Prisons: the nightmare before Christmas?

Wales Online reports that Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP has branded plans for a new 'super' prison in Wrexham a 'nightmare'. A National Audit Office report states that prisoners in the new jail could be expected to share in 58% of cells, going against United Nations and Council of Europe guidelines.

Meanwhile, The Northern Echo also covering the National Audit Office publications, highlights concerns around the closure of 'high performing'  prisons in favour of newer, cheaper prisons where standards are lower. 

Over the weekend The Guardian reported on an 'epidemic of self mutilation' in women's prisons, referring to research conducted by Oxford University academics and published in The Lancet. One in four women are reported to have self harmed while in custody and while suicides in prison have come down, this has not been replicated in a drop of incidents of self harm.