- OVERCROWDED JAILS AREN’T WORKING -
Record numbers commit suicide, staff sickness higher than ever, drug use rising and purposeful activity declining

A report published today by the Prison Reform Trust reveals the highest ever number of suicides and record levels of overcrowding and staff sickness in jails in England and Wales over the last year, according to official figures.

The report also reveals that the recorded level of drug use in prisons has increased for the first time in five years. And overcrowding has resulted in prisoners spending on average nearly one hour less in purposeful activity each week than last year.

‘A Measure of Success’, analyses the Prison Service’s performance against its main targets over the past financial year and sets out how each prison has performed. It shows that the Service failed to meet eight of its 19 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including its target for the number of prisoners completing Sex Offender Treatment Programmes.

The report notes that the level of escapes and the number of recorded assaults were at an all time low. It also shows that record numbers of prisoners achieved basic skills qualifications. But the report questions the Prison Service’s claim that it exceeded its target for the number of prisoners finding employment, training or education places after release.

Overall ‘A Measure of Success’ raises concerns about the accuracy of Key Performance Indicators. It notes that the Prison Service has acknowledged that the arrangements for collecting data are ‘deficient in many prisons’.

The report says there is a danger that KPIs are distorting the reality of what is really being achieved in prisons. They do not demonstrate that the diverse needs of prisoners are being met.

The main findings are:

* There were 105 suicides in 2002-2003, the highest ever recorded total.

* The Prison Service failed to meet its overcrowding target. The average rate of doubling up in single cells was 20.4 per cent, higher than the target of 18 per cent.  This means that an average of 14,800 prisoners were held two to a single cell.

* The average staff sickness rate was 14.7% against a target of nine per cent. According to the Prison Officers Association sickness levels among prison officers are the highest in the public sector. The Prison Service has not managed to meet its KPI on staff sickness since it was introduced in 1999.

* The number of positive drug tests increased to 11.7% against a target of ten per cent. It was the first time in five years that the recorded rate of drug use in prison increased.

* The Prison Service failed to meet its target of providing an average of 24 hours a week purposeful activity. During 2002-2003 prisoners spent an average of 22.6 hours each week in purposeful activity, nearly one hour less than in 2001-2002. The Prison Service has only met its purposeful activity KPI once in the last eight years. 

* Although the Prison Service met its overall target for completions of offending behaviour programmes by prisoners, the 7,303 completions represent only ten per cent of the average prison population.  For the fifth year running, the Prison Service failed to meet its target for working with sex offenders. This is despite it being a much reduced target from the previous year. Just 879 of the 5,000 convicted sex offenders in prison completed the Sex Offender Treatment Programme.

* Considerable progress has been made in reducing escapes and the number of assaults has declined. All three KPIs on escapes were met.  The number of assaults fell to 9.1 per cent narrowly missing the target of 9% but an improvement on the previous financial year.

* The targets for the number of prisoners achieving different skills qualifications were significantly exceeded. Prisoners achieved 89,201 key work skills awards, nearly double the target and  prisoners achieved 41,313 basic skills awards.

* The Prison Service claims that nearly 33,000, approximately a third of all prisoners who leave custody each year, were given education, employment or training on release, 17% more than the target figure of 28,200.  But this includes 7,086 prisoners who attended an interview at their local Jobcentre and it is not known what happened to these prisoners. Therefore to be accurate only 25,906 prisoners gained an education, training or employment place, which is below the KPI target.

* The validity of the data used to compile the KPIs is questionable because of the variations in the way it is collected The Prison Service itself has acknowledged that “the arrangements for collecting and reporting data are deficient in many establishments”. 

* KPIs do not reflect the diverse needs of prisoners. Meeting KPIs should not be seen as firm evidence that prisoners are being treated humanely or constructively.  New KPIs should be introduced for reoffending rates, the distance prisoners are kept from their homes, getting prisoners into stable housing and time out of cell. 

Speaking today, the report’s author, Enver Solomon, said:

“This report reveals a Prison Service whose performance is being severely hampered by a record prison population. It is truly shocking that so many people have killed themselves in prison. Far too many prisons are overcrowded, provide inadequate levels of purposeful activity and experience high levels of recorded drug use. The only way to improve these jails is immediately to reduce their populations.”

Director of the Prison Reform Trust, Juliet Lyon, added:

“A good record on preventing escapes shows that our prisons are secure but tragic numbers of suicides and cutbacks in purposeful activity reveal grossly overcrowded jails are neither safe nor effective.”