Violence levels at HMP Exeter are still the highest
Inspectors have carried out a follow up inspection, following concerns in 2022
Exeter prison still has the highest rates of violence between prisoners of all adult male prisons, according to the latest inspection.
The site was originally built in 1853 and the latest visit was a follow up after concerns were raised in 2022.
The report warns: "Action to improve living conditions had taken too long to implement and national population pressures meant that Exeter remained one of the most overcrowded prisons in England and Wales."
One concern raised in the report was: "The standard of the cells was poor. Many had no glass in the windows, exposed electric wires, floors in need of repair and some contained mould."
"Since the last full inspection, the roll had decreased by 22% to enable the large-scale refurbishment programme to take place, and during our visit, A wing was closed. However, despite the reduction in population, Exeter remained one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country, with 71% of prisoners sharing a cell designed for one."
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, added: "A new core day had been introduced in July to provide a more consistent regime.
"However, there continued to be long-term vacancies in both education and industries, which affected prisoners’ access to purposeful activity.
"Too many prisoners believed they would not be at HMP Exeter long enough to benefit from any engagement with education, skills or work activities and many refused to attend or commit to activities they were allocated to."
The full report can be found here