Drake Hall women’s prison rated good on three tests but drugs a key concern

HMP/YOI Drake Hall remained a safe place to live with hardly any serious violence, inspectors found. But they also warned that drugs were too easily available at the Staffordshire women’s prison. HM Inspectorate of Prisons published its report in May 2020.

Inspectors visited between 27 January and 6 February 2020. Drake Hall was a training and resettlement prison and young offender institution. It held 324 adult and young adult women at the time, against an operational capacity of 340.

Although a closed prison, Drake Hall ran an open regime inside its perimeter fence. Staff never locked women in their rooms, and women could move freely around the site during the day. At night, staff locked only the house blocks, so women could still move around their unit. A fully open unit just outside the main prison held up to 25 women, all in full-time work.

How inspectors graded Drake Hall

The inspectorate judged Drake Hall against four healthy prison tests: safety, respect, purposeful activity, and preparation for release. Purposeful activity covers education, work and time out of cell. Each test receives one of four grades: good, reasonably good, not sufficiently good or poor.

Inspectors rated safety, respect, and preparation for release good, the highest grade. Purposeful activity was reasonably good.

At the previous inspection in summer 2016, inspectors had rated three tests good and respect reasonably good. This time respect improved to good. Purposeful activity slipped to reasonably good under Ofsted’s inspection framework.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said the prison promoted a community ethos. Women lived together, helped to run the prison and took responsibility for their own behaviour and progression. Prisoners spoke positively about that ethos and their part in it.

Some refurbishment to the showers had been made but it is our view that these two buildings were not fit for purpose and were in urgent need of demolition and replacement.

Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Bullying and drugs

In the survey, half of the women said other prisoners had intimidated, bullied or victimised them. Inspectors also found that wing staff had not passed some anti-social or violent incidents to the safer custody team for investigation.

Some house units had no staff on them, and staff engagement with women was at times too limited. That did not always protect the more vulnerable or challenge bullies. It also made simple tasks harder to get done, which was the most common complaint inspectors heard.

Drug availability was one of the inspectorate’s key concerns. More women than at the last inspection said they had developed a drug problem at Drake Hall, and the proportion was higher than in similar prisons. The report said the prison needed to do more to stem the flow.

Use of force had increased in recent months. However, incidents were very low level and none involved full restraint. Self-harm was lower than in similar prisons, and care for women at risk was good.

Living conditions, health and resettlement

Living conditions were reasonable overall but poor on two units. Richmond and Plymouth units occupied World War II prefabricated buildings that had needed replacing for many years. The Chief Inspector of Prisons judged them “not fit for purpose and were in urgent need of demolition and replacement”. He called it disappointing that HM Prison and Probation Service had not committed money, despite previous promises.

Health care had improved and was now good, with access to a female GP. New specialist counselling helped women address the impact of trauma. In the survey, 62% of women said they had a mental health problem on arrival.

The food was good, and interactions between staff and women were good, although the personal officer scheme was not effective. Peer workers made a good contribution overall.

Ofsted rated education, skills and work as good. There were enough activity places, attendance and punctuality were good, and most women achieved their qualifications. However, there was no strategic oversight of the curriculum.

Release on temporary licence, which lets prisoners leave for work, education or family contact, was well managed. Staff had used it more than 5,000 times in the previous six months, far exceeding other closed prisons. Links with national employers let some women keep their jobs after release. Work to maintain contact with children and families remained positive. Few women left homeless, although a shortage of Bail, Accommodation and Support Service places held up some releases on home detention curfew.

Since this report

Inspectors have reported on Drake Hall again since, with a full inspection published in October 2024. This story covers the 2020 report only.