News
Fathers at HMP Brixton take part in hair braiding workshops
A four-week course run by TreasureTress teaches imprisoned dads to braid and care for their children’s textured hair, ending with a family visit day.
Prison profile
HMP Brixton
Category C Public (HMPPS)
Population740of 798 operational places (93%)
Last inspectedJune 2024Full inspection, unannounced
Latest inspection
At its last full inspection (June 2024; report published September 2024), inspectors found outcomes for prisoners were poor for purposeful activity and preparation for release; not sufficiently good for safety and respect. It held 740 people at the time, against an operational capacity of 798. An independent review of progress was published in April 2025.
Read our story Read the inspection report
Healthy prison tests: inspectors grade four areas from 1 (poor) to 4 (good).
Inspection history
- Follow-up visit assessing progress against the key concerns from the previous full inspection. Read the report (HM Inspectorate of Prisons, opens external site) ↗
- Safety: not sufficiently good · Respect: not sufficiently good · Purposeful activity: poor · Preparation for release: poor Read our story
- Follow-up visit assessing progress against the key concerns from the previous full inspection. Read the report (HM Inspectorate of Prisons, opens external site) ↗
- Safety: not sufficiently good · Respect: poor · Purposeful activity: poor · Rehabilitation and release planning: not sufficiently good Read our story
Our reporting
News
HMP Brixton rated poor for activity and release work at most overcrowded category C jail
Inspectors found the south London resettlement prison was failing at its core task of preparing men for release. Ofsted rated education inadequate, and nearly a third of men felt unsafe.
News
HMP Brixton was ‘a prison in trouble’ with standards down in three areas
The inspectorate's report on the London resettlement prison, published in June 2022, rated respect and purposeful activity poor and found prisoners frustrated by broken systems.