Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...
Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ... Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...
punishment for an offence of endangering health and safety by misuse of equipment in a prison workshop. There are no longer any records of the circumstances of the offence but it might be said that Sonny Lodge had only himself to blame. 17.6 However this incident, occurring only four days after closure of an F2052SH, profoundly affected his subsequent experience at Manchester prison. He lost his prison job, and spent a week on the wing for prisoners on basic regime, with no tobacco no money to buy anything no association no radio no occupations in cell no publications and no possessions in cell, even though the Prison Discipline Manual said that notebooks, drawing books, radios, education and purchase of stamps and phone cards should not normally be withdrawn. 17.7 The offence may well have been serious but, in my view, a punishment imposing this degree of deprivation borders on the inhumane, no matter how grave the offence or how mentally robust the prisoner concerned. What would be the effect on anyone of confinement for all but an hour’s exercise a day (weather permitting) with no means of occupation? It is difficult to see that this can have any constructive penal purpose. Moreover, Sonny Lodge was not mentally robust. Only four weeks before, he had severely lacerated his arms and the F2052SH had been closed only four days earlier. K wing 17.8 After the week on H wing, Sonny was moved, not back to E wing as had originally been intended - with specific reference to the recent F2052SH (see paragraph 7.34 above) - but to K wing. There is no record in the history sheets as to why the previous entry was disregarded. It was a fateful decision. After he left E wing, Sonny Lodge spent his time at Manchester in locations with an impoverished regime, little constructive occupation, and, at least on K wing, a poor relationship between staff and prisoners. After the entry of 25 July, about moving back to E wing after the seven days’ 137
punishment, there is no evidence that wing staff took any further account of Sonny Lodge’s recent history of self-harm. 17.9 Before and after this time, HMCIP expressed serious misgivings about the regime on K wing, the relationships between staff and prisoners and the wing-based disciplinary system. Prison officers were able to exclude prisoners from association, without due process, in circumstances outside those specified in Standing Order 4 and Prison Rule 45, and with little evidence of managerial oversight. Sonny Lodge was locked up for association periods under the scheme on at least three occasions and, from his letters, there may have been others. According to the records, Sonny’s behaviour deteriorated; his letters became increasingly hostile to prison staff and he clearly found K wing stressful. It is to SO Nuttall’s credit that he recognised this and sat down with him to talk about it. 17.10 Sonny Lodge’s account of life on K wing and the descriptions by HMCIP represent two sides of the same coin: distant and mutually hostile relationships between prisoners and staff, with small incidents tending to escalate and prisoners resenting what they saw as arbitrary abuse of authority – or wind-ups. That is not a healthy regime. It is a far cry from the aspirations of the 1994 Guide to preventing suicide and self-harm, which emphasised supportive relationships, helpful staff, constructive activities and above all listening and understanding. Still less did it meet the key features of the current ACCT guidance to reduce risk by ensuring all prisoners (whether identified at risk or not) receive individual support in managing any problems. Prison culture 17.11 The ACCT guidance and the Safer Locals Programme emphasised the need to reduce distress for all who live – and work – in prisons: for staff as well as prisoners. They describe a healthy prison culture as one in which “staff felt valued, communication was good, prisoners felt safe and there were good staff relationships with senior managers who were approachable and supportive”. 17.12 This is contrasted with some prisons with “a ‘traditional’ or negative culture, where staff relied on overuse of authority, distanced themselves from prisoners and expressed distrust between uniformed and specialist staff groups. The quality of care for prisoners in these prisons was reduced.” (PSO 2700, paragraph 2.1.1) 138
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punishment for an <strong>of</strong>fence <strong>of</strong> endangering health and safety by misuse <strong>of</strong> equipment in a<br />
prison workshop. There are no longer any records <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>circumstances</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fence<br />
but it might be said that Sonny Lodge had only himself to blame.<br />
17.6 However this incident, occurring only four days after closure <strong>of</strong> an F2052SH,<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>oundly affected his subsequent experience at Manchester prison. He lost his prison<br />
job, and spent a week on <strong>the</strong> wing for prisoners on basic regime, with<br />
no tobacco<br />
no money to buy anything<br />
no association<br />
no radio<br />
no occupations in cell<br />
no publications and<br />
no possessions in cell,<br />
even though <strong>the</strong> Prison Discipline Manual said that notebooks, drawing books, radios,<br />
education and purchase <strong>of</strong> stamps and phone cards should not normally be withdrawn.<br />
17.7 The <strong>of</strong>fence may well have been serious but, in my view, a punishment imposing<br />
this degree <strong>of</strong> deprivation borders on <strong>the</strong> inhumane, no matter how grave <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fence or<br />
how mentally robust <strong>the</strong> prisoner concerned. What would be <strong>the</strong> effect on anyone <strong>of</strong><br />
confinement for all but an hour’s exercise a day (wea<strong>the</strong>r permitting) with no means <strong>of</strong><br />
occupation? It is difficult to see that this can have any constructive penal purpose.<br />
Moreover, Sonny Lodge was not mentally robust. Only four weeks before, he had<br />
severely lacerated his arms and <strong>the</strong> F2052SH had been closed only four days earlier.<br />
K wing<br />
17.8 After <strong>the</strong> week on H wing, Sonny was moved, not back to E wing as had<br />
originally been intended - with specific reference to <strong>the</strong> recent F2052SH (see paragraph<br />
7.34 above) - but to K wing. There is no record in <strong>the</strong> history sheets as to why <strong>the</strong><br />
previous entry was disregarded. It was a fateful decision. After he left E wing, Sonny<br />
Lodge spent his time at Manchester in locations with an impoverished regime, little<br />
constructive occupation, and, at least on K wing, a poor relationship between staff and<br />
prisoners. After <strong>the</strong> entry <strong>of</strong> 25 July, about moving back to E wing after <strong>the</strong> seven days’<br />
137