STAFF shortages, low morale and increasing numbers of dangerously unstable prisoners have been highlighted in an independent watchdog's report into a young offenders institute.

The Prison Service last night (Friday) hit back at the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) report, which raised a number of concerns about HMYOI Deerbolt at Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Deerbolt holds 513-inmate prisoners with many of them from outside of the North-East and the report highlights a number of concerns over staffing issues.

The IMB report did emphasise that most staff at all levels had responded magnificently to the challenges over the period of the review.

But it added: "The board has seen instances where staff shortages in the prison and in The Manchester College (the education unit), at the prison, have direct impact on prisoners in ways which will affect their chances of successful rehabilitation and resettlement.

"Nevertheless, the IMB feels obliged to say that it has the sense of an institution under stress, due to the combination of tight manning, instances of poor staff morale and a trend towards a more difficult prisoner population."

The increasing number of dangerously unstable prisoners heading to Deerbolt was raised by the IMB as a worry and since the report was written, two hammer wielding inmates held a rooftop protest for several hours on April 10.

The report also found that a greater percentage of inmates struggling to cope with prison life and violently unstable personalities among prisoners made far greater demands on staff than average prisoners.

Healthcare at the jail was praised, but concerns were raised about the level of security vetting of the medical staff called into site.

The IMB also said it felt that it was doubtful that had security checks to the full HMYOI level.

The Prison Service last night refuted many of the concerns raised by the report.

A spokesman said: “Establishments have the appropriate levels of staffing to run safe and secure regimes.

“Violence is not tolerated and those responsible face further prosecution and time added to their sentence.”

The report contains a number of recommendations, including refurbishing the shower area as it is too often the site for prisoner violence due the lack of CCTV on the showers.

But the Prison Service said that CCTV monitors the area outside of the shower rooms and that access to the area was supervised.