THE average time prisoners spent out of a cell last year was 23% below its target due to shortages in operational staff and vocational instructors, it has been revealed.
The latest figures were part of the latest States of Jersey Annual Report and Accounts for 2025- which includes a breakdown in performance across many areas, including in prisons.
It revealed that the average daily amount of time a prisoner spent out of a cell was 7.7 hours – well below the target of ten hours recommended by the independent statutory body in the UK that Jersey follows.
Prison Governor Paul Yates said that while it is aware that they have not met the target which Jersey adopted in line with the mainland, the average time had improved by 24 minutes in comparison to the previous year.
Mr Yates said that the La Moye Prison fell short in this area because performance was impacted by “a reduction in accredited vocational training delivery” as well as “operational staffing pressures”.
He said that this “limited the availability of structured education, workshops and rehabilitation programmes”, which are all “purposeful activities” that are “key drivers in time out of a cell”.
“To address this, a current recruitment campaign for vocational training instructors is live,” Mr Yates said. “The advert seeks qualified vocational professionals to deliver, industry-recognised training designed to improve employability and increase structured activity across the prison regime.
“Improving purposeful time out of cell and meeting the needs of prisoners remains a priority, alongside the importance in supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.
“The Prison Service will continue to monitor performance and report progress transparently.”
It comes shortly after a damning report published just last month that highlighted education provision inside Jersey’s prison had sharply declined in recent years, with inmates facing long waits, cancelled courses and dwindling opportunities being provided.
The Independent Prison Monitoring Board’s latest annual report also revealed education staffing inside the prison dropped from five teachers in 2019 to just 2.84 full-time equivalents in 2025 – despite a rising prison population – a situation further compounded by long-term staff absences.
At the time, the board said: “Whilst some prisoners report positive employment, training and education activities, others report waiting times and availability of courses is frustrating and demotivating.”
Functional skills classes, creative writing sessions and even the prison book club were all paused due to staff shortages, leaving gaps in activity and incomplete records, it was also revealed.
Additionally, the board at the time also cited a separate report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons published in February 2025 following an inspection in 2024.
It noted that “purposeful activity was not effective in preparing prisoners for release”, and added that “many of the work opportunities were of poor quality, and there was insufficient accredited training”.
However, peer-to-peer teaching emerged as a success story, with inmates stepping in to help educate one another, with two groups completing a basic ICT qualification through prisoner-led teaching, with nine inmates gaining certificates.
