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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Feltham Young Offender Institution 'unacceptably violent' | Feltham Young Offender Institution 'unacceptably violent' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A young offender institution has been labelled "unacceptably violent" by inspectors who found "unprecedentedly high" use of batons by staff. | A young offender institution has been labelled "unacceptably violent" by inspectors who found "unprecedentedly high" use of batons by staff. |
| Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institution, in west London, witnessed on average almost two fights or assaults every day, a report said. | Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institution, in west London, witnessed on average almost two fights or assaults every day, a report said. |
| Some of the fights were "very serious", HM Inspectorate of Prisons found. | Some of the fights were "very serious", HM Inspectorate of Prisons found. |
| The National Offender Management Service said it showed the "disturbing but accurate" challenges staff face. | The National Offender Management Service said it showed the "disturbing but accurate" challenges staff face. |
| Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "This is the worst inspection report of its kind we have seen in a decade. | Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "This is the worst inspection report of its kind we have seen in a decade. |
| "If you want to see the effects of keeping hundreds of troubled boys cooped up in a prison, you need look no further than Feltham." | "If you want to see the effects of keeping hundreds of troubled boys cooped up in a prison, you need look no further than Feltham." |
| Self-harming | Self-harming |
| Feltham is divided into two parts - Feltham A holds children and young people, mostly aged 16 or 17, while Feltham B holds young adult men aged 18 to 21. | Feltham is divided into two parts - Feltham A holds children and young people, mostly aged 16 or 17, while Feltham B holds young adult men aged 18 to 21. |
| Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said: "Feltham as a whole is an unacceptably violent place. | Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said: "Feltham as a whole is an unacceptably violent place. |
| "Despite excellent work in some cases, staff were unable to prevent a high number of very concerning incidents that carried a significant risk of serious injury. | "Despite excellent work in some cases, staff were unable to prevent a high number of very concerning incidents that carried a significant risk of serious injury. |
| "Staff were sometimes overwhelmed by the challenges they faced," he added. | "Staff were sometimes overwhelmed by the challenges they faced," he added. |
| "As a consequence, some of their response, such as the prolonged use of isolation on the children and young people's side and the use of batons on the young adult side, were unacceptable." | "As a consequence, some of their response, such as the prolonged use of isolation on the children and young people's side and the use of batons on the young adult side, were unacceptable." |
| Mr Hardwick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "As numbers in custody of young people has fallen, those that remain are the most troubled and staff are struggling to cope with that. | |
| "If you were a parent with a child in Feltham, you'd be terrified." | "If you were a parent with a child in Feltham, you'd be terrified." |
| Many young people told inspectors they were frightened and had little confidence in staff to keep them safe. | Many young people told inspectors they were frightened and had little confidence in staff to keep them safe. |
| Self-harming behaviour remained high among young adults and emergency cell bells were not answered quickly, the report said. | Self-harming behaviour remained high among young adults and emergency cell bells were not answered quickly, the report said. |
| 'Disturbing picture' | 'Disturbing picture' |
| National Offender Management Service (Noms) chief Michael Spurr told the programme: "The levels of violence [are] higher than any of us would want to see. | |
| "It paints a disturbing but accurate picture of the challenges that staff at Feltham are facing on a daily basis." | "It paints a disturbing but accurate picture of the challenges that staff at Feltham are facing on a daily basis." |
| He added: "The young people who come into Feltham are troubled. Half are coming in for violent offences, many have got long-standing gang affiliations, and managing that challenging population has been incredibly difficult." | |
| He said batons were used 25 times last year - a higher number than in any other prison. However, they were not used on individuals aged under 18. | |
| He said to make the institution safer, those on remand would be moved elsewhere so that staff could spend more time with those who had been convicted. | |
| "They [inmates] are safe but we want to make them as safe as possible. You can't remove totally harm from anywhere," he added. | "They [inmates] are safe but we want to make them as safe as possible. You can't remove totally harm from anywhere," he added. |
| Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Feltham should frighten us all. | Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Feltham should frighten us all. |
| "Why do we place our most vulnerable and volatile young people in our most troubled institutions, and expect anything other than the violence, self-harm and mayhem this report reveals?" | "Why do we place our most vulnerable and volatile young people in our most troubled institutions, and expect anything other than the violence, self-harm and mayhem this report reveals?" |