News / Bristol
‘Deluge of drugs fuelling violence, debt and self-harm in Bristol Prison’
Violent, unsafe, infested with cockroaches and rife with illegal drugs, a recent inspection paints a shocking picture of life inside Bristol Prison.
Chronic staff shortages, overcrowding and historic underinvestment are largely blamed for a raft of problems revealed in a damning report published on Tuesday.
HMP Prison (formerly Horfield Prison) came under fire in 2015 when it was branded unsafe by an independent monitoring board.
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The latest unannounced inspection in March found that far from improving, conditions have worsened, with a dramatic increase in levels of self-harm reported and seven suicides since the last visit – five in the past year alone.
In his report, chief inspector of prisons Peter Clarke slammed the “totally unacceptable” conditions inside the establishment, which was found to be dirty and dilapidated, with broken glass, peeling ceilings, broken fittings, graffiti and damaged floors a common sight.
The category B prison had 543 men in residence at the time of the inspection.
Psychoactive substance Spice was particularly problematic
One in seven inmates said that they had developed a drug problem while at the prison and the use of ‘spice’, a new psychoactive substance that can have unpredictable and life-threatening effects, was particularly problematic.
The report states that a “deluge of illicit drugs has fuelled violence, debt, self-harm and physical and mental illness among prisoners”, 59 per cent of whom reported feeling unsafe at some point during their stay.
The category B prison has 543 men in residence at the time of the inspection.
In the report, Clarke says: “One prisoner showed me several large cockroaches in his cell. He explained that at night he did not use his in-cell toilet cubicle because he was fed up with inadvertently crunching the insects under his bare feet in the dark. Instead, he urinated in his sink, which was closer to his bed.
“The lack of investment in the buildings was plain to see, and was the major cause of the disrespectful living conditions to which too many prisoners were subjected.
“Despite all this, it is notable that relationships between staff and prisoners were reasonably good.”
Activities and education were found to be given too low priority in the prison and consequently, around half of the inmates were kept locked in cells during the day.
Higher percentages of prisoners from a black and minority ethnic background reported feeling unsafe, with 41 per cent of those asked saying they had been victimised by staff, compared to 27 per cent of white residents.
Despite creditable efforts being made, a third of prisoners were being released homeless or to temporary accommodation.
The building is dilapidated and infested with cockroaches
Clarke concludes: “Despite the poor outcomes for prisoners that are set out in this report, it should not be assumed that HMP Bristol is an institution on the brink of collapse.
“There were credible plans for improvement in many areas of prison life. There were early indications that these plans were having an impact.”
He noted there were grounds for cautious optimism, as violence had reduced in the past few months and the prevalence of new psychoactive substances was stemming, but progress was “inevitably fragile”.
The report sets out a number of recommendations and stated that, with an increase in staff numbers, well-directed investment and consistent leadership, Bristol could deliver better outcomes for prisoners in the future.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said while the damning report ought to be a shocking anomaly, it is just one more piece of evidence that the “dangerously overcrowded prison system has descended into deadly chaos”.
Read more: Prison suicides reach record level
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