Charity says 'unsafe' Onley prison has 'typical dislocation and disorder' of country's jail system

A prison reform charity says the issues highlighted in an inspection of HMP Onley are typical of the 'dislocation and disorder' in the country's jail system
One in six prisoners at HMP Onley had acquired a drug habit since entering the prison, and almost half said it was easy to get drugs.One in six prisoners at HMP Onley had acquired a drug habit since entering the prison, and almost half said it was easy to get drugs.
One in six prisoners at HMP Onley had acquired a drug habit since entering the prison, and almost half said it was easy to get drugs.

Inspectors visited the prison in November last year and found that it remained fundamentally unsafe.

Of the 18 safety recommendations made by the watchdog following the prison’s last inspection in 2016, only five had been achieved.

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One in six prisoners had acquired a drug habit since entering the prison, and almost half said it was easy to get drugs.

Almost 40 per cent of the men were locked in their cells during the working day.Almost 40 per cent of the men were locked in their cells during the working day.
Almost 40 per cent of the men were locked in their cells during the working day.

Almost 40 per cent of the men were locked in their cells during the working day.

Responding to the Inspectorate of Prisons’ report on Onley prison, published today (March 21), Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “Onley’s story typifies the dislocation and disorder that exists within our troubled prison system.

“Here is a prison that was itself dislocated, under misguided reforms led by Chris Grayling, now holding men who have been dislocated from their families and often placed far from home. Many are then exposed to drugs and violence.

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“Ministers have rightly identified that we must ease pressure on prisons like Onley. Ultimately, reducing the number of prisoners is the key to saving lives, protecting staff and making the public safer.”

Although Onley is in rural Warwickshire, it was designated as a resettlement prison for Greater London in 2013 – during Chris Grayling’s tenure as Secretary of State for Justice.

The prison has since been moved administratively from the London to the Midlands group of prisons, but inspectors found that 80 per cent of the men it was holding were from the London area.

Many men felt disorientated by being held so far from home, with some rarely receiving visits from friends or family.

Onley is supposed to be a training prison, but inspectors found that only half of prisoners were engaged in purposeful activity at any one time.

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