HMP Dana “ill-equipped” for role, say inspectors
Wednesday 7th July 2010, 10:54AM BST.
Shrewsbury’s Dana Prison is “ill-equipped” for its role as a training jail according to inspectors, it was revealed today. HMP Shrewsbury became a category C training prison in January.
It has been criticised by inspectors who said prisoners spend too long locked up without access to training programmes to stop them reoffending.
Dame Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons, today published her findings following an unannounced inspection of the Shropshire prison. Inspectors are concerned that not enough is done to prevent suicide and there is also a lack of help to rehabilitate sex offenders.
But Tim Griffiths, chairman of the Independent Monitoring Board for the prison in Shrewsbury, said today the report was unfair as the inspection was carried out just 20 days after the prison’s role had changed.
The unannounced short follow-up inspection was carried out from February 2 to 4. He said: “We’re not overly concerned about the findings and are happy with what’s been put in place since.”
But inspectors said “minimal planning” had gone into preparing for the change
Dame Owers said: “At the last inspection, Shrewsbury was a busy and effective if overcrowded and antiquated local prison dealing with short-sentenced prisoners.
“With minimal planning it has re-roled to a specialist training prison, largely housing vulnerable prisoners. However, it is poorly equipped for this new role.
“Though it retains a number of its previous strengths, it is unclear how with limited activities and interventions and a restricted regime it can . . . achieve its new role as a specialist, 21st century training prison for longer-term prisoners.”
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