Improving staffing position gives prisoners a more stable routine at HMP Full Sutton

Regular lockdowns caused by staffing shortages reduced in 2023, giving prisoners better access to education. However, too many prisoners were without employment due to a lack of work opportunities and there was an increase in incidents of violence, says the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in its 2023 annual report, published today (17 July 2024).

The IMB was pleased to note that:

• There was a much-improved focus on equality and diversity issues with regular well attended meetings taking place between prisoners and senior managers.
• A neurodiversity support manager was appointed to raise awareness of neurodiverse prisoners’ needs, enhance recognition and understanding of neurodiversity and provide on-wing support to individual prisoners.
• A prison wide reading strategy was introduced, setting the expectation that all staff recognise the importance of encouraging prisoners to develop their reading skills and increase their confidence.
• Long awaited in-cell telephony was introduced, allowing improved family contact for prisoners.

However, the IMB also reports that:

• Unemployment levels were high; inadequate workplace provision left 21% of prisoners who were able to take up employment without work.
• Over 150 days of drug testing were lost during the reporting year due to staff shortages, and targeted drug testing capacity remained limited where staff raised suspicion of substance misuse.
• There was an increase in violence, with the number of prisoner on prisoner assaults rising from 31 to 52 and prisoner on staff assaults from 39 to 67.
• At any one time, there were over 30 prisoners in segregation throughout 2023.

Richard Terry, Chair of IMB Full Sutton said:

“2023 was a year of transition from regular prisoner lockdowns to a more normal regime as staffing levels improved. Access to education also increased through the year and the Board found initiatives focusing on prisoner literacy and those with neurodiverse needs encouraging. National prison population pressures continue to impact the ability to progressively transfer prisoners, particularly in the segregation unit, where numbers remained high throughout the year.”