British authorities are desperately trying to find staff for their overcrowded prisons. They are even being forced to release prisoners early. What is the problem and is there a solution?
British prisons are in crisis - England and Wales have the highest number of prisoners per capita among Western countries, and since the summer the authorities have had to release prisoners early because the institutions are overcrowded.
For this reason, prisoners often cannot be helped. They are allowed to leave their cells for only one hour a day and very few of them receive psychotherapy or training opportunities.
Overcrowded cells, violence and a number of other problems
The British government is looking for staff for the country's prisons through advertising. But the image shown in the videos bears little resemblance to reality, which includes physical violence - among prisoners and against staff.
Francesca Fatore spent four years behind bars for drug trafficking. She says she was only allowed to leave her cell once a day: "It was total chaos. People were all different, but the moment they locked them in the cells, they all started behaving like animals."
Francesca Fatore's cell was originally designed for one person, but then another prisoner was put in there. Many of the women in the prison around her suffered from mental health problems, Fatore says. "You feel lonely. And if you're not used to it, it can be terrible. You have all day to think about everything." In the UK, the number of prisoners who self-harm has reached a new record.
Few prisoners are finding work
The new government, which was elected in July, says it has inherited this crisis. Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood says: "This government will build prisons. The last Conservative government made that promise and failed to deliver. But we can't solve the problem with new prisons alone - we need to incentivise offenders to stop committing crimes. We need both the carrot and the stick."
Few prisoners in the UK are getting the chance to complete their education behind bars due to the previous government's austerity measures, and according to official figures the quality of qualification courses has been steadily declining in recent years. Only a small percentage of prisoners manage to find work.
The London coffee chain Redemption Roasters is one of the few employers that gives prisoners a chance. "Someone who finds work after their release is half as likely to commit a crime again as someone who is unemployed," Max Dubiel, manager of one of the chain's cafes, told DW.
The coffee offered at Redemption Roasters is roasted in prison. It also trains prisoners to become baristas. Only four percent of them return to crime, compared to 30 percent nationally. The new government wants to expand this type of program.
More support for prisoners
Former prisoner Rad is now training to be a barista - after spending many years in prison. "I would have loved to work - for example in cleaning, but there were too many applicants for this job. I was locked in my cell almost all the time, 23 hours a day. There was nothing to do except play sports and watch TV."
Once a week, Rad meets with his mentor Patrick, who also works for Redemption Roasters. This can be considered a luxury, since not all ex-prisoners have mentors who work with them individually. "We offer support. But we are not a charity - if someone does not help us, unfortunately we will have to split up," explains Max Dubiel.
Francesca Fatore hopes to earn money through her YouTube channel. It is dedicated to supporting female prisoners and is already enjoying success. Fatore advocates for those who have committed minor crimes to do community service instead of going to prison. But the most important thing, according to her, is the work. "We deserved the chance. If I were appointed, I would work ten times harder. First, because I am grateful and second, because I want to prove that the decision to appoint me was the right one."
Francesca Fatore says that she herself was lucky. She was offered therapy in prison and thanks to it she turned her back on drugs. She is categorical - in order to overcome the crisis in prisons, more support must be provided to prisoners.