Nearly 100 prison employees in England and Wales have faced disciplinary action, including 63 who were fired, for inappropriate relationships with inmates since 2017.
Inappropriate relationships include those that are sexual or otherwise “blur” the lines between staff and prisoners, as well as those that violate boundaries – for example, by giving one inmate favourable treatment.
An investigation by openDemocracy reveals that such relationships are increasing in English and Welsh prisons, with 92 prison staffers being sacked or sanctioned – such as with written warnings – between 2017 and 2023. The annual number of staff disciplinaries rose from 11 in 2017/18 to 17 in 2022/23, according to data we obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
