Following horrific attack on an HMP Swansea officer the POA urge HMPPS to remove razors from prisons

POA National Chairman Mark Fairhurst believes that the directors of HMPPS must act now to remove razor blades from prisons in England and Wales. Razor blades have been a key part of manufactured weapons in our prisons. Prison Officers and prisoners have suffered horrific injury’s when attacked with these improvised weapons. Razor blades are also used by prisoners in desperate acts of self-harm that range from self-cutting to acts of self-mutilation, this has an impact on the prisoner, other prisoners, the prisoner’s family, and the prison staff who must deal with often horrific injuries.

The removal of razor blades and the associated accepted culture is long overdue.