WHAT on earth is going on inside our prisons?
It seems that Birmingham is the tip of the iceberg, with gangs of feral prisoners roaming the wings with impunity, meting out punishments and intimidating other inmates and guards alike.
Indeed, such is the problem that officers sought protection by locking themselves in.
Poor hygiene, drugs, violence, suicide and vermin are rife.
Ill-discipline is stoked by prisoners instagramming their exploits for all to see.
Warnings across the prison estate have been numerous, so this revelation comes as no surprise.
A shortage of staff, especially in the older prisons with several landings, is a significant factor.
The trend for a lighter touch has increasingly blurred the demarcation line between officer and inmate.
This is undermining prison governance.
Prison does work, but we have too few of them and those we have are overcrowded.
I would like to see the private sector removed altogether.
Locking up criminals and caring for them is the duty of the State and I am pleased that the Government has taken back control of Birmingham.
Now that same duty of care must be applied to officers, who are suffering increasingly from violence, intimidation and humiliation.
Prisoners must be treated decently, of course, but they must also know that if they cross a line the consequences are serious.
Work inside prison plays an important role, with less time in cells helping to ease tensions.
We often hear of the high re-offending rate and that perhaps is not surprising after what we’ve heard about Birmingham.
Strong leadership, discipline and investment are the keys to success and must be actioned as a matter of urgency.