Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, has issued an urgent notification to the justice secretary about HMP Bedford, a category B reception facility. It is the second such notification in five years. In his letter to Alex Chalk, Taylor – whose Spectator writings on prison conditions can be read here – outlines the findings of an unannounced inspection between 30 October and 9 November. The picture he paints is of conditions that are not merely shabby but sordid.
Safety: poor. Respect: poor. Purposeful activity: poor. Preparation for release: ‘not sufficiently good’. The use of force against prisoners was ‘very high’ and inspectors found ‘too many examples of excessive force’ and ‘unprofessional behaviour’ by staff. Overall levels of violence were also ‘very high’ and Bedford has the grim distinction of having more attacks on staff than any other adult male prison in the country. Mental health services were ‘inadequate’, especially troubling since Bedford has the third-highest rate of prisoner self-harm.
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