Today in Parliament, Lucy Allan MP asked Justice Minister Lucy Frazer to consider the impact of Covid restrictions in prison and the harms these restrictions create for prison officers, prisoners and their families. With confinement to prison cells 23 hours a day and absence of meaningful activities or visits tension has been heightened in some prisons, leading to violence, as well as creating harm to mental and physical health of inmates.
It is important the state ensures that those in its custody, or working in prisons, are not exposed to other harms caused by Covid restrictions. The efforts to eliminate Covid risk must be balanced against the harms the restrictions cause. You can watch Lucy's question and the Minister's response above.
