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Irish Examiner
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish prison overcrowding is now at 'crisis' level
Irish prisons are entering 'unthinkable territory' and may have to use recreation halls and even classrooms to house inmates. The Prison Officers Association (POA) and senior prison sources have told the Irish Examiner that there may be 'no option' given that all physical spaces have been used up with bunk beds and mattresses on floors. The only alternatives are seen as politically toxic, such as expanding temporary release rules to include sex offenders or the 'mass discounting' of sentences. The other possibility would mean reintroducing 'inhumane and degrading' conditions in jails by reopening the condemned old Cork Prison or using E Block in Portlaoise Prison, where there are no toilets in cells, and have inmates use buckets. 860 more inmates than prisons can hold The latest Irish Prison Service (IPS) figures show there are 5,528 inmates in custody, almost 860 more than the maximum prisons can hold. Over 500 more prisoners are in jail today than at the start of this year. In January, the Department of Justice warned justice minister Jim O'Callaghan that prison numbers, at that stage, created 'very great risks' for both staff and prisoners. Some prison sources estimate that if the rate of increase in the first half of 2025 continues, numbers could approach 6,000 by year's end. Dóchas women's prison and Cork Prison are seeing the biggest rise in custody numbers this year. Cork Prison: Every cell doubled up Every cell in Cork is doubled up but it still has almost 90 inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor, accounting for almost a quarter of all prisoners in the jail. Cork Prison is, by some distance, the most dependent on mattresses of all the Irish jails. 'We said 4,300 was the maximum number that could be housed in our prisons, and passing 5,000 was a tipping point,' POA deputy general secretary Gabriel Keaveny said. 'But we have gone way over that and have increased by a further 500 already this year. We are now getting into unthinkable territory. Are we going to have to open recreation halls and schools to house prisoners as there is, physically, nowhere else?' A senior source said there is 'no option' but to consider changing prison regulations to certify recreation halls as suitable for accommodation. 'Every committal prison is absolutely at saturation point. There is no more space for bunk beds or mattresses,' the source said. The final week of the courts this week, before the summer break, is expected to be busy and prison bosses are said to be concerned about where to house committals and remands. An analysis of IPS figures on July 17, compared to January 10, shows: Total number in custody is now 119% above bed capacity, compared to 111%; The most overcrowded prisons are Limerick female (154%), Dóchas (138%), and Cork (133%); The rate of increase this year is greatest in Dóchas (+19%), Cork (+17%), Portlaoise (+16%), Castlerea (+15%), and Mountjoy (+11%); There are 201 inmates in Dóchas, which has a capacity of 146, and 393 prisoners in Cork, with a capacity of 296; Some 457 inmates are sleeping on mattresses on floors, up 38%, from 356 on April 28 (when IPS started publishing mattress figures); Since then, mattress use has more than doubled in Cork (42 to 87) and Cloverhill Remand Prison (33 to 70), and almost doubled in Midlands (46 to 82) and Castlerea (27 to 50). Dóchas 'in a shocking state' 'Dóchas is in a shocking state,' Mr Keaveny said. 'Cloverhill is so packed they are sending remand prisoners to Wheatfield, in Cork Prison every cell is doubled up and you still have 90 on mattresses, in Mountjoy the single cells are small and only suitable for one person but you have two people crammed in.' He said warm weather is the worst scenario, with the heat in cells and the 'shocking ventilation' with little fresh air getting in. 'Where overcrowding prevails, drug abuse increases and you have more rows and debts and when we intervene we are assaulted,' he said. 'The fact that something really serious in prisons hasn't happened is pure chance.' He added: 'We need 1,200 spaces rapid but we are five years away from the bulk of the promised spaces.' He repeated POA requests to open the old military prison in the Curragh, which he said could take 100 prisoners and open, with refurbishment, the E block in Portlaoise, which could take 200 prisoners. The original IPS capital plan was expected to create 1,100 extra spaces by 2030/31 but Mr O'Callaghan said last week the renewed plan had the potential to deliver 1,595 spaces, including through the redevelopment of the old Cork Prison and a prison at Thorton Hall. The justice minister recently secured Cabinet agreement to accelerate the delivery of 960 of the additional spaces in Castlerea, Midlands, Wheatfield, and Mountjoy. He said that 'subject to the necessary funding' in the National Development Plan, this should speed up delivery by 12 to 18 months.
