Staff at a top-security prison appear frightened of category A inmates and are concerned that Muslim prisoners are taking control of the wings, according to an internal review.

Prison officers fear further acts of indiscipline among the 112 Muslim inmates who make up almost 30 per cent of the 400 prisoners at Whitemoor jail in Cambridgeshire.

The review also found that a reluctance by staff to challenge inappropriate behaviour, particularly among black prisoners, was leading to a feeling that the power was shifting from officers to inmates.

It said: “There was an ongoing theme of fear and instability reported by staff in various locations around the prison. Many staff seemed to feel a serious incident is imminent. The general perception appeared to be that this would be a result of the high Muslim population currently on A wing.”

The report added that some Muslim prisoners believed that they were being harassed and that they were being identified as gang members.

The review, carried out by Prison Service staff, was requested by Steve Rodford, the governor, after five self-inflicted deaths and below-average prisoner satisfaction ratings.

It blamed some of the anxieties of staff on the pace of change in the jail and Prison Service generally. It said that change in the prison was not being managed effectively and that poor communication with staff was fuelling rumour, gossip, mistrust and resistance. Some staff appeared unprofessional in their conduct and dress. It added that there appeared to be evidence of “sabotaging” the implementation of new ideas at all levels.

The review confirmed reports that segregation units, which are usually used to hold inmates who have broken prison rules or are dangerous, are instead used by men fearful for their safety. Whitemoor’s unit was full in the weeks after Christmas with prisoners seeking sanctuary because of debts, drugs and gangs.

Jail watchdogs have said that an influx of rival gang members from inner cities has fuelled a new wave of fear and violence at some of the maximum-security prisons. Ministers have been told that the problem has become so acute that it is now “extremely difficult” to find enough category A accommodation to separate members from rival gangs.

Andrew Neilson, assistant director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “This report does reveal a hugely risky cocktail of problems that has been growing in the grossly overcrowded prison estate. Without the space to move people around, we now have powerful gangs forming and individuals going into prison gang-free and actually coming out committed gang members.”

A Prison Service spokesman said: “A programme of work is planned at Whitemoor to increase mutual understanding between staff and prisoners.”

Behind bars

142 Number of prisons, including private
11 Number of private prisons
82,319 Number of inmates, by the end of April, 347 above operational capacity
13 Prisoners jailed for every 1,000 crimes committed in the UK

Source: Hansard figures for England and Wales

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