Peter Lazenby
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PRISONERS are locked in their cells for 22 hours a day at weekends with no access to education, work, exercise and sometime even a shower, inspectors found.
Visits to 11 prisons revealed a picture of chronic staff shortages and with 60 per cent of male prisoners and 66 per cent of female inmates saying they spend less than two hours out of their cell on a typical Saturday or Sunday.
Inspectors also found people in prison were unable to complete essential domestic tasks such as showering and cleaning, and that libraries were closed over weekends.
And those in prison said that their mental health and well-being were affected by the severely limited time out of cells on both weekdays and weekends.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, who published his report today, called the situation “catastrophic” and urged the prison service to act now.
Rob Preece, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the report showed prisoners are being forced to tolerate conditions even worse than the grim provisions seen from Monday to Friday.
He said: “With inspectors rightly pointing to the adverse impact these conditions have on mental health and well-being, it is vital that staff are given the support they need to get people involved in exercise, education, work and training.
“Unfortunately, this challenge will become even harder if the government presses ahead with its plans to expand the prison system.”
A prison service spokesperson said that all prisons had been asked “to review their education, training and activities so prisoners can focus on their rehabilitation and in turn cut reoffending.”
