Indicators of problems

Assaults - There were 279 proven assaults between April 2001 and March 2002 - this represented 74.1 per cent of the average population (Figure 14). The level of assaults is higher in juvenile institutions than in other types of prison but this was still a higher rate of assaults than in any other Prison Service establishment.

Control and restraint - The Controller expressed concerns that when force was used, it was not always as a last resort. This is against Prison Service policy. In the first four months of 2002, there were 140 control and restraint incidents compared to 69 in the equivalent period in 2001. There are no equivalent figures available for public prisons.

Lack of policies and procedures - HMCIP and YJB monitors noted the lack of a personal officer scheme, child protection procedures and an effective anti-bullying strategy. Both HMCIP and YJB found young people who were too afraid to leave their cells for education or other activities. We noted a similar lack of procedures in other areas during our fieldwork at Ashfield in July 2002. For example, the staff in charge of the property store did not know the procedures for looking after prisoners' property and a spot check found bags split and property missing. Also, some staff who had been drafted in from other Premier prisons did not have name badges or other forms of identification and in one case a PCO was wearing another member of staff's name badge.

Lack of supervision and control - During an unannounced visit senior Prison Service staff noted that there were few controls over where prisoners were and some young people were not being supervised.

Failure of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme - This scheme allows prisoners to earn privileges through responsible behaviour and participation in work and other constructive activity. YJB monitors found that the IEP scheme at Ashfield was not explained to the prisoners. The Controller noted that staff were not trained in the scheme, it was inconsistently applied, decisions were arbitrary and there were high numbers of prisoners on the basic (lowest) regime.

Physical accommodation - The Controller and Area Manager noted that cells and bedding were dirty and that mattresses did not have covers.

Poor quality education - YJB monitors found that 'there are doubts about the quality of education sufficient enough to question its value'. Similarly, the Director General of the Prison Service found 'virtually no evidence of any learning taking place in the whole of the [education] department'. There were high rates of turnover among staff and half of the staff were temporary employees.