Time to address safety crisis in UK prisons

Community Union are calling on the government to get to grip on a safety crisis in British prisons following the stabbing of an inmate at HMP Wandsworth this weekend. The attack came just days after terror suspect Daniel Khalife’s escape from the same prison.

Adrian Axtell, Community Union’s National Officer for the Justice and Custodial sector, said:

“Our prisons sector is facing a safety crisis as a direct result of the UK Government’s underinvestment in staffing levels, with the lives of staff and inmates being put at risk. The stabbing in HMP Wandsworth – coming just days after a terror suspect was able to escape from the prison – is another ominous warning that the situation is deteriorating.

“Far too many wake-up calls have gone unheeded by government ministers – we need action now to increase staffing levels and retain experienced staff, as well as meaningful investment to improve health and safety across the sector. Things can’t go on as they are.”

Community is the union for justice and custodial sector workers, representing thousands of members whose work is vital to our justice system and to public safety. Our members work for a range of organisations in the sector. We represent workers at private prisons, secure immigration centres, young offender institutions, courts, in prisoner escorting and much more. We are a modern trade union, campaigning for a better working world.

You can read more about Community’s ‘Keep Us Safe’ campaign here:
https://community-tu.org/campaigns/sector-campaigns/keep-us-safe/