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Maghaberry? Prigione insicura e instabile

Report finds Northern Ireland’s Maghaberry Prison ‘unsafe and unstable’

Prigione di Maghaberry | Maghaberry prison

A report on the high security Maghaberry Prison in Northern Ireland has indicated it is unsafe and unstable for prisoners and staff.

It follows an independent inspection of the prison in May of this year.

The inspectors found the prison leadership had failed to ensure its safety and stability.

Some of the key findings of the inspection were that more prisoners than before had reported feeling unsafe.

Illegal and prescription drugs were also more widely available than in March 2012, when the last inspection took place.

The findings of the highly critical report were jointly published by Brendan McGuigan, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, and Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons in England and Wales.

“What we found was a highly complex prison that was in crisis and it is our view that the leadership of the prison had failed to ensure it was both safe and stable,” said Mr McGuigan and Mr Hardwick.

“We had real concerns that if the issues identified in this report – which were brought to the attention of the prison leadership at a frank feedback session at the end of the inspection – were not addressed as a matter of urgency, serious disorder or loss of life could occur,” added Mr Hardwick.

The inspectors were also worried that a deliberate fire at Maghaberry’s Erne House – which had the potential to cause death or serious injury – had occurred in April, just weeks prior to the inspection.

As a result they have recommended urgent action be taken to strengthen leadership and called for the circumstances and response to the fire to be subject to an independent review.

Read the full report here.

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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