LONG AWAITED repairs at Dartmoor Prison mean a wing accommodating more than 100 prisoners has now been re-opened but concerns remain for the category C jail including the lack of clear leadership and increases in violent incidents, which have been highlighted in the latest report by the Independent Monitoring Board.

The IMB reported three changes of Governor in the period from October 2010 to September 2011 and said the prison lacked a clear purpose and vision for the future.

Despite an initial period of improvement, incidents of violence and indiscipline, self harm, bullying and intimidation had increased significantly since April this year, said the board.

Issues of concern which will be highlighted to the Secretary of State are that there are insufficient places in work or education places for all prisoners and there are shortfalls in healthcare provision particularly for prisoners with mental or behavioural problems.

There have been problems in the management of the treatment system for prisoners who are addicted to drugs and unacceptable delays for prisoners who have been granted parole but then have to wait for many months for transfer to an open prison prior to their release.

National reductions in staffing levels are also likely to have a negative impact on prisoners and the work to reduce re-offending.

But the board was pleased to report that HMP Dartmoor was leading the way nationally in meeting the needs of older prisoners, providing purposeful activities, advice and information in partnership with other organisations and the professional skills of prison officers when dealing with prisoners with mental or behavioural problems and the courage frequently shown by officers when facing difficult situations on the wings.

Right at the end of the monitoring period an acting governor was appointed who acted swiftly to implement plans to re-open B Wing bringing the capacity to over 600 again.

Other improvements included altering aspects of a new regime so to reduce some of the extra time prisoners had been locked in their calls.

'HMP Dartmoor is facing a period of considerable change which staff now appear to embrace with some enthusiasm,' said the report.

'While the IMP welcomes the recent emphasis on greater work and education, the challenges of an anticipated increased prisoner population, with greater numbers of vulnerable prisoners, will impact on current resources.

'More work places are already needed and it is essential that these provide work experience that will help prisoners gain employment on release.

'The IMB will continue to monitor the effects of such changes in the next reporting year and observe whether offenders continue to be held in safe custody, how many of them achieve their sentence plan and whether prisoners are prepared appropriately for release.'

A spokesperson for the Prison Service said:?'The Independent Monitoring Board's report into HMP Dartmoor is being considered by Ministers, and we will respond in due course.'