BBC News
29-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Call-outs for specialist prison squad increase 44% in two years
There has been a sharp increase in the number of times a specialist team that deals with serious incidents in prisons has been deployed in England and Wales, the BBC can National Tactical Response Group (NTRG), was called out 823 times in 2024 compared with 570 deployments in 2022, according to a Freedom of Information Prison Officers' Association (POA) said there had been problems with concerted indiscipline - an incident in which two or more prisoners act together in defiance of lawful instruction - and government said it was investing more in specialist teams to deal with serious incidents. 'More violent incidents' The NTRG, which is also sent into young offender institutions and immigration removal centres, is a highly trained unit used to dealing with serious incidents such as prisoner barricades, hostage taking and violent April the team was deployed to Lowdham Grange prison after reports that one inmate threatened to take another Willetts, from the POA national executive committee, said: "There seems to be an increasing need for this group [NTRG] to be deployed due to frequent callouts to address rising prison violence and an ever increasing prison population."Concerns about prison safety were highlighted by the latest Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures, which show the number of staff assaulted in adult prisons across England and Wales hit a new peak last year. The government said a trial into the use of tasers would be launched this summer for specialised officers dealing with serious incidents in prisons.A recent landmark review by Former Lord Chancellor David Gauke recommended some prisoners could be released after serving just a third of their sentence in a bid to ease prison overcrowding. One former prison officer in Kent, who wanted to remain anonymous, told BBC South East about the volatility in some jails."I've been assaulted myself and I've witnessed colleagues having their life changed because of an assault that wasn't even directed at them," he not his real name, said the service had been impacted by the loss of a lot of experienced staff over the last decade."I think the biggest tool the prison service got rid of was experience. And unfortunately, you just can't buy experience," he said."You can't get people that come through the gates fresh out of college and expect them to have the same experience as someone that's been in the job for 20 years and knows how to deal with someone." Steve Gillan, the POA's general secretary, said: "Our members need better training and a return to basics of putting security and discipline first and foremost."We need proper protective equipment and better staffing levels to deal with overcrowded prisons."There is no doubt that there's been a major increase in incidents at height. "Prison officers cannot deal with these without the correct equipment and training, that's why NTRG staff are brought in to deal with such situations." The MoJ said a large proportion of recent NTRG callouts are for incidents at height, which are recorded for any incident taking place above ground level, but are not necessarily violent or prison governor John Podmore said protests at height and incidents at height tend to be caused by prisoners who are angry or frustrated."At the moment it's highly likely and logical that such incidents would be on the increase because there are a lot of prisoners who aren't getting out of their cell or getting access to education, employment and training," he said."In these scenarios frustrations will be on the increase, prison staff are very often less able, because they're new in the job, to deal with such incidents, and that's why they can manifest themselves in protests at height."One of the reasons can be prisoners who're in debt because they've been taking drugs and they want to get out of the prison, so if they go on a rooftop protest, there's a very high likelihood they'd be moved out of the prison and for the time being moved away from their debt." President of the Prison Governors' Association Tom Wheatley said the NTRG deployments showed the pressure on the prison system. "They're very full, not all prisoners are in the places they are supposed to be, they've become frustrated and they protest," he said."NTRG come out to incidents at height, prisoners climbing over the railings on the wings, so they're at threat of falling or jumping."As frustration rises so does the amount of time those specially trained staff are deployed."They [NTRG) have particular training and skills, they can safely rescue prisoners at height and if there's a large scale disturbance they come in as part of the team that comes in to deal with that."The government recently said more than 1,000 inmates would be released early to free up spaces, as ministers grapple with an overcrowding Secretary Shabana Mahmood said a £4.7bn investment would fund more prisons. A MoJ spokesperson said: "This government inherited prisons in crisis and the Lord Chancellor has taken immediate action to ensure we can lock up dangerous offenders, protect the public and make prisons safer for our hard-working staff."We have a zero-tolerance approach to violence which is why we are investing more into our specialist teams responding to serious incidents and providing staff with the tools they need to keep themselves safe."
