The prisons in our matrix were then split into three categories according to the number of red indicators they had scored. Those prisons ranked as 'green' had, at most, two red indicators and were regarded, comparatively, as the better performing prisons within our study. There were four PFI prisons in this category, the two privately-managed prisons and four public prisons. Parc, Swansea and Lancaster Farms, were the only prisons not to receive any red indicators at all. Lowdham Grange was the only prison in the green category which received a red indicator on the degree to which prisoners in our survey felt safe.
Five prisons received three or four red indicators which we therefore chose to identify as amber overall. These include the two PFI prisons which opened most recently, Rye Hill and Dovegate. Dovegate was identified in a recent rating system by the Prison Service as an establishment about which they had significant concerns. However, in a recent meeting, the Prison Service informed us that they felt there had been improvements in the performance at the prison in recent months.
Six prisons received five or more red indicators which we therefore chose to identify as red overall - indicative of being the worst performing prisons in our study. These included one PFI prison - Ashfield - and one public prison currently operating under a SLA, Manchester. There were four other public prisons within this category. The results show that compared to the public prisons in our study, PFI prisons can be found across the spectrum of prison performance.