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A general view of HMP Winchester
PRISON officers at HMP Winchester have demanded urgent action after an inspectors’ report published today said that violence had “increased” at the notorious jail and safety remained a “major concern.”
The inspection, carried out last June and July, found high levels of violence, self-harm and suicides over the past three years, with a “significant deterioration” in conditions during that time.
The probe was ordered after the 174-year-old prison was put into special measures in 2018 due to government concerns about poor conditions and lack of proper resources for prisoners and staff.
MARK FAIRHURST highlights the main issues facing officers in a long neglected service, and raised by front-line delegates at POA conference last week, including understaffing, violence, bullying and the ongoing denial of workers’ right to strike
Working in a high-risk sector, prison officers’ calls for proper PPE must be heeded – and the POA will be fighting to ensure effective protection at work is delivered, writes MARK FAIRHURST