#HMP Dartmoor

Overcrowding, a failure to invest in important services, and staff shortages over the past year have severely impacted the regime at HMP Dartmoor. The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) concludes in its annual report for 2022/23 that the prison is neither sustainable, humane, fair, or safe.

On the 21 February the IMB at HMP Dartmoor wrote to Minister Hinds, regarding the ministerial response to their annual report. In their letter, the Board directed many questions towards the Minister, regarding the Aging Population Strategy, health and social care pathways for prisoners and Equalities Act compliant cells. Today Minister Hinds responded to the Board queries.

The impact of staff shortages, uncertainty over the prison’s future, and a slow recovery from Covid restrictions, have made the past year a challenging one at HMP Dartmoor, says the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in its annual report for 2021/22. Staff shortages affected outcomes for prisoners in key areas The length of time that prisoners were locked up in their cells, and the reduced access to activities and education, family communications, showers and association were considered by the Board to be neither fair nor humane.