HM Prison Oakwood praised for ‘culture of decency and respect’

HM Prison Oakwood - one of England’s largest prisons - has been described as an "impressive establishment" in a report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons.

Peter Clarke, HM chief inspector of Prisons, wrote in his report that the Wolverhampton-based category C prison was “not an easy prison to run”, but praised it for its “empowerment of prisoners” through peer support.

He stated that this approach was “contributing greatly to a culture of decency and respect” and complimented the prison’s director John McLaughlin for his “consistent, capable and courageous leadership”.

G4S-managed HM Prison Oakwood holds just over 2,000 prisoners, with over 60 per cent of those serving sentences of four years or more.

Mr McLaughlin, who took charge of Oakwood in 2013, said the report exemplifies his team’s tireless work in turning Oakwood around and creating a culture of respect, growth and responsibility amongst the population.

“At Oakwood, we face the same challenges with violence and drugs as many other prisons,” he added.

“We have more work to do to tackle these issues and I’m encouraged by the inspector’s findings that the measures we have taken so far are making a difference.”