Manchester inspection report 2021
Report for Manchester Prison
Summary
In 2020, HMP Manchester made the transition from a local to a category B training prison, retaining a small category A function and separate close supervision centre. At the time of our visit it held 624 men, of whom a third were serving indeterminate sentences. The governor had taken on the challenge of transforming the culture of the prison and the mindset of the staff to focus on the rehabilitation of longsentenced prisoners rather than the needs of a transient local prison population, but much of this work had been delayed or derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some material changes had certainly supported this process – all but a few prisoners were held in single cells, showers had been improved and new kitchens on wings would soon mean prisoners could cook their own food. With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, many prisoners were still spending too long in their cells with few jobs available, very limited offending behaviour programmes and face-to-face education practically non-existent. Staff shortages restricted the number of prisoners who could get to the library, gym or workshops.