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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/17/prisoners-face-fresh-crackdown-on-drugs-violence-and-phones
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Prisons minister: I'll quit if assaults do not fall in problem jails | Prisons minister: I'll quit if assaults do not fall in problem jails |
| (4 months later) | |
| The prisons minister, Rory Stewart, has said he will resign if the number of assaults does not fall in 10 jails that are to be subjected to a fresh crackdown on drugs and violence. | The prisons minister, Rory Stewart, has said he will resign if the number of assaults does not fall in 10 jails that are to be subjected to a fresh crackdown on drugs and violence. |
| Stewart, who has been prisons minister since January, announced a £10m package of measures designed to lift standards at the 10 jails, which have “acute” problems. | Stewart, who has been prisons minister since January, announced a £10m package of measures designed to lift standards at the 10 jails, which have “acute” problems. |
| Rise in prison assaults, self-harm and drug seizures signals crisis | |
| He told BBC Breakfast: “I will quit if I haven’t succeeded in 12 months in reducing the level of drugs and violence in those prisons. | He told BBC Breakfast: “I will quit if I haven’t succeeded in 12 months in reducing the level of drugs and violence in those prisons. |
| “I want to make a measurable difference. That’s what this investment is around. I believe in the prison service, I believe in our prison officers. I believe that this can be turned around and I want you to judge me on those results and I will resign if I don’t succeed.” | “I want to make a measurable difference. That’s what this investment is around. I believe in the prison service, I believe in our prison officers. I believe that this can be turned around and I want you to judge me on those results and I will resign if I don’t succeed.” |
| He added on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’d expect to be judged on assaults. At the moment we’re measuring every month how many times a prisoner assaults another prisoner or a prisoner assaults a prison officer and in these 10 prisons in particular, violence is a real problem. The fundamental thing I’d like to do and be judged on over the next 12 months is reducing that violence, reducing the number of assaults.” | He added on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’d expect to be judged on assaults. At the moment we’re measuring every month how many times a prisoner assaults another prisoner or a prisoner assaults a prison officer and in these 10 prisons in particular, violence is a real problem. The fundamental thing I’d like to do and be judged on over the next 12 months is reducing that violence, reducing the number of assaults.” |
| Stewart agreed the fall would have to be in the region of 10% to 25% in order for him to stay in his job. | Stewart agreed the fall would have to be in the region of 10% to 25% in order for him to stay in his job. |
| “I”d hope to be able to come back in 12 months and go through those prisons and demonstrate the things we’re focusing on, which are tackling the drugs going into the prison, improving basic decency but above all investing and supporting our and training prison officers – by doing those things we can really turn round the challenge of violence in our prisons.” | “I”d hope to be able to come back in 12 months and go through those prisons and demonstrate the things we’re focusing on, which are tackling the drugs going into the prison, improving basic decency but above all investing and supporting our and training prison officers – by doing those things we can really turn round the challenge of violence in our prisons.” |
| About £6m has been earmarked to bolster physical security with drug-detection dogs, body-scanners and improved perimeter defences, while £3m has been set aside to improve the fabric of the jails, such as mending broken windows. | About £6m has been earmarked to bolster physical security with drug-detection dogs, body-scanners and improved perimeter defences, while £3m has been set aside to improve the fabric of the jails, such as mending broken windows. |
| The third strand of the drive will see £1m spent on bespoke training programmes to help staff deal with violent and disruptive behaviour. | The third strand of the drive will see £1m spent on bespoke training programmes to help staff deal with violent and disruptive behaviour. |
| The 10 prisons selected for the programme are Hull, Humber, Leeds, Lindholme, Moorland, Wealstun, Nottingham, Ranby, Isis and Wormwood Scrubs. | The 10 prisons selected for the programme are Hull, Humber, Leeds, Lindholme, Moorland, Wealstun, Nottingham, Ranby, Isis and Wormwood Scrubs. |
| The Ministry of Justice said these jails had struggled with problems such as high drug use, violence and building issues. | The Ministry of Justice said these jails had struggled with problems such as high drug use, violence and building issues. |
| Officials said the scheme would be up and running in all 10 prisons by the end of the year, with “tangible results” within 12 months. | Officials said the scheme would be up and running in all 10 prisons by the end of the year, with “tangible results” within 12 months. |
| It is the latest in a string of steps aimed at tackling the safety crisis that has gripped the prison system in recent years. | It is the latest in a string of steps aimed at tackling the safety crisis that has gripped the prison system in recent years. |
| £7m to be spent on phones in prison cells to stem flow of illegal mobiles | |
| Figures published last month showed self-harm incidents and assaults in jails were at record levels, while findings of drugs and mobile phones increased by 23% and 15% respectively in the year to March. | Figures published last month showed self-harm incidents and assaults in jails were at record levels, while findings of drugs and mobile phones increased by 23% and 15% respectively in the year to March. |
| Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “The governors of the 10 prisons will be pleased to have a little more money, wherever it comes from.” | Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “The governors of the 10 prisons will be pleased to have a little more money, wherever it comes from.” |
| He said Stewart “must concentrate on the job only he can do: matching the demands on the system to the resource parliament is prepared to make available for it”. | He said Stewart “must concentrate on the job only he can do: matching the demands on the system to the resource parliament is prepared to make available for it”. |
| “It was a catastrophic failure to provide that balance which caused the collapse of prison safety after 2012. Trying to tell governors how to run prisons is not going to put it right,” Dawson added. | “It was a catastrophic failure to provide that balance which caused the collapse of prison safety after 2012. Trying to tell governors how to run prisons is not going to put it right,” Dawson added. |
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