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| 'Significant concerns' over Belfast's Hydebank Wood prisons | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Inspectors have said they have significant concerns about the performance of two of Northern Ireland's prisons. | Inspectors have said they have significant concerns about the performance of two of Northern Ireland's prisons. |
| They have made over 150 recommendations for improvements at the women's prison and young offenders centre at Hydebank Wood in south Belfast. | They have made over 150 recommendations for improvements at the women's prison and young offenders centre at Hydebank Wood in south Belfast. |
| Just over 180 young men are held at Hydebank, Northern Ireland's main young offenders centre. | Just over 180 young men are held at Hydebank, Northern Ireland's main young offenders centre. |
| About 70 women are in a separate facility on the same site. | About 70 women are in a separate facility on the same site. |
| Inspectors visited in February this year and assessed performance in the areas of safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement. | Inspectors visited in February this year and assessed performance in the areas of safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement. |
| They were not impressed. | They were not impressed. |
| "We are very concerned," Brendan McGuigan of Criminal Justice Inspection said. | "We are very concerned," Brendan McGuigan of Criminal Justice Inspection said. |
| "These inspection reports show the establishments had regressed from the previous inspections in 2011. So there are significant concerns that the prisons are in a downward spiral." | "These inspection reports show the establishments had regressed from the previous inspections in 2011. So there are significant concerns that the prisons are in a downward spiral." |
| Two reports published on Tuesday make a combined 156 recommendations for improvement. | Two reports published on Tuesday make a combined 156 recommendations for improvement. |
| There are criticisms of the approach to tackling drugs, a failure to learn lessons from deaths in custody and what is called excessive strip searching of women prisoners. | There are criticisms of the approach to tackling drugs, a failure to learn lessons from deaths in custody and what is called excessive strip searching of women prisoners. |
| "It's the excessive strip searching of female prisoners, especially when returning from family visits, that caused concern," Mr McGuigan added. | "It's the excessive strip searching of female prisoners, especially when returning from family visits, that caused concern," Mr McGuigan added. |
| "We understand checks have to be made to ensure there isn't contraband being brought it. But I think a risk assessment will assess who indeed presents the risk rather than every prisoner having to go through this process." | "We understand checks have to be made to ensure there isn't contraband being brought it. But I think a risk assessment will assess who indeed presents the risk rather than every prisoner having to go through this process." |
| In a statement, the Prison Service said there had been major changes since the inspection was carried out, including a new management team. | In a statement, the Prison Service said there had been major changes since the inspection was carried out, including a new management team. |