Bullingdon inspection report 2025
Report for Bullingdon Prison
Summary
Despite the efforts of leaders and staff, HMP Bullingdon, a men’s reception and resettlement prison in Oxfordshire, had not made sufficient progress since our last inspection in 2022. In several key areas, outcomes for prisoners had deteriorated, and many of the concerns we had previously raised remained unaddressed. The widespread availability of illicit drugs was driving violence, debt and bullying across the prison. Drones were the primary route of ingress, but physical security measures had failed to keep pace with the evolving threat and the prison service had not done enough to help tackle the problem. The mandatory drug testing positive rate stood at 43.2%, one of the highest among reception prisons, and inspectors frequently smelt cannabis on the wings. Violence had increased by 27% since the last inspection, and while the safety team had taken steps to understand the causes – ranging from gang activity to boredom – this had not translated into effective behaviour management.