A recent inspection of HMP Kirkham, an open prison in Lancashire, has revealed a concerning picture of drug use, poor living conditions, and strained staff-prisoner relations. The inspectors from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons cited the frequent smell of cannabis, a high rate of positive drug tests, and the lack of routine searches for returning prisoners as major areas of concern.
Prison inspectors have described their visit to a Lancashire prison as 'deeply depressing', citing the frequent smell of cannabis and concerns about drug use . The inspectors from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons visited HMP Kirkham, an open prison with a capacity of 699 inmates, in October last year. Their report, published last month, revealed a disturbing picture of drug use and staff-prisoner relations .
Inspectors were surprised to find that prisoners returning from work in the community were not routinely searched upon re-entering the prison. The 25% rate of prisoners testing positive for drug use at Kirkham was the highest in the open estate and placed the prison in the top third of all adult male prisons in the country. While prison leaders had made efforts to reduce the supply of drugs, inspectors noted that these efforts had not been successful in curbing demand. The report also highlighted a range of other issues, including poor living conditions, a lack of enrichment activities, insufficient employment opportunities, and strained relationships between prisoners and staff. Inspectors found the recently built £10 million gym facilities were rarely used, with many classrooms and pieces of equipment standing idle. They attributed this to a risk-averse approach among staff, which prevented prisoners from using the facilities unsupervised. The cleanliness of the prison was also a concern, with many showers found to be in an unacceptable or unusable state due to mould and rust. The report also criticized the lack of phones in cells and the inadequate provision of external escorts for medical appointments. Despite these serious concerns, the inspectors did acknowledge some positive aspects of the prison, including the well-used library, which was praised for its wide selection of books, audio books, DVDs, and computers.
HMP Kirkham Lancashire Prison Prison Inspection Drug Use Staff-Prisoner Relations Open Prison Living Conditions
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