Prison education cuts driving drug use, self-harm and violence, says watchdog | Prisons and probation

Labor ministers’ “draconian” cuts to prison education and training have led to a rise in drug use, self-harm and violence, a watchdog has said in its latest annual report.

Charlie Taylor, who left his post as HM inspector of prisons in England and Wales in the autumn after six years, also warned that authorities should “keep a close eye” on the imminent release of thousands of prisoners this year.

His warnings come after some prisons cut upfront spending on education by up to 50%, despite Keir Starmer promising to improve “access to learning” in his general election manifesto.

Taylor, whose term ends in October, said long lockdowns and poor regimes had barely improved since he first took office during the pandemic.

“During my time as inspector general of prisons, I have had the privilege of seeing what is possible under the leadership of some outstanding governors.

“Unfortunately, the lack of regular and purposeful activity by prisoners this year has been a major factor in the alarming rise in drug use and violence, as well as the continued high rates of self-harm.

“At a cost of £59,000 per year for each prison place, taxpayers are entitled to expect more for their money.”

Cuts to education and training have led to despair and boredom, which has led to increased drug use and violence, he told reporters.

“There were around 22 teachers I can think of in one particular prison and that number has been reduced to nine. So these are real cuts to the level of service in particular prisons.

“And unfortunately, some basic services are being cut as well. For example, we know that many inmates cannot read properly. We know that some do not have the basic math and mathematical skills they need to be successful when they get out… Things have gotten worse since the pandemic,” he said.

He said the public could be at increased risk if thousands of short-term prisoners were released under the provisions of the Criminal Code.

“Public protection arrangements are not as good as we would like to see. The link between services within the prison and within the community is not as good as we would like to see.

“A large number of prisoners will be released from prisons in September, October, November. We will be watching very closely what the impact of this will be in terms of recidivism rates and risk to the public,” he said.

In audit reports published between April 2025 and March 2026, 41 percent of men and 38 percent of women reported that it was easy to find drugs in prisons, with many criminal gangs delivering packages to order.

Prison drug dealers now use drones to use allen wrenches and super-strong adhesive to allow inmates to remove and replace windows to allow larger drug packages, he said.

“For example, in one particular prison, the Allen wrenches came with Gorilla Glue. This was so the inmates could remove the window, the entire frame of the window, take a package, and put it back without people even realizing the contraband had entered the prison,” he said.

Taylor said violence had increased in two-thirds of men’s prisons examined, with serious assaults increasing by 40%.

The annual report found there were “appalling” delays in transferring seriously mentally ill patients to secure hospitals. It was stated that a patient at HMP Swaleside waited 711 days.

Responding to the report, Enver Solomon, chief executive of social justice charity Nacro, said: “This report should be a wake-up call. Many prisons have become places where people are locked in their cells for hours, while organized crime gangs use drones to flood prisons with drugs and incite violence and fear. This is not an environment where rehabilitation can thrive.”

Prisons minister Lord Timpson noted that while the report underlined “serious challenges”, 76% of recent prison inspections showed improvement.

He said: “Two years ago the prison system was on the verge of collapse. Today we have stabilized the system by building thousands of prisons, reforming sentencing and investing heavily in security, ensuring prisons reduce crime and create fewer victims.

“There is more to do, which is why we have also asked former Conservative home secretary Amber Rudd to lead an independent review.”