Wandsworth: The worst of English prisons

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ report on Wandsworth prison, published today (Tuesday 6 August).

Inspectors visited the prison, in London, in May 2024 and found catastrophic conditions, including high levels of overcrowding, self-harm, violence, and seven self-inflicted deaths over the last 12 months.

Conditions were so bad that inspectors invoked an urgent notification, giving the Secretary of State for Justice 28 days to respond with an action plan for improvement.

Inspectors found increased rates of violence, including both serious assaults and uses of force. Rates of self-harm were high and rising, but despite this, cell bells often went unanswered and inspectors had to alert staff to a person in crisis who had self-harmed. Almost 70% of people held in the jail said they felt unsafe.

The prison was found to be severely overcrowded, with appalling conditions and 80% of men sharing cells built for one person. Inspectors found damaged flooring and furniture, broken windows, leaking fixtures, and persistent vermin problems with rodent faeces and urine found across residential units.

Despite a recent high-profile escape, security was a significant concern at the prison, with staff unable to account for the men on their wings during the day.

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The prisons watchdog was established more than four decades ago, and it publishes findings from dozens of inspections every year. In all that time, it is hard to remember a report as scathing, emphatic, and utterly devastating as today’s appraisal of the chaos in Wandsworth.

“The root cause is the fact that Wandsworth is one of the most overcrowded jails in the country – with room for fewer than 1,000 men, while being asked to hold more than 1,500. But this report also lifts the lid on a shocking failure of leadership and culture. It underlines the need for a radical overhaul and work towards a more humane and effective response to crime.”

Notes to editors

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.
2. For more information about prison overcrowding, how it came about, and how it can be solved, visit the ‘Why are prisons overcrowded?’ page on the Howard League website at: https://howardleague.org/why-are-prisons-overcrowded/
3. The inspection report for Wandsworth prison will be available on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website at: https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/our-reports/
4. The Wandsworth prison Urgent Notification, invoked in May, can be found here: https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_reports/hmp-wandsworth-urgent-notification/

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