Prison's future under question

Chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers said Brixton Prison was overcrowded, vermin-infested, with drugs readily available and just "recycling prisoners" instead of rehabilitating them.

The jail, parts of which date back to 1820, exemplified "all the problems of our overcrowded prison system" and its role in dealing with prisoners needed to be reviewed, she argued in her latest inspection report.

Ms Owers said: "It is hard to see how Brixton, given its physical limitations, can be transformed into an effective local prison offering both decency and rehabilitation to its 800 prisoners.

"Those responsible for offender management in the London area need to decide what role Brixton can and should play in their strategy.

"Without that, Brixton will simply continue to recycle its prisoners and risk demoralising its managers and staff."

Prison bosses should consider using the jail as a resettlement prison rather than for regular incarceration, she suggested.

Inspectors picked out a lack of training areas which keeps some prisoners locked up 22 hours a day, cramped cells with unscreened toilets and the "evident" availability of drugs that was feeding gang violence and culture.

Phil Wheatley, director general of the National Offender Management Service, said: "Like many local prisons of a similar age and design, Brixton presents a challenging physical environment, but staff work extremely hard within these conditions to maintain cleanliness, and to provide as extensive a regime as possible.

"Developments to the regime are focused on ensuring that as many prisoners as possible are given access to a period of activity."