Gang culture 'seeping into Feltham'

London's gang culture is invading Feltham Young Offender Institution, Britain's senior jail inspector warns today.

Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, says there have been a "relatively high number of assaults" and staff often have to use force to restrain inmates.

In a report, she says the institution, which holds up to 764 inmates aged 15 to 21, remains a "potentially volatile" place for inmates and staff.

She expresses concern about the investigation of racist incidents, allegations of discrimination, and inadequate race relations training given to some prison officers.

However, Ms Owers says the prison has improved significantly since it achieved notoriety following the racist murder of Asian inmate Zahid Mubarek in March 2000.

The 19-year-old from Walthamstow was battered to death with a table leg by cellmate Robert Stewart, who had been placed in the same cell despite being known to be a racist and violent psychopath.

An official inquiry into the killing strongly criticised management and other staff at the prison. After inspecting Feltham, Ms Owers says she found "slow but steady progress" since 2002 and it is now a "long way" from the institution described by the report into the teenager's killing.

Among the improvements are a "positive change" in the way staff deal with young offenders, good resettlement work with those due to return to society, better support of vulnerable inmates, and progress on combating bullying. But several problems are highlighted, including the presence of a gang culture. Ms Owers says that from evidence gathered during her inspection, "it was clear the London gang culture had seeped through the prison walls".

She continues: "A combination of strong management and good security intelligence was keeping the prison safe, but the relatively high number of assaults and uses of force indicated that this was not a battle won."

The report says 160 racist incidents were reported in the first five months of this year and the quality of investigations was sometimes "poor".

Ms Owers also warns of weaknesses in suicide prevention work. In conclusion, she warns that Feltham will "never be an easy establishment to run".

She adds: "Overall, staff have responded well and it is a long way from the establishment described in the Mubarek inquiry. Nevertheless, Feltham is, and will remain, a potentially volatile institution."