Prison
Cat B local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
High Down
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 15 July 2021
HMP High Down's reporting year (Jan-Dec 2020) was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a prolonged lockdown with prisoners often confined to cells for over 23 hours daily, impacting humane treatment and mental health. While prisoner-on-prisoner assaults reduced, assaults on staff increased by 23%. Key concerns include insufficient body worn cameras, inadequate heating, and a lack of purposeful activity and progressive transfers, particularly as the prison prepares for recategorisation to Category C.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomed a 13% reduction in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and new initiatives to disrupt illicit items. Regular meetings with community information orderlies continued, and staff received positive feedback for their helpful and supportive attitude. The chaplaincy team proactively provided support, including family contact. The number of prisoners released without accommodation reduced, and shower refurbishment work began. Communal areas appeared cleaner, and the segregation unit accommodation improved. The prison made progress with its complaints system, and there was a significant reduction in adjudications. Staff-prisoner relationships were generally good, and the diversity and inclusion post was retained.
Key Concerns
Safety
A 23% increase in assaults against members of staff.
Safety
Insufficient body worn video cameras (BWVCs) for all staff, and that those that are available are not always worn or turned on.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The extreme and prolonged lockdown of prisons due to the pandemic has meant that a large proportion of the men at High Down have spent in excess of 23 hours each day locked in their cells from mid-March 2020 until the end of the reporting period.
Overcrowding
The lockdown has highlighted the cramped conditions for many men, as High Down has 400 single cells used for double occupancy, many of which have a toilet in the cell rather than in a separate alcove.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Many men who have earned category C status feel aggrieved at being held at High Down (which was built to category A standards).
Estate/Conditions
The ongoing issues with the television aerial and heating on some house blocks are of concern to the Board.
Equality/Diversity
Immigration detainees have been held in prison conditions for too long.
Mental Health
The Board is concerned about the effect of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of the men.
Healthcare
The lack of non-urgent appointments with the dentist, optician, physiotherapist, chiropodist etc has impacted on the health and wellbeing of prisoners.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The lack of courses to address offending behaviour is of particular concern.
Resettlement/Release
The lack of availability of progressive transfers for most men during the pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on sentence progression.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board is concerned about the lack of activity spaces which will be available once the prison recategorises to a category C establishment.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing was significantly impacted by the pandemic, with absences exceeding 100 at one point due to self-isolation and shielding, affecting regime delivery. Foreign national clerks also experienced shortages. Staff-prisoner relationships were generally good, but 107 applications concerned these relationships, with 50% of confidential applications alleging bullying, threatening behaviour, or assault. There was a concern about insufficient body worn video cameras for all staff, and that those available were not always worn or activated.
Healthcare
The Board was concerned about the pandemic's effect on mental health and wellbeing, anticipating widespread impact despite no significant increase in referrals. Non-urgent appointments for dental, optical, physiotherapy, and chiropody were lacking. Concerns were raised about inconsistent leadership in healthcare and its impact on unit management. Healthcare attendance at ACCT reviews was problematic, and IMB received 163 medical complaints. Application response times were not accurately recorded, leading to delays in complaint resolution.
Regime & Daily Life
The pandemic led to extreme and prolonged lockdown, with a large proportion of prisoners spending over 23 hours a day locked in cells from March 2020, severely curtailing time out of cell, showers, exercise, and domestic facilities. Staff absences occasionally impacted the already limited regime. Concerns persist about the lack of sufficient activity spaces for the prison's recategorisation to a Category C establishment. The segregation unit's daily regime, though consistent, lacked purposeful activities beyond library materials and puzzles.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 67 | 24 | |
| Chaplaincy/religious support | 6 | 5 | |
| Cleanliness and hygiene | 6 | 4 | |
| Covid safety concerns | 16 | 0 | |
| Disciplinary issues/adjudications | 11 | 11 | — |
| Discrimination (staff/prisoner) | 5 | 5 | — |
| Domestic issues (including family visits) | 27 | 19 | |
| Education | 8 | 10 | |
| Food | 12 | 11 | |
| Healthcare (dental) | 10 | 12 | |
| Healthcare (medical) | 153 | 36 | |
| Healthcare (mental health) | 18 | 10 | |
| Immigration | 13 | 15 | |
| Lifer/IPP | 2 | 3 | |
| 16 | 11 | ||
| Orders/canteen | 19 | 14 | |
| Other | 112 | 138 | |
| Property | 127 | 80 | |
| Remand (including courts) | 5 | 5 | — |
| Security | 2 | 3 | |
| Sentence planning/release | 9 | 8 | |
| Staff-prisoner relationships | 107 | 34 | |
| Substance misuse | 2 | 2 | — |
| Suicide/self-harm (ACCTs) | 11 | 10 | |
| TOTAL | 846 | 546 | |
| Violence/safety | 101 | 41 | |
| Work/activity | 12 | 10 |
Recommendations (16)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 6
Governor / Director: 7
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
What help will be provided nationally to support the additional wellbeing and mental health needs of prisoners arising as a consequence of the pandemic?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
What help will be provided nationally in order to alleviate the negative consequences of the pandemic on the ability of prisoners to make progress in their sentences? This is important both in terms of applications for parole and also their ability to successfully resettle into the community.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
When is the Minister going to address the problem of prisoners serving IPP sentences?
Ministry of Justice
Justice
Recommendation 4
Repeated
What steps does the Prison Service intend to take to ensure there are sufficient body worn video cameras and that they are worn by all officers who have contact with prisoners, and used in accordance with PSI 04/2017?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 5
What steps does the Prison Service intend to take in order to ensure that prisoners who require transfer to an outside secure mental health unit are assessed and transferred without delay?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 6
What plans does the Prison Service have to ensure that the backlog of progressive transfers is cleared as quickly as possible once current restrictions allow?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
In view of the projected increase in the prison population nationally, does the Prison Service remain of the view that the recategorisation of High Down to a category C establishment is the best use of resources?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 8
How will the Prison Service ensure that sufficient activity and education spaces, and behavioural programmes are available when High Down becomes a category C prison?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 9
What steps can the Prison Service take in order to tackle the issue of loss of property, both when moving cells within the establishment and being transferred to or from High Down?
HMPPS
Property
Recommendation 10
What actions does the governor intend to take to ensure that welfare checks are done in a timely manner and are adequately recorded?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 11
When does the governor anticipate being in a position to find a permanent and long-term solution to the inadequate heating, particularly on house block 6?
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 12
Repeated
What is the solution for the overheating of cells in the summer months, particularly in the south-facing sections of house blocks five and six? This is a recurring issue every summer at High Down
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 13
What action can be taken to tackle the growing levels of assaults on staff during use of force incidents?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 14
Repeated
How can more staff be encouraged to wear and use body worn video cameras?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 15
When will the broken CCTV units in the healthcare centre be fixed?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 16
Can the prison develop a more efficient process for handling prisoners’ property, particularly in relation to cell clearances for moves between house blocks?
Governor / Director
Property
Other IMB Reports for High Down
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
31 Jul 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 3
Activity: 1
Release: 2
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.