Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Brixton
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 15 December 2020
This report for HMP Brixton (Sept 2019-Aug 2020) highlights continued improvements in safety, with reduced assaults and self-harm, and commends the compassionate management of Covid-19 lockdown. However, the Board raises significant concerns about the severely restrictive regime during lockdown, including the mental health impacts of prolonged cell confinement, the lack of in-cell education, and inadequate family contact. Persistent issues such as cell overcrowding, delays in D-cat transfers, and the need for an older prisoner strategy also remain key areas for development.
Positive Findings
The IMB was impressed by the speed and sensitivity with which the Governor and staff implemented revised systems during Covid-19 lockdown, managing the restrictive regime professionally and compassionately. A favourable trend towards a safer prison continued, with reducing levels of assaults, use of force, and self-harm. Healthcare provision was good, with increased staffing and collaboration for urgent needs. Local initiatives provided innovative in-cell activities, maintained physical wellbeing, and ensured good food. Security measures against drugs and phones were tightened, and communication with prisoners, including diversity initiatives, improved. The Board congratulated the prison for maintaining a safe and calm environment under very difficult circumstances.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
The Board continues to be concerned about the shortage of category D prison places.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board notes that the Justice Committee report of July 2020 repeated its 2013 recommendation on the need for a strategy for the ageing prison population. The Board considers that this need is very evident in HMP Brixton.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
that more low-risk prisoners were not released early, even by a week. This would have reduced overcrowding, allowed more men more time out of cell, and thus helped to safeguard the mental and physical health and wellbeing of prisoners and staff. The Board would ask that this be reviewed as the pandemic continues;
Education/Purposeful Activity
the inadequate emphasis on continuing some form of in-cell education tailored towards qualifications later, and access to library services;
Resettlement/Release
the inadequate emphasis on maintaining family ties, especially in prisons like Brixton without in-cell telephony.
Estate/Conditions
considers that the size of cell considered adequate for two men sharing, in normal conditions and even more so in lockdown, is neither decent nor humane;
Resettlement/Release
regrets that the OMIC25 changes to give resettlement prisons resources to complete sentence plans have not yet been introduced.
Mental Health
the mental health impacts of lockdown be assessed urgently, and action taken to mitigate them;
Education/Purposeful Activity
a mechanism to provide some education and training, and better access to books, be considered a priority as lockdown continues;
Substance Misuse
mandatory drug testing be reintroduced as soon as possible;
Resettlement/Release
more importance be placed on transferring prisoners to establishments where courses required in their sentence plans are offered, and not to resettlement prisons;
Complaints/Property
the canteen and telephone contracts be reviewed to make goods and calls more affordable;
Complaints/Property
the introduction of the long-promised property tracking scheme be expedited, not least to save costs;
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
a strategy for older prisoners be produced as a priority;
Resettlement/Release
a commitment is made to retain free ‘purple visits’ video calls after lockdown;
Resettlement/Release
as prisons return to a more normal regime, it is made a priority and funding is made available to provide all men in resettlement prisons with an activity that will reduce their risk of reoffending on release.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels fell over the winter due to higher salaries in other services, impacting keyworker contact time despite new officer recruitment. The prison maintained weekly key worker sessions at 69% after lockdown. Some uniformed and civilian staff contracted Covid-19 or shielded. The chaplaincy was short-staffed with two full-time chaplains instead of four, and healthcare services also relied on agency and bank nurses, leading to a shortage of workspace as staff returned post-lockdown.
Healthcare
Overall healthcare was good, with increased staffing for both physical and mental health services, including evening and weekend cover. There was good collaboration between healthcare, safer custody, and Forward Trust for urgent needs. Waiting times were generally in line with community standards, with extra time allocated to address excessive waits in physiotherapy and podiatry. All clinics stopped during lockdown, but GPs, dentists, opticians, and physiotherapists gradually resumed in-person visits. The mental health team carried a caseload of 100-120 men and facilitated two secure hospital transfers within the statutory time limit.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was predictable, but pre-lockdown, Friday canteen distribution led to reduced time out of cell on main wings. During lockdown, most men spent 24 hours in cells on Fridays, and Brixton's cramped cells were deemed inhumane for two men. Time out of cell was severely limited to 30 minutes daily for up to 600 men from March to June, increasing to 60 minutes daily, and up to 90 minutes on smaller wings by June. Post-lockdown, national decisions halted education and training, leaving no effective in-cell programme and limiting purposeful activity to approximately 70 working prisoners.
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) | 66 | 79 | |
| Discipline (including segregation) | 27 | 15 | |
| Fairness/equality | 24 | 15 | |
| Family/friend (including visits) | 17 | 9 | |
| Food | 28 | 8 | |
| Healthcare (all categories) | 48 | 33 | |
| Legal | 5 | 3 | |
| Other | 0 | 7 | |
| Property (including compensation) | 55 | 160 | |
| Regime and facilities | 25 | 15 | |
| Relationships with staff | 20 | 18 | |
| Total | 315 | 362 |
Recommendations (16)
Other: 5
HMPPS: 11
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
The Board continues to be concerned about the shortage of category D prison places.
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
The Board notes that the Justice Committee report of July 2020 repeated its 2013 recommendation on the need for a strategy for the ageing prison population. The Board considers that this need is very evident in HMP Brixton.
Other
(minister)
Equality
Recommendation 3
that more low-risk prisoners were not released early, even by a week. This would have reduced overcrowding, allowed more men more time out of cell, and thus helped to safeguard the mental and physical health and wellbeing of prisoners and staff. The Board would ask that this be reviewed as the pandemic continues;
Other
(minister)
Regime
Recommendation 4
the inadequate emphasis on continuing some form of in-cell education tailored towards qualifications later, and access to library services;
Other
(minister)
Education
Recommendation 5
the inadequate emphasis on maintaining family ties, especially in prisons like Brixton without in-cell telephony.
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
the size of cell considered adequate for two men sharing, in normal conditions and even more so in lockdown, is neither decent nor humane;
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 7
regrets that the OMIC25 changes to give resettlement prisons resources to complete sentence plans have not yet been introduced.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 8
the mental health impacts of lockdown be assessed urgently, and action taken to mitigate them;
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 9
a mechanism to provide some education and training, and better access to books, be considered a priority as lockdown continues;
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 10
mandatory drug testing be reintroduced as soon as possible;
HMPPS
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 11
more importance be placed on transferring prisoners to establishments where courses required in their sentence plans are offered, and not to resettlement prisons;
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 12
the canteen and telephone contracts be reviewed to make goods and calls more affordable;
HMPPS
Welfare
Recommendation 13
the introduction of the long-promised property tracking scheme be expedited, not least to save costs;
HMPPS
Property
Recommendation 14
Repeated
a strategy for older prisoners be produced as a priority;
HMPPS
Equality
Recommendation 15
a commitment is made to retain free ‘purple visits’ video calls after lockdown;
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 16
as prisons return to a more normal regime, it is made a priority and funding is made available to provide all men in resettlement prisons with an activity that will reduce their risk of reoffending on release.
HMPPS
Purposeful Activity
Other IMB Reports for Brixton
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
3 Mar 2025
IRP
4 Jun 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 1
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.