A review by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found few jails had a strategy for people held awaiting trial or sentence, who now make up around a fifth of the prison population.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons has warned of serious failings across the Long-Term High-Security Estate, with Woodhill and Swaleside now both in special measures.
A review by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found high phone costs, long booking waits and disproportionate security checks deterring family contact, which it says supports safety and reduces reoffending.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons says the Prison Service has acted on its criticisms, with use of anti-rip clothing falling from 493 instances in 2024 to 88 in 2025.
A return visit to the G4S-run prison found significant improvement in only one of the 11 areas of major concern that inspectors identified in 2025.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons says lost and delayed belongings damage trust and safety, and the Chief Inspector of Prisons backs bar coding to track items between jails.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that governors who made reading a priority had created thriving libraries and schemes. But too many jails still fall short, it warned.
The Prison Service published a 21-point plan for the Kent jail on 14 January, a month after the Chief Inspector of Prisons issued an Urgent Notification.
Two portable workshop buildings due by March 2026 will add 80 activity places a session, according to the Prison Service’s response to an inspection report.
