Recommendation 1
Exert influence to help the retention of prison officers by recognising the work they do and ensuring parity with other public servant roles (see 3.2.4).
Source · IMB Annual Report
Exeter
AI-generated report summary HMP Exeter, a Category B local and resettlement prison, averaged 406 prisoners with an operational capacity of 431, and continued to operate under restricted regimes due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The prison experienced high levels of violence (256 prisoner assaults, 128 staff assaults) and a return to very high self-harm rates (monthly average around 70 incidents towards year-end). Key concerns include persistent staff shortages and high turnover, particularly within the SMT, the ineffectiveness of CSIPs, and the inadequacy of resettlement opportunities. Despite these challenges, the Board noted improvements in use of force management, cleanliness, and ACCT procedures.
Year: 2021
Published: 4 May 2022
Type: Prison · Cat B local, resettlement
Population: 406
Recommendations: 14
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 4 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 256 | 150 |
| Assaults on staff | 128 | 75 |
| Use of force | 438 | 356 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe Board is pleased to note improvements in several areas including the management of use of force with the appointment of a full-time coordinator, improved supervision arrangements in the CSU, and enhanced efforts to prevent illicit items entering the prison. ACCT reviews are now multidisciplinary with improved assurance checks, and communal areas show significantly improved cleanliness. Accommodation projects, like D and B wing refurbishments, are underway. Healthcare now includes a custodial discharge coordinator and routine attendance at segregation review boards. The prison is commended for successfully preventing and managing internal Covid-19 infections, and for the generally good quality of food served. Staff in the CSU are acknowledged for their patience and dedication, building relationships and de-escalating volatile situations.
Key concerns
Exert influence to help the retention of prison officers by recognising the work they do and ensuring parity with other public servant roles.
Increase the human and financial resources required to more effectively support the rehabilitative and resettlement role of local prisons.
Intensify efforts to support individuals who are at risk of homelessness on their release from prison and increase the level of expectations on local authorities and the Probation Service to improve accommodation outcomes.
As a matter of some urgency support Governors to reduce the backlog in staff training and particularly C&R basic, refresher and advanced training.
Invest in improving systems, processes and expectations associated with the management of prisoners’ property. Current arrangements often reflect insufficient care and attention to the management of prisoners’ property both internally and on transfer between prisons.
Improve the arrangements for procurement of maintenance work to enable Governors to be more confident in their scheduling of changes having an impact on prisoners and their access to services or amenities.
Invest in an IT infrastructure, hardware and technical support which enables prisons to function more effectively and communicate with stakeholders and others in a more diverse and contemporary way.
Improve the arrangements for external seconded and temporary SMT cover so that there is time for the seconded person to share their expertise, make an impact, and be involved in embedding improvements etc., before they are moved on, which often creates additional turbulence within existing staff roles.
Review the current arrangements for prisoners’ induction (particularly support for young adults) and implement quality assurance systems to make sure that prisoners new to custody are given all the information they need in their early days at Exeter. This should include information on the IMB.
Undertake to improve the effectiveness, management and oversight of CSIPs.
Review systems and processes for the receipt, recording and distribution of prisoners’ property to ensure that effective communication with prisoners takes place and that property is treated with respect and distributed in a timely manner.
Review how prisoner complaints are recorded for analytical purposes to ensure consistency of data categorisation.
Prioritise the plans for developments around prisoner progression and the resettlement role of the prison so that progress is made and results in improved outcomes for prisoners in terms of better education, training and workshop opportunities and, thereby, prospects on release.
Undertake to improve communication with and feedback opportunities for prisoners.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Increase the human and financial resources required to more effectively support the rehabilitative and resettlement role of local prisons (see 7.2).
Recommendation 3
Intensify efforts to support individuals who are at risk of homelessness on their release from prison and increase the level of expectations on local authorities and the Probation Service to improve accommodation outcomes (see 7.4).
Recommendation 4
As a matter of some urgency support Governors to reduce the backlog in staff training and particularly C&R basic, refresher and advanced training.
Recommendation 5
Invest in improving systems, processes and expectations associated with the management of prisoners’ property (see 5.8). Current arrangements often reflect insufficient care and attention to the management of prisoners’ property both internally and on transfer between prisons.
Recommendation 6
Improve the arrangements for procurement of maintenance work to enable Governors to be more confident in their scheduling of changes having an impact on prisoners and their access to services or amenities (see 3.2.7 and 5.1.1).
Recommendation 7
Invest in an IT infrastructure, hardware and technical support which enables prisons to function more effectively and communicate with stakeholders and others in a more diverse and contemporary way (see 3.2.8).
Recommendation 8
Improve the arrangements for external seconded and temporary SMT cover so that there is time for the seconded person to share their expertise, make an impact, and be involved in embedding improvements etc., before they are moved on, which often creates additional turbulence within existing staff roles.
Recommendation 9
Review the current arrangements for prisoners’ induction (particularly support for young adults) and implement quality assurance systems to make sure that prisoners new to custody are given all the information they need in their early days at Exeter. This should include information on the IMB (see 4.1).
Recommendation 10
Undertake to improve the effectiveness, management and oversight of CSIPs.
Recommendation 11
Review systems and processes for the receipt, recording and distribution of prisoners’ property to ensure that effective communication with prisoners takes place and that property is treated with respect and distributed in a timely manner (see 5.8).
Recommendation 12
Review how prisoner complaints are recorded for analytical purposes to ensure consistency of data categorisation (see 5.7).
Recommendation 13
Prioritise the plans for developments around prisoner progression and the resettlement role of the prison so that progress is made and results in improved outcomes for prisoners in terms of better education, training and workshop opportunities and, thereby, prospects on release (see 7.1 and 7.2).
Recommendation 14
Undertake to improve communication with and feedback opportunities for prisoners (paragraphs 5.4 and 8.3).
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 2
· Respect 3
· Activity 2
· Release 4
Shaun Leggett · Natural causes
Michael Marsh · Self-inflicted
Ben Foley · Self-inflicted
Stewart Stanley · State Custody related deaths | Suicide (from 2015)
Carl Walters · State Custody related deaths
Ian Emsley · State Custody related deaths
Carl Smith · Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths | State Custody related deaths
Other reports for Exeter
· Concerns
· Self-harm 276
· Concerns
Population 309
· Self-harm 384
· Concerns
Population 342
· Concerns
Population 420
· Concerns