PRISON reform campaigners called for the radical transformation of the prison officer role in England and Wales today in a report highlighting the issues faced in jails.

The report by the Prison Reform Trust (PRT), written by former prison governor Peter Dawson, looked at evidence gathered through focus groups with prisoners.

It said that the prison service “stands at a crucial turning point,” with the workforce facing “unprecedented challenges” stemming from staffing cuts made from 2012 onwards.

This had led to a significant loss of experienced staff and slow recruitment of new staff to address shortages, the report said.

It found that “while working towards prisoners’ successful return to society remains important, prisons must also focus on creating meaningful lives for those in custody, particularly given the increasing number of prisoners serving very long sentences.”

The report’s recommendations include the establishment of a professional registration system, similar to that used in nursing, and the involvement of prisoners in the design and delivery of prison officer training.

Mr Dawson said: “The starting point for a genuinely strategic approach to creating and sustaining an effective officer workforce must be a clearer statement of the purpose of prison that both staff and prisoners can share.”

PRT chief executive Pia Sinha said: “Many of the recommendations from this report are considered and incorporated within the Enable programme and these are welcome.

“Without an engaged, trained and supported workforce, the government will struggle to enact any measures to bring about ordered, safe and purposeful prisons.”

Prison Officers’ Association national chairman Mark Fairhurst told the Morning Star: “What do they know, they are not prison officers.

“People who aren’t prison officers should keep their nose out of what’s needed for prison officer roles.”