Preston inspection report 2023
Report for Preston Prison
Summary
HMP Preston is an ageing men’s reception prison serving courts in Lancashire, that held 680 prisoners at the time of our inspection. It is not bedevilled by the same staffing pressures from which many English prisons suffer and was only 12% off its full complement of officers, although leaders were expecting to lose staff on detached duty to other prisons in the near future. The governor, who had been in post for nearly a year, had introduced a fresh vision and a determination to address some negative outcomes for prisoners. The poor behaviour by staff members we saw in use of force footage, and which was reported to us by prisoners, was a clear demonstration of a negative staff culture that continued among some officers. Aided by a new deputy, the governor was working to develop the capability and experience of the leadership team. He had moved his and other leaders’ offices so that they were next to the main part of the jail and staff frequently told me how much they appreciated seeing him on the wings.