HMP Doncaster

Section 2. Respect
Recommendation
2.8 Cell bells should be responded to quickly and there should be management
oversight of response times. (Repeated recommendation 2.9)
Staff-prisoner relationships
Expected outcomes:
Prisoners are treated with respect by staff throughout the duration of their time in
custody, and are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions.
2.9 Prisoners were positive about the staff, even though staff were under pressure to support all the
prisoners in their care. Staff did not always manage challenging behaviour by prisoners well. Prisoner
consultation was reasonable.
2.10 We saw some good interactions between staff and prisoners, but staff were often unable to
carry out their duties and meet the needs of the high number of prisoners in their care.
Some prisoners told us they were unable to engage sufficiently well with staff to address
their concerns, which heightened their anxiety and led to frustration.
2.11 Staff often did not use their authority appropriately. They did not always challenge some
inappropriate behaviour by prisoners, such as when they were shouted or sworn at. They
did not always maintain professional boundaries and some were too familiar with prisoners,
sharing inappropriate personal information with them. Some prisoners were not actively
encouraged by staff to engage in daily activities or prison routines. (See main
recommendation S41.)
2.12 Prisoner information and consultation (PIAC) meetings took place weekly on each house
block and were well attended by prisoners, but were not minuted. Additional prison-wide
PIAC meetings included staff, the director and prisoners, and were well attended, but the
minutes indicated that some recurring issues were not addressed promptly.
32 HMP Doncaster