CHELMSFORD Prison is not doing enough to rehabilitate offenders sent to the institution for reform, according to the latest Independent Monitoring Board's annual report.
The prison's IMB chairman Nick Adams, 67, concluded that the loss of many experienced officers in recent years, coupled with the poor state of certain facilities, means prisoners are not properly prepared for life upon release.
Mr Adams, of Cranleigh, Danbury, has made weekly visits to the prison for the past 12 months and reveals in his report that he is concerned for the welfare of prisoners at the Springfield Road site.
The married father-of-two said: "The report reflects quite poorly on the prison, but our report is indicative of national prison affairs. The main concern we have is the loss of experienced officers is quite clearly having an impact on the safety of prisoners. Because of lower staff numbers, prisoners are spending more time in their cells."
While some members of the community may feel prisoners spending time behind bars is a necessary punishment, the grandfather-of-four highlights the three chief objectives of the penal system.
Mr Adams suggests the prison service is required to protect society, punish offenders, and rehabilitate those serving sentences.
"Most people just care about the first two objectives but rehabilitation is just as important," he said.
In order to combat the dwindling number of experienced officers, the prison has had to employ detachment officers from other parts of the country to ensure the prison is not overwhelmed.
In the past three years there has been a 20 per cent reduction in officer numbers, meaning that unproductive short-term solutions are being sought to fight long-term problems.
Mr Adams, who has been chairman of the IMB for three years, said: "Chelmsford Prison is having to plug the gaps left by those officers, with detached officers from other prisons.
"It is a very ineffective way of dealing with the problem, because although it is providing the prison with more officers, they are not familiar with the area or with the prison."
Ministry of Justice prisons minister Andrew Selous said: "Newly-recruited prison officers receive extensive training when they start and this continues throughout their career with the prison service. Each new starter is mentored by an experienced staff member for at least a year. Following a successful recruitment campaign, 34 new prison officers are joining Chelmsford and all will have started at the prison by April."
There has been a prison at the current Chelmsford location since 1819 and the report also highlights certain parts of the near 200 year old building are showing severe signs of ageing.
The prison's segregation unit, A-wing, was picked out for being in a particularly poor condition. The report, which is for the 12 months up to August last year, states that wall coverings in the showers are falling off and the cells smell of damp.
Mr Adams said: "We don't want these guys mollycoddled, but anything which affects their well-being is our concern. Some prisoners are at risk of self-harming due to increased cell time."
The report also laments the lack of data available to monitor reoffending, which the IMB chairman says is extremely frustrating as he sees the same faces coming in and out of prison.
Mr Selous said: "We know that, unfortunately, there are offenders kicking around the system having racked up conviction after conviction, caught in the revolving door of reoffending.
"This is exactly the reason why we are pressing ahead with major reforms that will put an end to thousands of prisoners being released on to the streets every year with no guidance or support."
