Prison near Wolverhampton most violent in England and Wales, report finds
HMP and YOI Brinsford was inspected earlier this year
A prison near Wolverhampton has the highest level of violence out of any adult facility in England and Wales.
HMP and YOI Brinsford was inspected by the Inspectorate of Prisons earlier this year with a damning report published yesterday (July 27).
Inspectors found violence had increased by 10% since their last visit in 2023 as well as several other issues.
Incidents of self-harm had also gone up by 70% and the use of force by staff was notably high.
The rate of PAVA incapacitant spray use was the highest in the adult male estate, a third of which was used against black prisoners despite them making up 17% of the jail's population.
The report found the condition of the cells were poor in many instance and most of the men were locked in their cells for 22 hours of the day.
There had also been a "concerning rise" in the quantity of drugs getting into the jail.
However, the report also said: "Although the scores for this inspection were concerning, the team left with some optimism that things will improve."
We approached the penal reform charity, The Howard League, with the report.
"It's very concerning," said Rob Preece.
"This isn't a prison that's overcrowded but there aren't enough staff and what that means is that people don't have access to a good regime and you find some people are being kept in their cells for 23 hours a day with nothing to do.
"That isn't going to turn their lives around."
Mr Preece said the findings at HMP Brinsford are an example of a systemic problem and one way to kickstart change is to get prisoners out of their cells.
He said violent environments fuel continued violence which is not helping people in the prison chose better paths.
"I think the key to this is getting people out of their cells and ensuring that the prison has enough officers working on the wings to escort people to activities and getting people involved in activities that are going to help them move on from crime."
In response to the report, A Prison Service spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice said: “This government inherited prisons in crisis which is why we are taking action to fix the broken system.
“The prison has acted to address the concerns raised by the report, including through introducing dedicated staff to tackle violence and supervise the use of force.
“More broadly, this Government has invested over £40 million in physical security measures across the prisons estate to keep out illicit items which fuel violence and disorder.”