HMP Bedford struggling to provide safe and humane conditions

The latest report from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at HMP Bedford highlights the continuing problems concerning the violent and inhumane conditions in which prisoners are held. Although the prison is relatively fully staffed, up to 35% are ‘non-effective’ due to sickness, training, secondments, or restricted duties, which means the prison cannot provide the required level of service.  

Key findings of the report include:

• Serious safety concerns: HMP Bedford has the highest number of officer assaults of all the reception prisons, together with very high levels of prisoner-on-prisoner violence and self-harm.
• Overcrowding: the prison remains overcrowded, with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one.
• Poor basic conditions: ancient infrastructure, vermin infestations and regularly failing plumbing.
• An unfit segregation unit: the segregation unit remains in its dire underground location, providing dreadful conditions for both prisoners and the staff working there.
• A poor regime: prisoners spend at least 20 hours a day, and often longer, locked in their cells.
• Too few options for prisoners: whilst there have been improvements in some areas of education, the workshops were out of action for most of the year and the gym had limited availability.

Anne McDonald, co-chair of the IMB said ‘Despite the concerted effort made over recent years, the prison has been unable to get to grips with the basic issues of cleanliness, safety and opportunities for prisoners.’