A scathing new report has revealed shocking conditions at Strangeways prison, labeling it the most violent in the UK. The report cites a concerning decline in standards, with organized crime gangs and drug supply undermining every aspect of prison life. Violence is rampant, with the highest rate of serious assaults in the country.
Life inside 'squalid' Strangeways has been laid bare in a scathing new report which called the prison 'the most violent' in the UK and said standards had completely collapsed. Inspectors referenced a 'concerning decline' and said organised crime gangs and the supply of drugs into the crumbling Victorian jail were 'clearly undermining every aspect of prison life'.
"Further fuelling the demand for drugs, men spent far too long locked in their cells with nothing to do," it added. "Although not overcrowded, leaders at every level had allowed living conditions to become squalid." The debrief report said prison leaders were committed, but 'faced major strategic challenges from the supply of illicit items through drone infiltration and some staff corruption'. "Staff morale was low, particularly for officers," it said.
Designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall, the Grade II-listed prison on Southall Street opened in June 1868 and is now more than 150 years old. The number of weapons and other illicit items found in recent months at Strangeways, he added, was 'amongst the highest of all prisons holding adult men'. More than a third of prisoners also tested positive for drugs over the past 12 months.
Gangs and drugs 'undermining prison life' Self-inflicted deaths were referenced together with a 'steep rise' in self-harm. Outdoor areas around the prison were 'heavily littered' and wings said to be 'filthy'. Concluding, he said organised gangs and the supply of drugs was 'clearly undermining every aspect of prison life'.
He said: "Reports such as this have become far too common. They typify the shocking state of the prison system we have inherited. Every day our dedicated staff do vital work keeping the public safe. They deserve better than being faced with conditions such as these and the constant threat of violence.
Prison Violence Strangeways Drugs Safety
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