Straw orders investigation into prison 'ghosting'
Pentonville and Wandsworth swapped 'difficult' prisoners
The British Security Industry Association is the principal trade association for professional security companies in the UK. We represent over 550 security companies. |  |
Find more Opinion Formers in this category:
London mayor Boris Johnson has said burglars in the capital should feel a "sense of apprehension" as the Metropolitan police resurrected an old anti-burglary campaign. |  |
Fiona Phillips brings some life into Jack Straw and Alan Johnson, but not enough to bring back the will to live in those watching. |  |
Tuesday, 20, Oct 2009 04:03
By Emmeline Saunders
Jack Straw has ordered an investigation to establish how widespread the practice of "ghosting" is within the prison system.
Also known as going "on tour with the National", the practice of ghosting involves shuttling potentially difficult prisoners around the country's jails to manipulate inspection findings.
The investigation comes as four prison managers face gross misconduct charges after inmates from Pentonville and Wandsworth prisons were temporarily ghosted during inspections.
Ian Mulholland, who governed Wandsworth, and Nick Leader, former governor of Pentonville, have been suspended.
Two other senior managers also face charges, and will go before a hearing chaired by Michael Spurr, deputy head of the National Offenders Management Service (Noms).
Justice secretary Jack Straw said in a written statement he has asked Dame Anne to work with the ministry of justices director of analytical services to established whether "the temporary transfer of prisoners prior to inspection is more widespread across the estate".
"The chief inspector's reports have highlighted practices in two prisons which are quite clearly reprehensible and neither justifiable nor excusable.
"Those involved neglected one of their primary duties - to treat prisoners with decency and respect," he said.
In response to an emergency question from shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve this afternoon, Mr Straw went further, calling the practice "inexcusable".
He added: "The transfer of prisoners like this was a disgraceful matter in its intent and execution."
Dame Anne Owers, HM chief inspector of prisons (HMCIP), said the prisons' reputations had been "seriously tarnished by the irresponsible, pointless and potentially dangerous actions instigated at managerial level".
The two ghosted prisoners missed medical appointments for serious conditions, and both attempted to self-harm – one tied a ligature around his neck and cut himself, before being removed from his cell and taken, bloody and handcuffed, to reception, wearing just his underwear.
The other took an overdose of prescription drugs and was treated in hospital, but was then transferred by taxi to Pentonville prison.
All five were then immediately returned to Wandsworth at the end of the inspection.
Ms Owers said: "These actions were a dereliction of the prison's duty of care to prisoners.
"This is deplorable, not only because of the effects on individuals, but because of the underlying mind-set: that prisoners are merely pieces to be moved around the board to meet performance targets or burnish the reputation of the prison.
"Those involved in the decision and its implementation not only lost sight of their primary duty to those in their care, but also sent a message to more junior staff that prisoners' wellbeing is negotiable – and this in a prison which had been struggling to change a negative staff culture, and where the levels of use of force by staff are still of concern."
Phil Wheatley, director general for the National Offender Management Service, said: "The transfer of prisoners between Wandsworth and Pentonville and the consequences of those transfers were completely unacceptable and a very serious breach of the Prison Service's professional duty of care to those in its custody.
"That the purpose of this practice was to seek to manipulate the HMCIP's inspection process is reprehensible.
"Ironically, both of these inspection reports describe prisons that are making significant progress in meeting the chief inspector's tests for a healthy prison. I deeply regret that the desire to secure positive inspection reports appears to have resulted in a failure to treat prisoners with respect and decency."
Wandsworth was found to be performing poorly against the 'healthy prison test', which looks at safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement plans as criteria for a good prison. Pentonville was found to be performing 'not sufficiently well'.
Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "Today's reports into Pentonville and Wandsworth prisons that tell the tale of a prisoner being bundled away, bloody and in underpants, in order to hoodwink inspectors, are an indicator of a profound malaise inside the prison system.
"The two governors concerned are both known to be caring and competent, yet the prisons over which they presided were driven to such extreme and life-threatening practices because of a culture of management by numbers, grossly overflowing prisons, and political bullying."
The Howard League has written to justice secretary Jack Straw asking how far up the conspiracy to transfer prisoners went, and to address why doctors and private contractors involved in the transfers took no action.
England and Wales' prison service allows inmates to communicate with inspectors in confidence, which is how details of the transfer conspiracy emerged.
The National Offender Management Service is looking into similar allegations involving Brixton jail.