A report following an unannounced inspection at the Lincoln prison slammed the facility for slow progress after a riot eight years ago.
In 2002 a serious riot caused long-term damage to the Victorian prison, and an inspection in 2008 found reasonable improvements made.
However, an unannounced short follow-up inspection carried out in May found the prison in “poor physical condition” among other concerns.
The report says the external environment was “dirty and littered” and cells contained a large amount of graffiti.
Also, two prisoners shared cells designed for one, some toilets were unscreened, and the segregation unit was “dirty and unbearably hot in summer”.
The report also said that prisoners at the Lincoln prison spend too little time out of their cell, despite the time increasing slightly.
The HM Inspectorate of Prisons also found the integrated drug treatment system (IDTS) team were under-resourced and under-supported.
The report also noted several improvements such as better measures for dealing with violence reduction, and rare bullying cases.
Staff-prisoner relationships “remained reasonably good”, and resettlement activities for prisoners were praised.
Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, acknowledged the challenges the Lincoln prison faces in the years to come:
“HMP Lincoln has had a troubled past, but by the time of its last inspection in 2008, the prison had returned to normality and was making progress although plenty of scope for improvement remained.
“This follow-up inspection shows that progress continues to be made – but too slowly,” Hardwick concluded.
Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), said:
“I am pleased that the Chief Inspector has acknowledged the progress made at HMP Lincoln since the last inspection, particularly in resettlement work which plays a key role in reducing re-offending and protecting the public.
“The Governor and his staff will continue to work hard to build on the progress made,” Spurr added.
Government figures show that jus under 70% of criminals who got sentences under 12 months at Lincoln prison are reconvicted.
Spotted an error? Please notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
England will enter the next stage of its roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, meaning non-essential retail and gyms can reopen, as well as pubs, bars and restaurants for outdoor service only.
The rules will come into play on Monday, April 12, allowing for the retail sector to open its doors for customers once again, less than two weeks after the latest lockdown easing on March 29, which meant outdoor socialising was allowed for up to six people.
Hospitality venues will be able to reopen as well, but only for outdoor service, with a full reopening planned for May 17 if COVID-19 cases continue to stay low and the vaccination programme keeps its course.
The rule of six does still remain for outdoor socialising, and people are still being asked not to meet indoors with anyone they don’t live with, unless they are part of a support bubble or legally exempt.
People are also still being asked to keep travel down to a minimum, though since March 29 it is no longer a legal requirement to stay local or at home.
The full list of new rules are:
Hairdressers and nail salons can reopen
Public buildings such as libraries and community centres can reopen
Non-essential retail (clothes shops etc) will be able to return to business
Self-contained accommodation will be able to reopen for overnight stays with your household or support bubble
Weddings, wakes and other commemorative events will be allowed up to 15 people, including inside, but wedding receptions must be outdoors
All childcare and supervised activities will be allowed indoors and outdoors for all children, this is also the case for parent and child groups
Most outdoor attractions (zoos, theme parks, drive-in performances) will be able to reopen
Care home residents will be able to have two named individuals for regular indoor visits (so long as they have a negative lateral flow test)
Lincolnshire Police’s assistant chief constable, Kerrin Wilson, said: “Lockdown has hit practically every aspect of life as we know it, and perhaps the hardest part has been not being able to connect with family and friends in person.
“The easing of restrictions will come as a great relief to many, and I hope the new rules, which afford us the chance to socialise safely as well as get back to doing some of the things we all took for granted, will contribute to a feeling of wellbeing for us all.
“While many of you will already be busy making plans, some of you may feel a sense of nervousness or worry about society opening back up, and we want to assure you that we are still here to protect you and enforce the rules when needed.
“The easing of restrictions does not mean that lockdown has lifted completely. It is a journey that we are all on, and to enable later restrictions to be lifted in June we must all do our bit to continue to follow the rules now.
Legal limits on the number of people allowed to gather at one time remain in place, social distancing must be maintained, and masks worn in public settings such as shops or public transport to keep yourself and everyone else safe. Let’s continue to be sensible and watch out for each other.”
Meanwhile, to help with keeping cases low, free rapid asymptomatic tests can be ordered at home. Here are the details.
Whatsapp
