HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has today published his second annual report, highlighting concerns about escalating prison violence, stretched staffing levels and deteriorating prison conditions. The Inspector found that nearly a third of young adult prisoners spend less than two hours a day out of their cells, and many are locked up for as much as 23 hours a day.
Leah Selinger, Switchback’s Interim CEO, said: “Young adult offenders we work with are five times less likely to reoffend, but we find it hard to build meaningful relationships with enough prisoners when they are locked in cells all day. So we welcome the Prison Inspector’s call to address prison safety, staff numbers and time spent out of cells.
“To bring reoffending rates down we need to ensure more offenders can access the kind of intensive, one-to-one support that Switchback and other charities provide. This requires safe and well-staffed prisons, but also a positive, open culture focussed on rehabilitation and reform, and consistent access for specialist services. The new Justice Secretary recently pledged to be more responsive to the prison inspectorate; this report provides a great opportunity to take action.”
HM Chief Inspector’s full report can be found online here.
About Switchback
Switchback is a completely different, intensive rehabilitation programme. Building relationships in prison and continuing into the community, we help young adult offenders – Switchback Trainees – make real, long-lasting change through intensive mentoring and work-based training in our partner café in East London. Only 9% of Switchback Trainees reoffend within a year compared to 44% nationally. For more details about Switchback’s work please contact sam@switchback.org.uk.
