More drug tests to be carried out at prison
HM Inspectorate of PrisonsDrug tests will be carried out more regularly in a prison where almost 40% of tests have been found to come back positive.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has outlined how it planned to solve several issues facing HMP Deerbolt in Barnard Castle.
It is unclear how many more drug tests it will conduct at the site.
The MoJ said it had inherited a "prison system in crisis" and it fully acknowledged the challenges at HMP Deerbolt.
In March, HMP Inspectorate of Prisons said drugs were "too easily available" at the prison.
Inspectors found about 38% of mandatory drugs tests came back positive last year and a survey of the prison population suggested about 23% had developed a drug problem while incarcerated at the site.
In an action plan published earlier this week, the MoJ said in order to tackle the prison's drug problem it would "upskill" staff to conduct searches, which would reduce the "reliance on external teams".
To help cut down on the availability of illicit drugs at the site, the MoJ said it would also improve the prison's gate security by October.
It said it had already opened a second "incentivised substance-free living unit" at the prison, which supported prisoners who wished to live without drugs.
'Understand effects of trauma'
To tackle the poor relationship between staff and prisoners, all staff would also be trained to better understand how to respond to the effects of trauma, the MoJ said.
The training is expected to be completed by July next year.
The MoJ said it had also recruited for more health staff at the prison to reduce the "unacceptable barriers" prisoners faced when seeking medical attention.
Inspectors had previously said the use of force against prisoners at the site was rising.
The MoJ said staff at the prison would now conduct weekly meetings about the use of force to review incidents and ensure "learning points are shared in a timely manner".
Meanwhile, the body said it had discovered there were "significant employment opportunities" in the construction industry for those released from HMP Deerbolt, and as such would introduce more vocational courses to the prison by October 2026.