Feltham Young Offender Institution (YOI) has been named the most violent prison in England and Wales, with teenage inmates even refusing family visits to shield their relatives from potential harm, according to a recent watchdog report.
Located in west London, HMYOI Feltham A houses 84 boys aged 15 to 18. The institution reported 320 incidents of disorder in the year leading up to March, marking a 300% increase from the previous year, according to Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons.
The report, released on Tuesday, highlighted that prison authorities discovered 343 weapons over the year, a significant rise from the 122 found the year before. Additionally, the use of force by staff, typically in response to violent incidents, increased by 68%.
The documented violence in the year leading up to March 2024 was described as “higher than any other establishment in England and Wales.” There were 410 recorded incidents of violence, a drastic rise from the 182 incidents reported in the 12 months preceding the last inspection.
Overcrowding Crisis
This report emerges amid intense scrutiny of the Prison Service in England and Wales. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced last Friday that thousands of prisoners would be released early starting in September due to an overcrowding crisis in adult jails.
Inspectors noted that children at Feltham A utilized fewer than half of their allocated visitor sessions. “In our interviews, some children said they did not want their families to visit because of the risk of violence breaking out in front of them,” the report stated.
Taylor expressed disappointment over the deteriorated conditions, noting that the prison had achieved “healthy” scores in a 2022 inspection. “It was disappointing to return to find there had been a deterioration in standards, with levels of violence now the highest of any prison in the country,” he said.
Inspection Findings
During a visit in March, inspectors observed hardworking and dedicated staff, but concluded that the children were not safe enough, were confined to their cells for excessive periods, and received inadequate education.
The use of segregation had also increased significantly, with seven children segregated for more than 50 days and two for over 100 days, the inspectors reported.
Concerns were raised about children’s access to education, with 266 “keep-apart” instructions issued to prevent children who had previously fought from encountering each other. This led to boys being assigned to classes based on whom they could safely mix with rather than their abilities and interests.
Response and Future Outlook
Taylor noted that the immediate crisis of overcrowding in jails might begin to ease soon, provided no further crises arise during the summer. Speaking at London’s Pentonville prison, where he launched a scheme to train prisoners as bicycle mechanics, Taylor pointed out broader issues of reoffending and the lack of productive activities for inmates. “I hope that at least the immediate pressure that somebody sentenced to custody can’t get into custody, the worry that things will fall over, I think what’s encouraging is that we’ve moved away from that, or with any luck we will have assuming we get through the summer without any difficulties,” he said.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson acknowledged the systemic issues highlighted in the report. “The criminal justice system is in crisis and as this report clearly shows, this is placing great strain on the youth estate. As the chief inspector recognises in his report, the governor and frontline staff are now making every effort to drive improvements and reduce violence. But we know there is much more to do and we are committed to increasing the support these children need to turn their lives around.”
You Might Be Interested In:
