Last week a 21-year-old prisoner snuck out of the kitchen, tied himself under a van with strips of his bedding and escaped from one of Britain’s most famous prisons (see video above). He is now back behind bars, but the debate over prison conditions continues.
Overcrowding, rat infestations, gang violence, staff shortages: Britain’s prisons are considered completely dilapidated. Some buildings date from the 19th century and have never been properly modernized. For example, German former tennis player Boris Becker (55) described difficult hygienic conditions and conflicts among the prisoners. “It was very brutal, a very different experience to what you see on TV and hear in stories,” he told the BBC in April.
He quickly learned that he needed protection and that he had to surround himself with ‘tough guys’. You fight for survival every day. At Wandsworth a prisoner tried to blackmail him, and fellow prisoners protected him. On Sunday, an inmate was stabbed and seriously injured by another inmate.
Prisoners moved
A 21-year-old escaped from this prison in Wandsworth last week. His cinematic escape sent shockwaves through the country. The search continued for days for the ex-soldier, who, among other things, allegedly placed dummy bombs on a military base. Finally, a plainclothes police officer arrested him. He is now being tried for breaking out – a criminal offense that does not exist in some other countries. After the escape, 40 prisoners were transferred to other prisons as a precaution.
But questions remain. The terror suspect was not in a high-security prison, but in a prison that is considered a transit station. It was not until the end of July that Wandsworth was given the lowest possible rating by the authorities. During inspections it repeatedly emerged that up to 80 percent more prisoners were being housed than intended. Most prisoners share one cell and there is no proper supervision. Local MP Rosena Allin-Khan criticized the fact that only seven bailiffs were responsible for 1,500 prisoners in one night. Another time there was no running water for six days.
Human rights organizations and government regulators have long denounced the conditions.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
