A LACK of ‘meaningful out-of-cell activity’ and staff shortages were issues faced by the prison during the Covid-19 outbreak, according to a new report.
The Jersey Independent Prison Monitoring Board annual report says that particular issues have been faced with employee shortfalls in education and vocational training.
It adds that the lack of sufficient staff compounded difficulties with management of inmates during the pandemic.
‘We were concerned throughout the year, as in 2020, with the reduction in the daily regimes so that prisoners had less meaningful out-of-cell activity,’ the report says.
‘This situation worsened in the autumn, when, due to staff shortages, every wing had a full day per week of total lockdown. Not only was the prison short-staffed but frequent absences were caused by staff off sick or having to self-isolate due to contacts or positive tests.
‘We have also been concerned about changes in personnel in the field of rehabilitation and reoffending, which includes education. The prison management and staff have risen to the challenge but it is unsettling for everyone to be dealing with such changes for more than a year.
‘Vocational training has become seriously understaffed, so reducing time in meaningful activity,’ it continued.
The report says there was a cluster of Covid-19 cases among prisoners in December 2020 but an outbreak was prevented through mass testing, using quarantines and introducing stricter social-distancing measures.
It adds that concerns over staffing levels continued to persist when the report was signed off on 16 March 2022.
The report stated: ‘Apart from Covid-19 there has been one topic that has come up frequently and that is the staff shortages issue.
‘There have been numerous conversations, some of bitterness and exhaustion, some of hope and optimism. There has been a monumental effort to recruit and the governor has reassured us that there are new people in the pipeline, it just takes time.
‘She has also stated that yes, they are short, but it is not as dire as staff make out and the new ways of working will show this.’
Susie Richardson took over as the governor of HMP La Moye in April 2021, replacing acting governor Nick Watkins.
