A GROWING drugs problem, daily violence, filthy conditions, lack of control and a constant problem of drones dropping weapons, escape kits, drugs and mobile phones – welcome to the world of prison officers at HMP Hewell.
They were speaking out at a ‘day of action organised by the Prison Officers Association across the country in protest at the conditions they face day in, day out.
“We’re doing this to raise awareness of the threat to the health and safety of staff and prisoners in our care,” said a POA spokesman.
“The situation is so bad there have been riots at Bedford Prison, two escaped from Pentonville last week and it’s happening up and down the country.
“The conditions are deplorable – we have assaults prisoner on prisoner, prisoner on staff and self harm. There is simply not enough staff to run the prison safely and as a result staff are being put under tremendous pressure to do overtime, so there is no rest,” added the spokesman.
Even as we spoke news filtered out that one of their fellow officers have been attacked and was on his way to hospital.
The staffing situation is so bad the profession is losing more officers than it can recruit.
A fellow prison officer said four easy and cheap steps could be taken to relieve the pressure on prisons:
1) Blocking technology – readily available from the Army to stop drones delivering drugs, phones and weapons.
2) The use of mobile phone blockers to stop prisoners making and receiving calls.
3) Making proper and lasting repairs to cells and the general fabric of the building.
4) The ability to move troublemakers around to defuse flashpoints to maintain order in the establishment.
Redditch MP Karen Lumley said: “Our prison officers do a fantastic job and I have every sympathy for their situation.
“One of the huge issues is drugs and drones flying in even to specific windows at the prison and I think we need to look at our prisons in a different way to prevent this from happening because once the drugs and phones are inside it is very difficult for the officers to gain control.”
The action ended when the High Court ordered prison officers to end their protest and go back to work following legal action brought by the Government.
