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| Prison has 'inadequate training' | Prison has 'inadequate training' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Inspectors have criticised Parc Prison in Bridgend for not having enough resources to carry out its role as a training prison for Wales. | Inspectors have criticised Parc Prison in Bridgend for not having enough resources to carry out its role as a training prison for Wales. |
| A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons said there were only 70 education spaces for 1,200 male prisoners at the private jail. | A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons said there were only 70 education spaces for 1,200 male prisoners at the private jail. |
| The Prison Reform Trust said prisoners needed to learn adequate skills to be properly prepared for their release. | The Prison Reform Trust said prisoners needed to learn adequate skills to be properly prepared for their release. |
| The prison said it was conducting a review into the issue. | The prison said it was conducting a review into the issue. |
| It added that improvements had been made since its last inspection, which had been recognised in the report. | It added that improvements had been made since its last inspection, which had been recognised in the report. |
| Dame Anne Owers, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, published the report after an unannounced inspection of the category B male adult prison and young offenders' institution. | Dame Anne Owers, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, published the report after an unannounced inspection of the category B male adult prison and young offenders' institution. |
| It said there had been some improvement in the quality of education and work. | It said there had been some improvement in the quality of education and work. |
| But it said there were only 70 education spaces for 1,200 prisoners, and only 289 work places, some of them in contract workshops with too few opportunities to gain work-related skills. | But it said there were only 70 education spaces for 1,200 prisoners, and only 289 work places, some of them in contract workshops with too few opportunities to gain work-related skills. |
| At any one time, there were at least 400 officially unemployed prisoners, and many of those in the contract workshops were in fact unoccupied, the report added. | At any one time, there were at least 400 officially unemployed prisoners, and many of those in the contract workshops were in fact unoccupied, the report added. |
| 'Doing time' should not mean wasting time Prison Reform Trust | 'Doing time' should not mean wasting time Prison Reform Trust |
| Improvements | Improvements |
| The report also found that vulnerable young adults were still inappropriately located in the segregation unit, because there was no alternative provision in Wales. | The report also found that vulnerable young adults were still inappropriately located in the segregation unit, because there was no alternative provision in Wales. |
| However, the report said relationships between staff and prisoners had improved, although staff still lacked the training and confidence to engage positively with prisoners or challenge them. | However, the report said relationships between staff and prisoners had improved, although staff still lacked the training and confidence to engage positively with prisoners or challenge them. |
| Dame Anne said: "As at the time of the previous inspection, there are two key weaknesses that need to be addressed. One is internal: the need to train, support and equip staff properly to engage with and challenge the prisoner population. | Dame Anne said: "As at the time of the previous inspection, there are two key weaknesses that need to be addressed. One is internal: the need to train, support and equip staff properly to engage with and challenge the prisoner population. |
| "The other is external: Parc is Wales' only generic training prison and at present it is unequipped to perform that role. Welsh prisoners therefore either need to leave Wales, or to miss out on the education and training opportunities they need in order to increase their life chances outside prison." | |
| Juliet Lyon, director of Prison Reform Trust, said "'doing time' should not mean wasting time". | Juliet Lyon, director of Prison Reform Trust, said "'doing time' should not mean wasting time". |
| Review | Review |
| "Parc, a training prison with just 70 full-time education and 289 work places for an expanded population of 1,200 men and young offenders, cannot hope to prepare prisoners properly for release or do its job to cut appalling re-offending rates." | "Parc, a training prison with just 70 full-time education and 289 work places for an expanded population of 1,200 men and young offenders, cannot hope to prepare prisoners properly for release or do its job to cut appalling re-offending rates." |
| G4S, which runs the prison, said management and staff at Parc were working to address the issues raised in the report. | G4S, which runs the prison, said management and staff at Parc were working to address the issues raised in the report. |
| "A complete review of learning and skills provision will be completed by the autumn, and the increase in employment provision delivered as part of Parc's expansion programme will boost the vocational qualifications prisoners can access," said a spokesperson. | "A complete review of learning and skills provision will be completed by the autumn, and the increase in employment provision delivered as part of Parc's expansion programme will boost the vocational qualifications prisoners can access," said a spokesperson. |