The Guardian
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Pepper spray use in youth prisons irresponsible amid racial disparities, watchdog warns
The rollout of synthetic pepper spray for use to incapacitate jailed children is 'wholly irresponsible' while black and minority prisoners are more likely to be subjected to force than white inmates, a watchdog has said. Elisabeth Davies, the national chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards, whose members operate in every prison in England and Wales, said the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, should pause the use of Pava spray in youth offending institutions (YOIs) until ministers had addressed the disproportionate use of force on minority prisoners. 'There is clear racial disproportionality when it comes to the use of force,' she told the Guardian. 'It is therefore, I think, wholly irresponsible to expand use-of-force measures before disproportionality issues are addressed.' Mahmood authorised the rollout of Pava across YOIs in England and Wales in April amid growing demands from the Prison Officers' Association (POA) to protect staff from attacks. The government's 'use of force' evaluation report, published in April, found black prisoners were nearly twice as likely as white prisoners to experience Pava and baton use. Using official data to March 2023, the report found that 409 of every 1,000 black inmates were subjected to use of force, compared with 208.6 per 1,000 white prisoners. Davies urged ministers to hold back on rolling out Pava spray in the youth system until the racial disparities were properly addressed. 'We've got evidence that the growing reliance on visible weapons – such as the rollout of Pava spray in the male youth state and the trial of Tasers in the adult male prison state – is deeply concerning for people with lived experience,' she said. 'Our board members have been told that the visible presence patterns make [prisoners] feel constantly afraid, and that's increasing tension rather than easing it.' According to the IMB's national annual report, released on Wednesday, black prisoners at HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent were significantly more likely to have force applied to them than white prisoners. At HMP Birmingham, the category B jail once known as Winson Green, there was evidence of 'clear racial disparities in the use of force', despite the diversity of prison staff and the introduction of cultural awareness training. Amid a deepening overcrowding crisis, some prison officers will be trialled with stun guns this summer, while the Conservatives have said some should be given access to live ammunition. It follows an attack on three officers at HMP Frankland by Hashem Abedi, a terrorist involved in the Manchester Arena bombing. Davies said prison officers showed 'remarkable bravery' in challenging conditions but the majority of assaults were actually between inmates. 'We're seeing violence driven by overcrowding, by mental health crisis and rapid drug use,' she said. 'One of the most effective ways to reduce violence is through strong and respectable relationships between staff and prisoners.' Squirted from a canister, Pava spray, or pelargonic acid vanillylamide, causes searing pain and discomfort in the eyes for about 40 minutes and a burning sensation to skin. It was rolled out in men's prisons in England and Wales in 2018. There are three publicly run YOIs and one that is privately run, holding young offenders up to the age of 21. According to government statistics covering 2022, most children in prison were from ethnic minorities. Data obtained in April by the Howard League through freedom of information requests showed that black men were almost three times more likely to be sprayed with Pava than white men in prison, and young black men under the age of 25 were five times more likely to be sprayed than their white counterparts. Responding to Davies, Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the POA, said IMB members were 'not the ones on the receiving end of life-changing injuries' from violent youths. 'It would be wholly irresponsible of the government not to give my brave colleagues the protections they need when dealing with violence,' he said. 'Using the ethnicity or age of offenders to excuse their violent behaviour is shameful … Nobody should ever enter their workplace and be expected to become a victim.' A Youth Custody Service spokesperson said: 'Pava will only be used as a last resort to protect staff and young people from serious harm, such as violent incidents involving weapons. Staff will receive specialist training, and every use will be closely scrutinised with strict controls in place.'
