Overcrowding adding to danger in prison kitchens

A case of too many cooks is making prison kitchens in Scotland overcrowded and dangerous, according to John Spencer, catering adviser to the Scottish Prison Service.

Governors are under pressure to get as many prisoners as possible out of their cells to prevent them becoming unruly and restless. They often see areas such as kitchens as a useful outlet for employment and training, but subsequent overcrowding has led to security worries and potentially poorer food quality, Spencer warned.

In the Scottish Prison Service, all chefs are also trained prison officers, thus combining both supervisory and training roles.

The ideal ratio of chefs to prisoners is 1:3.5, but this is now more often 1:8 or 1:12, so chefs spend more time ensuring the safety of individuals and equipment in the kitchen rather than teaching prisoners about food preparation and cooking.

Spencer claimed some kitchens have had their prisoner work parties increased by as much as 50%. He cited a case where a prison kitchen that requires about 20 workers to feed 500 inmates currently has 32.

"Obviously the increased numbers place greater strain on the staff, as they have difficulty fulfilling the induction and training requirements effectively," he said.

The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the chefs often don't know who is coming to work, as some prisoners supposedly employed in the kitchen are also taking education classes elsewhere.

Spencer added that the budget to feed prisoners is £11 a week in Scotland. "One of the largest problems of increased prisoner numbers is the prevalence of pilfering," he said. "It does increase the pressure on chefs who are working to tight budgets and timescales."

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 27 March - 2 April 2003