The Birmingham facility recorded 1,434 assault incidents in the 12 months to July this year, the largest number of any jail in Britain. In 2016, it was the scene of what the Prison Officers’ Association called the most costly prison riots in Britain since a 25-day uprising at Strangeways, a jail in Manchester, in 1990. The 14-hour melee in Birmingham was sparked by a group of men who managed to climb over the netting in one of the prison wings and seize a set of keys. Hundreds of prisoners escaped, causing millions of dollars in damages. G4S welcomed the government’s decision to take control of the prison, saying that it was faced with exceptional challenges including “increasingly high levels of prisoner violence toward staff and fellow prisoners.”“The well-being and safety of prisoners and prison staff is our key priority and we welcome the six-month step-in and the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Justice to urgently address the issues faced at the prison,” Jerry Petherick, the managing director of G4S Custody & Detention Services, said in a statement.

Source: New York Times August 20, 2018 17:03 UTC