Oakwood inspection report 2021

Summary

Occupying a relatively small site near Wolverhampton, G4S-run HMP Oakwood is the biggest prison in England, housing more than 2,000 men, most of whom live in three large accommodation blocks. The prison opened as a category C training prison in 2012; it has been well-maintained and still looks clean and new. A large proportion of prisoners at Oakwood are serving more than four years and 10% are on indeterminate sentences, but despite this complex and often high-risk population, the prison was a safe and respectful place. I was consistently struck by the positive way that prisoners talked with very few exceptions, a professional and supportive staff team. Even those who were on the basic regime and were still subjected to protracted time locked in their cells because of COVID-19 restrictions, praised the prison, with many who had spent years moving round the secure estate telling me it was the best prison they had been to. The director succeeded a well-respected predecessor in March 2021, but despite such a significant change, leaders had a clear set of priorities for further development when pandemic restrictions are lifted.

Inspection ratings