Criminologists from the University of Bath and the University of Birmingham, in partnership with the Howard League for Penal Reform have concluded Victorian prisons will need to remain in service. They are calling for the development of a clear strategy to define their role, purpose, and future within the modern prison system.
Their new policy briefing calls for the development of a detailed strategy that defines how Victorian prisons can fit into a modernised and smaller prison system, making sure they serve a clear and useful purpose.
Professor Yvonne Jewkes from the Department of Social & Policy Sciences said:
“Feared and revered, the Victorian prison holds a unique place in the public imagination. But our collective fascination belies the reality of everyday life in such institutions. With the appointment of a new government and a renewed commitment to improving our failing prison system, we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to examine the role of Victorian prisons and return them to places of safety and rehabilitation.”
The briefing is based on findings from the Persistence of the Victorian Prison project, which explores implications of the continued operation of Victorian-era prisons.
According to the project over 20% of people held in prison are housed in overcrowded prisons with Victorian-era accommodation, and population figures are projected to rise by up to 30% in coming years. Although intended for single occupancy, many Victorian prisons hold two people in cells designed for one.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) frequently reports dark, damp cells with poor ventilation and drainage in the Victorian estate including Bedford Prison described as “filthy” and a “damming indictment of the state of prisons” by the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.
Although it highlights the many issues with Victorian prisons, the briefing emphasises the importance of their urban locations for family and community connections, as well as their robust physical security, and layouts conducive to efficient management.
Due to capacity pressures, the briefing recommends that Victorian prisons stay in service for the time being but could be redeployed in order to limit the negative impacts of poor-quality accommodation whilst maximising the benefits of Victorian prisons’ urban locations. This could include deploying some Victorian prisons – either wholly or partially – within the Category D Open estate.
The briefing recommends reinvesting in proven infrastructure to raise living standards and reconsidering the prison assessment criteria used by HMIP. At present, HMIP assesses all prisons against the same tests for a healthy establishment - a thorough revision of the assessment criteria to account for the unique infrastructure of Victorian prisons would allow for more nuanced analysis.
Dominique Moran, Professor of Carceral Geography at the University of Birmingham, said:
“Time and again, we see mentions of Victorian prisons in the news – Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs, Dartmoor – but little attention is given to the nature of these prisons or why they are so prominent in our news cycles.
“The new government have wasted no time in acknowledging the state of our prisons and, since the prime minister’s first press conference, issues in our prison system look set to be addressed. At this critical juncture, it is vital that the role of Victorian prisons is not overlooked.
“As the government looks into overcrowding and conditions across the system, the recommendations in this policy briefing will help shed light on where the issues lie, and what must be done to ensure that our prison population is held in decent and safe accommodation.”