New report published into Portland HMP and YOI (From Dorset Echo)
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New report published into Portland HMP and YOI
1:17pm Friday 11th January 2013 in News
New report published into Portland YOI
A REPORT into the Portland Young Offender Institution has found a number of ‘positive developments’ as well as areas of concern.
The Independent Monitoring Board has just published a report into their findings for the year until March 31, 2012.
The YOI accepts young offenders with a sentence no longer than 10 years, adult category C prisoners with a sentence no longer than eight years and under prior arrangement - adult prisoners subject to indeterminate sentences.
Highlighting a number of positive and ‘of concern’ areas the reported stated it had been a ‘year of transition’ for the YOI, with a new governor being appointed in the autumn of 2011.
The positive developments highlighted the increase in the number of prisoners released on temporary licence, the addition of a rugby academy and greater focus on gym courses.
Other positive areas highlighted were: a good prisoner perception survey, better care of disabled prisoners and that the allotments on the grounds were now producing vegetables and salads on a regular basis.
The report indicated that of concern were: an increase in violence against prisoners and staff, the reduction in size of the Safer Custody Team, that many workshops and education hours were not delivered by contractors and that the time taken for full appraisal of mental health problems lengthened.
Other key areas of concern to the IMB were that the YOI was still being sent too many short-stay prisoners and that the number of prisoners attending religious services had declined.
