Leaked Documents Reveal Plans to Place Two Inmates in Single-Person Prefab Cells Amid UK Prison Overcrowding

Quick Brief
Leaked documents indicate that the Prison Service in England and Wales has instructed ten category C prisons to add second beds into temporary single-person prefabricated cells. The directive, requested by the Ministry of Justice, aims to tackle severe overcrowding but will exceed safe occupancy thresholds. Governors at the affected facilities have been asked to approve the changes.
What Happened?
According to leaked correspondence, the Ministry of Justice has driven a Prison Service initiative to place two inmates into rapid deployment cells initially engineered for a single occupant. Ten category C prison facilities across England and Wales have been directed to accommodate these additional beds, a move that surpasses standard safe occupancy limits as the correctional system grapples with an ongoing population crisis.
Why It Matters
The decision highlights the severity of the overcrowding crisis facing the correctional system in England and Wales. By pushing to place multiple inmates into spaces designed for only one person and exceeding safe capacity limits, the plans raise serious concerns regarding inmate welfare, safety, and operational standards within category C facilities.
Key Facts
- Leaked documents show plans by the Prison Service to 'double up' inmates in temporary prefabricated cells.
- The initiative was requested by the Ministry of Justice amid an ongoing overcrowding crisis.
- Ten category C prisons across England and Wales have been asked to install second beds.
- The planned modifications will breach established safe occupancy limits for the rapid deployment cells.
Compiled from 2 outlets
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