Prison officers recruitment targets hit early

The Government has recruited more than 2,500 extra prison officers, hitting a target seven months ahead of schedule.

Official figures show a net increase of 3,111 prison officers have been employed between October 2016 and March 2018. It is expected that 90 percent of the new recruits will be working on prison landings by the summer, and all of them will be operational by the end of the year.

Justice Secretary David Gauke will announce that the recruitment drive will continue despite the target being hit early.

He will say: “Going beyond this important milestone so early is a real achievement. It means the vast majority of these prison officers will be working on the landings by the summer, and all of them will be in place by the end of the year.

“This will make a real difference to the safety and security of our prisons, ensuring they can fulfil their purpose – protecting the public, reducing reoffending and crucially, rehabilitating offenders.

“But let me be clear - the recruitment drive continues and will continue until we reach required levels across the prison estate, with the same urgency that has secured this remarkable influx of new staff.”

Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, said the service remained in crisis, with the Government still struggling to make up for the redundancies that took place in 2012.

“The prisons remain in crisis. We are still below the threshold of 2012, when they made 8,000 operational prison staff redundant,” he said. “As fast as they are recruiting in some areas, they are losing staff in other areas.”

The latest statistics show that since October 2016 an additional 2,699 prison officers have been employed to work on landings or are in training. A further 255 are performing support roles while they wait to start training. Meanwhile, 157 will be enrolled in jobs outside of actual prisons, but will be ready for future deployment in prisons.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Boosting staff numbers is crucial as it will allow prison officers to spend more time both one-to-one and with small groups of prisoners.

“This approach is key to creating more constructive relationships between offenders and prison officers, reducing violence, improving stability and intensifying the focus on rehabilitation.”