Pressures from “rocketing” levels of self-harm, suicide, and violence within British jails are pushing prison officers to walk away from their jobs, a national union representative has said.
Mark Fairhurst, chair of the Prison Officers Association (POA), said the service is no longer in crisis but “in meltdown”—and government action is needed urgently.
Inadequate wages, an “unachievable” retirement age, and a lack of protective equipment has also led to thousands of experienced staff ditching prison careers and moving into “safer” jobs, he said.
According to figures released by the Ministry of Justice last week, one in seven prison officers quit their job last year, and one-third of those now in the job are new recruits….