ONE in nine prison officers quit last year, shock figures reveal — including one in four at maximum security jails.
And the total number of resignations has almost doubled in less than a decade, from 1,022 in 2014 to 2,040 in 2023.
Our exclusive figures lay bare the extent of the understaffing crisis behind bars.
GettyHM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor told The Sun on Sunday that staff were leaving for jobs in Amazon warehouses and the Border Force.[/caption]
It comes after ministers were forced to take drastic action, urging judges to stop sending criminals to overcrowded jails.
Critics say government attempts to build new prisons will be undermined by the lack of officers to staff them.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor told The Sun on Sunday that staff were leaving for jobs in Amazon warehouses and the Border Force.
He said: “Prison officers are the ultimate hidden heroes.
“But they’re under pressure — particularly when overpopulation is so great — and sadly we lose good people as a result.”
He warned that dangerous understaffing is fuelling the drug crisis among inmates who are forced to spend more time in their cells under emergency measures.
And prisons in the south of England – where shortages are particularly bad – are bussing in officers from the north just to keep their jails open.
PA:Press AssociationThe government has also promised to deport more foreign criminals and phase out short sentences in favour of community punishment.[/caption]
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has announced a prison building programme to create 20,000 new inmate places.
Mr Taylor said it is a “huge challenge” and pointed out prisons had been forced to close entire wings because they did not have enough staff to manage them.
“We’ve got prisons like Five Wells, which is a brand new prison in Wellingborough, and they struggle to get enough staff,” he added.
Tory MP Paul Maynard, who sits on the Commons’ Justice Committee, said: “They need to recruit more staff. When I’m watching TV at the moment I keep seeing adverts to come and work in the prison service.
“So they are clearly trying to recruit but they obviously need to do more to make sure that they retain staff, ensure it’s a quality job and support existing prison officers.”
Shabana Mahmood, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, said: “The Tories are failing to build prison places, they’re failing to retain and recruit staff, and they’re failing to keep the public safe – what are they capable of doing?
“The mass exodus of prison staff means a lack of experience on prison wings and new recruits struggle to find people to learn from. They have repeatedly ignored warnings that staffing levels are ‘dangerously low’.”
The government has also promised to deport more foreign criminals and phase out short sentences in favour of community punishments to ease pressures.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We are doing more than ever to attract and retain the best staff, boosting salaries and launching our first-ever nationwide recruitment campaign.
“Our new drug free living units and £100m security investment – including X-ray body scanners – has helped the highest ever proportion of prisoners overcome their addiction.”
Andy Hamlin, from the Criminal Justice Workers Union, said: “With working conditions being eroded year on year, frontline staff are left feeling unsupported by their employer, while carrying out one of the most stressful jobs within the civil service.”
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