Inspectorate finds Maghaberry Prison to be unsafe and unstable.
05/11/2015
In a highly critical report, published today, CJI finds Maghaberry Prison to be unsafe and unstable. The independent inspection by a multi-disciplinary team from CJI, HMIP, RQIA and ETI has revealed significant failures in local leadership combined with an ineffective relationship with senior management within the Prison Service contributed to the high security facility becoming unsafe and unstable for prisoners and staff.
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In a highly critical report, published today, CJI finds Maghaberry Prison to be unsafe and unstable. The independent inspection by a multi-disciplinary team from CJI, HMIP, RQIA and ETI has revealed significant failures in local leadership combined with an ineffective relationship with senior management within the Prison Service contributed to the high security facility becoming unsafe and unstable for prisoners and staff.
Speaking on the unannounced inspection Mr McGuigan, Chief Inspector CJI and Mr Hardwick, Chief Inspector HMIP both said "What we found was a highly complex prison that was in crisis and it is our view that the leadership of the prison had failed to ensure it was both safe and stable."
Highlighting some of the key findings of the inspection, the report recognises that more prisoners than before had reported feeling unsafe; illegal and prescription drugs were more widely available; staff absence was high and morale low; some areas of health care including chronic disease management and substance misuse were considered by Inspectors to be unsafe; and levels of assaults and rates of self-harm had increased with the report revealing that Inspectors were told a great deal of bullying and incidents of physical violence were going unreported.
Of the 93 recommendations made in the 2012 inspection of Maghaberry Prison, this report confirms 16 had been achieved.
Inspectors will return in January 2016 to carry out a further inspection to assess both the impact of the work currently underway and progress against the inspection recommendations