GOVERNMENT inspectors have condemned a modern prison in Buckinghamshire for the violence, self-harm, suicides and unsafe conditions suffered by its 500 inmates.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons says in a new report that conditions at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes were found to have deteriorated since the inspectorate’s last visit in 2018 — including staff shortages.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said in a report on the inspection released today: “Against nearly all the main measures, the prison was not safe enough.

“Violence was higher than comparable prisons. Use of force, though mostly legitimate, was also high. Use of segregation was considerable and there had been seven self-inflicted deaths since we last inspected. Self-harm was also high.”

Howard League for Penal Reform director of campaigns Andre Neilson said: “This is the latest in a stream of worrying reports to emerge since the watchdog resumed full inspections of prisons in the pandemic.

“It begs the question as to why the government is pushing ahead with plans to make the system even bigger, when it cannot provide safe and decent conditions in the prisons we have already.”

Prison Reform Trust director Peter Dawson said that a prisons white paper published by the Ministry of Justice last week contained a “long list of promises” but “says nothing about the resources needed to deliver those ambitions.

“As the chief inspector makes clear, the buck on this issue stops with the government, not prison managers.”

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “While our measures taken during the pandemic saved thousands of lives we are already taking urgent action to drive improvements at HMP Woodhill – boosting the time prisoners spend out of their cells and increasing training opportunities for all staff.”