The UK prison system is facing a severe crisis as the number of specialised ‘Tornado’ riot officers has sharply declined, coinciding with a significant rise in prison violence. New data reveals a 20% increase in violent incidents within prisons over the past year, highlighting the growing challenges behind bars.
Between September 2022 and September 2023, more than 25,000 violent incidents were recorded across UK prisons. Disturbingly, assaults on both prisoners and staff have escalated, with violence in women’s prisons surpassing that in men’s for the first time ever. At the same time, the number of Tornado officers, who are specially trained to manage violent outbreaks, has dropped by nearly 700 since 2018.
Despite their crucial role, Tornado squads were deployed 13 times last year alone—the highest number of deployments since at least 2018—yet their numbers continue to dwindle. This reduction in specialist officers comes as the prison system grapples with increasing unrest and safety concerns.
Adding to the pressure, the elite National Tactical Response Group, often referred to as the prison system’s SAS, was called out 794 times in 2023. These units, equipped with pepper spray, smoke bombs, and batons, responded to crises more than twice daily, representing a 40% increase in deployments compared to the previous year.
Unions and officials have raised alarms over the worsening situation. Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood criticised the government for neglecting the issue, stating, “There’s a critical shortage of specialist officers to manage riots and dangerous incidents.” Steve Gillan, head of the Prison Officers Association, warned, “The drop in Tornado volunteers is a wake-up call for everyone. Overcrowding, violence, and lack of resources are pushing the prison service to breaking point.”
Unions argue that a minimum of 2,100 Tornado volunteers is necessary to maintain safety, but numbers fell as low as 1,592 in November 2023 and only slightly increased to 1,620 in the following month.
In response to the crisis, the Justice Secretary recently announced plans to release some prisoners up to 60 days early in an attempt to reduce pressure on the system and prevent further riots. However, Steve Gillan called for an “adult conversation” about incarceration rates and demanded a full royal commission to investigate the justice system’s ongoing collapse.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service pledged to strengthen Tornado teams and invest in enhanced security measures to protect both staff and inmates. Nevertheless, with violence on the rise and specialist officers in short supply, the prison service faces an urgent and difficult challenge to prevent further deterioration.
Originally published by UKNIP.
