'Drugs, drones and violence': Shocking report reveals life at Midlands jail
Higher levels of violence, widespread use of hard drugs and an increase in attacks on inmates and staff – this is the shocking reality of life at Featherstone Prison.
A damning assessment by the Independent Monitoring Board today laid bare the horrendous issues facing prison officers at the Category C jail.
South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson, the Government Chief Whip, said he would be calling for an 'urgent meeting' with the prisons minister.
He said: "There can be no excuse for the violence and disgraceful events documented in this report to be happening. There needs to be immediate action."
The no-holds-barred report reveals there was; an increase in drug-carrying drones being flown into the prison; 155 incidents of self harm; 144 attacks on prisoners; 40 assaults on staff; two deaths and 60 prisoners moved to other jails after a 'major incident'.
The report says that psychoactive substances, such as Black Mamba, continue to be a problem but that there is a 'worrying trend' of an increase in the use of hard drugs like heroin.
It also acknowledged there had been a reduction in 'uniformed officers' which had contributed to a rise in violence at the jail, which houses 700 offenders.
The report also reveals that £500,000 has been put aside for 43 legal cases, including 37 from prisoners.
The board said the prison had been more 'stable' and settled' before being made a resettlement prison.
In August that a hostage situation was so bad that a riot squad, known as the Tornado Team, was called in.
On drones, the report states: "The ingress of illicit substances continues to be of concern especially with the increase of drones and constant security attempts to keep this to a minimum."
The annual report covers the period between November 2015 and October this year.
