Legal high danger at HMP Ford

Some 85 per cent of inmates at Ford Open Prison are taking legal highs, according to an annual report released by the Independent Monitoring Board.

The main one is Spice (synthetic cannaboids), and the highly-addictive substance can provoke fits and violent behaviour.

The prison has a zero tolerance towards any kind of drug and the prison says it will start testing for the legal highs in the near future.

Positive progress had also been made, including a major improvement in effective running of the prison and a large increase in the number of offenders out on work or in education.

The relationship between staff and prisoners had also improved.

The report also stated there had been a major increase in the number of offenders serving life and indeterminate sentences at the prison. This teamed with changes in working practices had put pressure on HMP Ford’s offender development unit.