THE reputation of HMP Nottingham has been brought into question following a report from the Independent Monitoring Board.
The Category B prison houses male offenders, including paedophile priest Francis Cullen.
But while the wellbeing of such men may not be a priority to many, the poor performance of the prison could have a big effect on the rehabilitation and a roll-on effect to the citizens of Nottinghamshire.
The report from the IMB was submitted to the Ministry of Justice last week to highlight issues at the prison on Perry Road in Sherwood.
The main theme is cuts in funding of 25 per cent in the past year, leading to a loss of 140 prison officers – and the additional pressure it puts on staff. The prisoner capacity had risen from 1,060 to 1,100 during 2013, despite fewer officers. Also lower-risk inmates, young offenders – who shouldn't be in adult prisons – and people awaiting their court cases on remand are housed with the higher-risk Category B prisoners.
Azrini Wahidin, Professor of Criminology at Nottingham Trent University, said: "We have a dispersal system to facilitate rehabilitation. Prisoners on remand are not sentenced yet but still having to adhere to the conditions as if they have been proved guilty.
"Young offenders being housed with adults leads to bullying and an increase in violence."
The Post has reported violent breakouts at the prison before. More than 20 prisoners refused to return to their cells during a protest inside the prison in April, while on the same day a fire was started by one of the inmates.
Assistant secretary Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers' Association, said there had been an incident in the prison every week for several months. The report gave evidence of violence occurring, but praised staff, saying: "There have been numerous instances during the year when staff have acted promptly in situations where either prisoners or they were at risk."
The increase in capacity and overcrowding of prisons elsewhere has led to inmates from across the UK coming to HMP Nottingham. The monitoring board claims this has a negative impact in rehabilitation.
Professor Wahidin said: "You want to have continuity for prisoners with the outside world. It has been proven to reduce re-offending by having visits and keeping prisoners involved with society, even if at a distance."
HMP Nottingham offers work placements and education for inmates.
But the report says the cuts in funding have meant sessions are cancelled while wings are on "lockdown" – due to a lack of officers to deal with prisoners out of the cells.
Professor Wahidin added: "The prison population is disproportionately drawn from disadvantaged groups.
"Providing prisoners with skills leads to self-esteem, making them employable and a feeling that they have a stakehold in society cuts re-offending."
The IMB report also criticised the treatment of prisoners with mental health problems.
There was an "influx" of prisoners transferred from Rampton Secure Hospital, in Retford, which specialises in dealing with offenders who have dangerous and severe personality disorders.
Twelve prisoners have been transferred in the past year, and many deemed by the prison as "clearly unsuitable for a category B establishment".
Without the staff and training, many are being housed for long periods in the prison's SARU (Separation and Resettlement Unit) – previously used for solitary confinement.
Professor Wahidin said: "Prisons and their staff are not able to cater for people with highly complex needs. SARU is going to exacerbate their mental health problems."
At the heart of the IMB's report is resources.
It said: "It seems to us likely that staff pressured by the sort of problems they have face at Nottingham are at increasing risk of themselves falling sick.
"For prisoners, this has meant a diminished regime and, in terms of overall effectiveness of rehabilitation, a diminution of therapeutic support."
Professor Wahidin concluded: "Prison is for punishment but it shouldn't just be for that. It should have an ethos of society, with human rights and standing up against injustice.
"We are creating a revolving door... and what we want is rehabilitation and to stop re-offending."
But a Prison Service spokesperson said: "Staffing levels at HMP Nottingham are at an appropriate level to ensure the prison runs safely.
"Our approach to staffing levels has been agreed with the unions and puts prison officers back in frontline roles where they are most needed.
"Where there are local staffing issues we are taking action to resolve this, including a widespread recruitment campaign and the creation of a reserve force of officers who can be used nationally when required.
"This report will be considered by ministers, who will respond in due course."
