Magilligan Prison Praised by Inspectors

The man in charge of a high security NI prison facility has has paid tribute to staff following the publication of a positive inspection report.

Acting Governor of Magilligan Prison Gavin Clendinning was commenting on the Report by the HM Inspector of Prisons and the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice, Northern Ireland (HMIP/CJI) of an announced inspection carried out between 29 March and 2 April 2010.

After a series of damning prison reports in past months, this new one has concluded that the outcomes for prisoners were "reasonably good" (the second highest rating) against each of the four inspection criteria.

Despite the fact that the inspection was undertaken during a brief period of industrial action, the HMIP/CJI team found that there had been significant improvement in the overall prison environment since the last inspection in 2006.

Governor Clendinning praised the work of staff and made special reference to recently retired Governor Tom Woods, who was in charge of the prison at the time of the inspection.

He said: "This is a good report for Magilligan and it is pleasing to note the improvements made since the previous inspection four years ago.

"Magilligan staff are willing to go the extra mile and this is clear from the Report. We endeavour to serve the wider community through a range of schemes and initiatives.

"Much of the credit for this report rests with Tom Woods. He brought people with him and encouraged staff to work closely with prisoners in addressing their offending behaviour. He firmly believed that people change people," he said.

While commending recently built accommodation at the prison, the inspectors have again recommended that the older accommodation blocks should be replaced, commenting that they were still unsatisfactory, with unacceptable sanitation arrangements.

Governor Clendinning said: "The progress made is remarkable given the fact that the older accommodation and the workshops are in urgent need of replacement, a fact highlighted by the inspection team.

"Indeed some accommodation lacks basic amenities with long narrow landings, low ceilings and a lack of natural light creating a claustrophobic environment for both staff and prisoners.

"Additionally, many of the prefabricated buildings used for offices, education and vocational training are at the end of their life span and are in urgent need of replacement.

"I am concerned about the impact of continuing deterioration on these existing facilities if significant investment is not forthcoming."

Concluding, he said: "Since this inspection six months ago further improvements have been made across a range of areas and I will work with staff to make progress in areas identified for improvement."

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(BMcC/GK)