Illegal drugs and staff shortages among challenges at Cardiff Prison
Cardiff Prison is struggling to deal with the supply of illegal drugs, a new report has found.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons found a mixed picture of progress at the Cat B prison with challenges including the availability of new psychoactive substances which was leading to 'unpredictable and violent behaviour'.
Other concerns of the Inspectors included:
more needed to be done to address the supply of illegal drugs into the prison.
there were rising levels of violence and weak management of key areas such as the use of force.
some cells were in a poor state and there was a lack of basic facilities, such as bedding.
prisoners spent too much time locked in their cells.
At the time of the inspection Cardiff Prison held around 770 men.
The report also found the prison had become less safe and the physical environment had declined since a previous inspection in 2013.
The report did, however comment on many things the inspectors were pleased to see.
These included:
staff-prisoner relationships were good, and those relationships were a key feature of the prison and helped it in facing the challenges.
health care was generally good, including good provision for those suffering from severe mental health issues.
there was a good range of work, training and education on offer, though it was not being fully utilised.
public protection work was sound.
resettlement work was done well to meet the needs of the short-sentenced prisoners who formed the large majority of the population.
The organisation accountable for how prisons are run in England in Wales acknowledges there's more to do.