PRISON officers called the latest prison report a “damning indictment” that fails everybody.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) was responding to chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor’s Just Passing Time thematic review into work and training in adult prisons.

POA’s Terry McCarthy said: “This report is a damning indictment of a system that is failing prisoners, failing staff and failing society.” 

The chief inspector’s report warned that repeat offenders will continue to “cause mayhem” in their communities, with prisons failing to break the cycle of offending. 

“We found some examples of effective work and training provision, but the reality was that only a handful of prisoners were benefitting,” Mr Taylor said.

“Far too many spent their days locked in their cells, often in squalid, overcrowded conditions with nothing to do but take drugs and watch television.

“The prison service has a duty to protect the public by making prisoners less likely to reoffend when they are released, but too often it is failing to fulfil this responsibility.

“I have serious concerns about the impact of real-terms education budget cuts on already inadequate provision.”

The POA said the report was not surprising and said it had repeatedly raised concerns about cuts to the prison education budget and the failure to invest in programmes that help rehabilitate offenders.

The union said the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and successive government ministers have ignored its concerns and repeated its call for proper resources and staffing. 

“The dogs in the street know that you cannot address reoffending unless you help prisoners develop the skills to build a better future,” Mr McCarthy added.