During one 18 month period,10 inmates killed themselves, 7 of whom were Irish, yet they make up less than three in a hundred of the prison population.
Brixton prison will have to be inspected again after revelations that the man leading the most recent investigation had been informally offered the job of governor before the inspection.
"A new investigation should start as soon as possible and must address concerns that the prison is still racist and failing to prevent suicides," said Noel, who serves on the board of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
The recent inspection came to the conclusion that ‘staff were not adequately trained in suicide prevention’. This is a damning indictment of an institution which has a history of racism and a high rate of suicide. Relatives believe that deaths were partly due to racism.
A previous inspection in 2000 had noted that Brixton was ‘far from being a healthy prison’ and that the situation had worsened. The report found evidence of racist stereotyping and found that staff ‘sustained and promoted racist behaviour’.
"We must be reassured that conditions in the prison have been improved. The last credible investigation reported that it ‘had more ligature points than Smithfield Market’", concluded Noel.
ENDS