Overcrowding forces prisons to place two inmates in single cells

Prison workers have told the BBC that overcrowding is worsening and that staff are increasingly being forced to place two inmates in cells designed for single occupancy. The account says workers have been instructed not to use inadequate cells. That direction is being issued as prison populations put greater pressure on available accommodation, according to the supplied material.

The report does not identify the prisons affected, give figures for the number of inmates involved or explain how long the practice has been occurring. It also does not state which authority issued the instruction to staff. The conflict between the instruction and the reported use of shared single-occupancy cells points to pressure on prison capacity.

However, the available information does not describe the condition of the cells, the arrangements for managing shared accommodation or the response of prison authorities. No comments from government officials, prison administrators or inmates are included in the supplied material. The BBC account is based on statements from workers, but does not name them or provide further detail about their roles.

The report therefore establishes that staff are reporting increased overcrowding and the use of cells intended for one person by two inmates. It does not provide enough information to assess the scale of the problem across the prison system or any planned remedy.