Dartmoor Prison 'not fit for purpose', report says

Dartmoor Prison is overcrowded, understaffed, and under-resourced and fails to provide a humane, fair, or safe environment for the prisoners, a report has said.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), external said the Category C prison allowed 49 extra prisoners to share cells designed for one person, resulting in unsuitable living conditions and making it "arguably... not fit for purpose".

The report for 2022/23 also said the prison did not increase support services to match the population growth and it lacked staff for education and training.

A Prison Service spokesperson said the prison was "taking action to address the concerns raised in this report" and cells were only doubled up when it was safe.

The report said the extra prisoners meant the population of the pre-Victorian jail hit 682 in September, with a total of 98 prisoners in "cramped conditions".

"The IMB considers, under the guise of ‘sustainable overcrowding’, it is neither sustainable, humane, fair or safe and has, arguably, made HMP Dartmoor not fit for purpose," the report said.

It also criticised the prison for its inadequate healthcare provision, especially for older prisoners who made up a large proportion of the population.

The report said the prison does not have enough facilities or equipment for those who need full-time or specialist care, such as those with mobility issues or those who are terminally ill.

And the report also highlighted the rise in use of force incidents in the prison, which increased significantly in some parts of the year compared with 2022.

Complaints about accommodation had risen from five in the previous year to 40 in 2022/23 "and this trend is increasing", the report said.

Jo Wymer, chair of the Dartmoor IMB, said: "Prisoners being forced to double up in cells barely fit for one person, never mind two, presents immense challenges.

"The aim over the next year should be to improve outcomes for prisoners in purposeful activity, education, and resettlement.

"Major improvements in the buildings and equipment are required, and investing in support for the growing numbers of elderly prisoners is essential.

"Despite local prison management, staff members and contractors working hard to maintain day-to-day security, conditions at the prison remain inhumane for prisoners."

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "HMP Dartmoor is taking action to address the concerns raised in this report including recruiting more staff and boosting access to education programmes so prisoners can get the skills they need to turn their backs on crime.

"Cells are only doubled up where it is safe to do so."

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