Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform said: “Northumberland prison is supposed to be a national resource to help turn around the lives of indeterminate-sentenced prisoners and those serving time for sex offences but this report shows it is failing miserably”.
HMP Northumberland report contained 'few surprises' say MP and Prison Officers Association http://t.co/hAWlxCYIZV pic.twitter.com/txHHDTmsq2
— The Chronicle (@EveningChron) January 27, 2015
Crook's comments follow a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons’ that revealed three inmates had committed suicide since the jail was inspected in 2012.
Prisoners Had Better Access to Drugs and Alcohol Than Rehabilitation Services
Crook says:
“This is a prison where prisoners get drugs and alcohol easily but find support and preparation for release harder to come by. The number of assaults is high and rising, and inspectors found some prisoners had sought sanctuary in the segregation unit because they felt unsafe”.
It’s since recently emerged that the national tactical response unit had to be called by HMP Northumberland following a stand off by a prisoner on a landing, who was protesting over the quality of the food.
It's taken @MoJGovUK longer to give up smoking in prisons than it takes someone to give up smoking http://t.co/xiNhleeht4 was it just hype?
— Frances Crook (@francescrook) February 3, 2015
A source told the Newcastle Chronicle that the protest began after a prisoner complained about his food and was then disciplined. An anonymous member of staff told the newspaper that: “The food has almost caused riots. On Tuesday the food was that bad — a lad was hanging over the railings for a full day”.
The recent inspection found that only 22 per cent of prisoners thought the food served in jail was any good. Twenty-six per cent of prisoners surveyed said it was very bad.
It’s Not Just Prison Food Under the Bad Taste Spotlight
It’s who is in charge of the jail — Sodexo Justice Services, which has just taken over the supervision of tens of thousands of offenders in six of the 21 probation areas in England and Wales.
This has led to the resignation of the chief inspector of probation Paul McDowell over a conflict of interests, after The Guardian disclosed that his wife is managing director of Sodexo Justice Services.
Sodexo took over the contract on Sunday in partnership with Nacro, the crime reduction charity, which Paul McDowell was also once in charge of.
No surprises here. It's only a matter of time. Cold prison food almost sparks full-scale riot at HMP Northumberland: http://t.co/6iPQNQe01b
— Alex Cavendish (@PrisonUK) February 2, 2015
The Justice Secretary Chris Grayling announced the resignation of Paul McDowell as Chief Inspector of Probation. In a written statement to the House of Commons he said:
"As I discussed with the Justice Select Committee on 2nd December and covered in subsequent correspondence with the Committee Chair, an issue arose about a potential perceived conflict of interest for Mr. McDowell given his wife’s employment with Sodexo, and their role as a provider of probation services. I have considered carefully all of the potential mechanisms and systems that could be introduced and used to manage any actual or perceived conflict of interest. However Mr. McDowell has decided that, in the circumstances, he will resign”.
