Prison criticised for 'high levels of violence'

HMP Bullingdon's inspection report said the prison remained "chronically overcrowded"

A prison has been criticised for "sustained overcrowding" and "unacceptably high" levels of violence.

HMP Bullingdon, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, was also told by the Independent Monitoring Board that inexperienced staff and a shortage of officers were key concerns.

Board chair Jennifer Pilkington said the government should "prioritise initiatives that will overcome this fundamental problem".

The Ministry of Justice said the prison's staffing levels had improved in the past year but additional training and support was being provided to staff.

The report said the prison was "chronically overcrowded", with significant numbers of prisoners sharing cells designed to house one inmate.

Despite that, only three of six wings are covered by CCTV systems.

Inspectors had previously recommended that illicit drugs and violence were among priorities that needed to be addressed.

The report said it was difficult for the high numbers of prisoners on remand or serving short sentences to engage with "meaningful education or work programmes", restricting their chances of successful resettlement after release.

Of the 11,645 planned key work sessions, less than half took place due to the lack of available staff.

Positive observations from the report included officers presenting "a caring and understanding attitude towards prisoners".

The board also said that thanks to a new reception and induction process, prisoner experience had improved on arrival, despite the frequent turnover.

Between January and June, 4,243 prisoners arrived in reception.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the prison system it inherited was "in crisis, overcrowded and rife with violence".

"We are fixing this by delivering the fastest prison-building programme in over a century and investing £40m nationwide in enhanced security measures," the spokesperson said.

"HMP Bullingdon's staffing position has improved in the last year but we know that there is more to do, and we are providing additional training and support to staff.

"This is on top of landmark sentencing reforms to reduce pressure on our prisons."

The government said HMP Bullingdon's prison officer staffing had risen from 92% of target in September 2024 to 95% in September 2025.