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Robert Jenrick's call to arm prison officers is ‘nonsense', governors say
Robert Jenrick's demand for armed prison guards has been described as 'headline-grabbing nonsense' by organisations representing governors and staff. The shadow justice secretary, who has made a series of eye-catching demands over the last few days, said on Sunday that prison officers should be allowed to carry guns and build up 'armouries' to clamp down on violence from Islamist gangs and violent prisoners. Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors' Association, told the Guardian: 'The firearms/lethal force armouries suggestion is just headline-grabbing nonsense. 'If this was needed, why wouldn't armed police be deployed rather than creating another trained force in our service? 'It is likely that the Lord Chancellor [Shabana Mahmood] is considering wider use of protective body armour, but the focus should be on the need for more investment to counter drones and serious organised crime,' he said. The Prison Officers' Association (POA), which has warned that it is only a matter of time before a prison officer is murdered because of a rise in prison violence, has also poured cold water on the Tories' demand for guns in prisons. Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the POA, said: 'We are asking for Tasers and the use of non-lethal options. If we ever need firearm support we have an agreement with chief constables to provide mutual aid. 'The Tories think we need this level of protection but we need to exhaust all other options first, including adequate protections for staff and 'supermax' facilities,' he said. On Friday, a prison officer at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire was seriously injured when he was stabbed by a violent inmate with a knife that was believed to have been flown into the high-security jail by a drone. Last month, Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber, who is serving life for 22 murders, attacked three officers in a separation unit at the high security HMP Frankland, in County Durham. Shabana Mahmood, the lord chancellor, has ordered a review into whether to issue frontline officers with stab vests, as well as a trial of Tasers, and the suspension of prisoners' use of kitchens in separation units used to segregate Islamist terrorists. In an article for the Telegraph, Jenrick said: 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'That means arming specialist prison officer teams with Tasers and stun grenades, as well as giving them access to lethal weapons in exceptional circumstances. 'If prison governors can't easily keep terrorist influencers and radicalising inmates apart from the mainstream prisoners they target, then we don't control our prisons – they do. We must take back control and restore order by giving officers the powers and protection they need.' Whitehall sources said that taking guns on to the prison estate would make officers carrying weapons a 'deadly target' for prison gangs. Jenrick has generated eye-catching headlines over recent days, but has denied that he wishes to replace Kemi Badenoch as Tory leader. On Thursday, he posted a video of himself online confronting people he accused of fare-dodging in central London. A spokesperson for Jenrick has been approached for a comment.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Prison officers should be armed, say Conservatives
Prison officers dealing with violent inmates should be armed, the shadow justice secretary has said. Specialist guards should have Taser stun guns and baton rounds - a less lethal alternative to traditional bullets - to give them "confidence" in handling threats, Robert Jenrick told the BBC. The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails and used as a last resort. Prison officers in adult male prisons currently only carry an extendable baton and Pava, a synthetic pepper spray. Officers need protection from jail attacks - union Prison staff to demand electric stun guns in jails The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said some prison officers will use Tasers this summer on a trial basis, but argued that giving them lethal weapons would put them at greater risk. The Prison Officers' Association (POA), a union, called for stronger protection for staff after a string of attacks. It said stun guns should be made available to officers working in the UK's most dangerous jails. Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Jenrick said that without intervention it was "only a matter of time" before a prison officer was "held hostage and potentially killed". He added that under his proposals, officers would not be "walking the wings" with lethal weapons, but would "have access to them if they need them". The Conservative's call for officers to be armed follows a review conducted for the party by former prison governor Ian Acheson. Among other policies, the party also wants to see high-collar stab vests immediately rolled out to frontline officers. In response to the proposals, Labour said it was "cleaning up the mess" after the Conservatives' "dire record" in office. "In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit," a party spokesperson added. In his BBC interview, Jenrick, who held various ministerial roles in the last government, conceded that his party "should have done more" in office. "But we're in opposition now, it is my job to bring forward good, sensible solutions," he added. The MoJ said protective body armour is used in segregation units and specialist areas for situations that are deemed as high risk. It added that a "snap review" into whether it should be used more routinely will report in the coming days.
