'This prison has a way to go before it can realise its full potential'

...BUT WE DID SEE SOME EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENT, SAYS HM PRISONS INSPECTOR

- By ZENA HAWLEY

PRISONERS at HMP Foston Hall continue to be affected by high levels of violence and self-harm, the availability of drugs and some unacceptable behaviour from staff, according to an inspection report.

Despite there being some improvements since the prison was last inspected in 2021, it still has the highest number of violent incidents in the country.

The report from the two-week unannounced January 2025 inspection found that although violence was rarely serious and violence against staff was falling, self-harm was also too high, despite a fall in incidents.

The availability of drugs and very high levels of mental health needs were contributing to the problems with violence in the jail.

The report said leaders were taking this seriously, but 42% of prisoners said it was easy to get drugs in the prison, and there was no body scanner or enhanced gate security to help tackle this threat.

At this inspection, 295 women were resident - it can take up to 314 - and the inspectors said the prison was fulfilling many functions, from the management of non-convicted and unsentenced individuals, to holding a significant minority serving long sentences, including life.

The report said: “The nature and profile of those being held is changing, with a recent surge in the number of women subject to very short-term licence recall.

“This was impacting the number arriving and leaving, with consequences for the stability of the prison and prioritisation of resources.”