Inmates at HMP Garth must buy furniture from other prisoners, as cells are often nearly empty, a report reveals.
At HMP Garth, prisoners buy tables, chairs, and desks from other cons. Stripped beds and dirty storage are common. Sometimes inmates even buy curtains.
New prisoners often find empty cells when they arrive. They then get into debt to get these things.
Vapes are now used as prison money. Paying back this debt often takes time. Often, new inmates hide contraband for powerful individuals.
Prisons must provide basic items to inmates. However, the jail black market operates inside. Wing “bosses” decide who gets what items.
Garth inmates joke about the different types of cells. The cells are either “furnished” or “unfurnished”. They even buy pillows and blankets. Mattresses are also sometimes purchased.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor wrote the report. He said many cells lacked furniture. New inmates regularly pay for chairs and storage units. Cells in the induction unit look particularly bad. Some prisoners lack basic items.