Swinfen Hall independent review of progress 2022
Report for Swinfen Hall Prison
Summary
we found that outcomes for prisoners had improved in our healthy prison tests of respect and purposeful activity, but safety remained a concern with, for example, high rates of violence, significant use of force and an increase in the use of PAVA incapacitant spray. We also found that incentives to motivate positive behaviour or deter low-level poor behaviour were limited. 1.5 Prisoners not allocated to an activity were locked in their cell for 22 hours each day. Despite the gradual opening up of classrooms following the introduction of COVID-19 safeguards, local arrangements limited the number of prisoners able to attend. Outcomes for prisoners in the healthy prison test of rehabilitation and release planning had regressed. Too many faced lengthy delays before attending Report of an independent review of progress at HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall 3 rehabilitative programmes, while the coordination of services for those due to be released was weak. 1.6 At this visit, we reviewed progress against 10 recommendations. We found that the prison had made good progress in two, and reasonable progress in a further two. There had been insufficient progress in the remaining six.