Latest news with #HMChiefInspector
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Criminals in Britain's jails are hooked on drugs and daytime TV, warns watchdog
CRIMINALS in Britain's jails are spending their sentences getting high and watching daytime TV, the prisons' watchdog has warned. A menu of substances including cannabis, cocaine, and steroids is on offer, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor says. Drones used by criminal gangs are so accurate that they can deliver drugs and weapons, such as zombie knives, directly to specific windows. App What3words is being used by gangs to pinpoint drop-off locations to the nearest three-yard square. And other packages are being dropped and disguised as grass cuttings in overgrown areas. In his damning report, Mr Taylor said: 'It costs £57,000 a year to keep someone locked up and many are in their cells for up to 22 hours a day, high on drugs, watching daytime TV. 'This is hardly a rehabilitative atmosphere and hardly value for money for taxpayers.' Seven people were murdered in prisons over the past year, with an increase in violence against staff and fellow inmates fuelled by drugs and overcrowded conditions. Mr Taylor added: 'Packages of up to 10kg being brought in means in some prisons there is a menu of drugs. In our surveys of prisons we found 39 per cent of prisoners said it was easy to get drugs in their jail.' His report, published today, found drones were making regular deliveries to Manchester and Long Lartin which hold some of the most dangerous men in the country. Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, said: 'We're building 14,000 extra prison places and reforming sentencing so we never run out of space again.' Corruption & bribery behind bars exposed as ex-con reveals lags pay £500 for KFC & how inmates have sex with guards 1
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Insufficient progress' made on drugs at Earlstoke Prison
A report into a category C men's prison has found that drugs remain easily available, with almost a third of inmates recording positive readings during random drug Erlestoke, in Wiltshire, was inspected over three days in April, following up on concerns raised about "safety", "respect" and "purposeful activity" during the previous inspection in chief inspector of prisons said good progress was being made in one out of the nine areas of concern, with reasonable progress being made in five.A Prison Service spokesperson said they are pleased improvements have been recognised, adding "more needs to be done". Three areas were found to have demonstrated insufficient report found that no improvement had been made in relation to prisoners' access to drugs, with the rate of positive random drug tests remaining at 32%.It also found that there had been 426 emergency medical calls in the previous six months for prisoners suspected of being under the influence of a prohibited substance."Insufficient progress" was also made in improving the first night cells and preventing report said that despite a reduction "there was still no action plan to address the high levels of self-harm and to prevent future self-inflicted deaths."Support for prisoners who needed help with reading was also found to be lacking. Drop in violence Improvements were found to have been made with "overall levels of violence now lower than in similar prisons" and work had been done to address antisocial behaviour and reduce the use of report found levels of violence had reduced by 25% since the 2024 inspection, including the number of serious number of incidents of use of force had also decreased during the same period. It further noted that "positive steps had been taken to address negative perceptions of treatment among prisoners from ethnic minority backgrounds."The Prison Service spokesperson said: "We are pleased inspectors have recognised improvements in tackling violence and antisocial behaviour at HMP Erlestoke."But we know more needs to be done, which is why we are working with police to keep drugs out of the prison and supporting prisoners with substance misuse addiction through our drug recovery wing."
