prisoners spend less than two hours a day out of their cell.” The report comes after the justice secretary David Gauke announced a £30m “improvement package” aimed at bringing jails “back up to standards” – which campaigners welcomed but said fell short of tackling problems facing the prison system. "Until there is a dramatic reduction in the use of prison, a redirection of resources into community alternatives, as well as a clear and enforceable system of accountability which protects prisoners, then needless deaths and harms will continue.” Michael Spurr, chief executive of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, conceded that prisons had had a “challenging twelve months” and said while the inspectors had recognised “particularly acute problems” in a number of prisons, he was pleased that they had also recognised progress and good outcomes in others.