Grendon inspection report 2023
Report for Grendon Prison
Summary
Under the leadership of the excellent governor, Grendon, a therapeutic community in Buckinghamshire, continued to be a unique, pioneering jail. Prisoners, many of whom were serving indeterminate or life sentences and who had extremely troubled pasts, made remarkable progress in an environment in which therapy ran through every aspect of life in the prison. The levels of expertise and skill among the staff were much higher than other prisons, with the well-trained and supported officers critical to its success. Therapy was not limited to the hour-long daily sessions but was woven into almost all activities. Prisoners described excellent relationships with staff, who were there to support them through an often long and painful journey to make sense of their past and learn to regulate their emotions and behaviour in the future. Close cooperation between leaders from health and prison backgrounds created a seamless, therapeutic offer, with a shared set of goals and values across the different disciplines.