How coronavirus has affected Askham Grange's prison population
THE number of inmates at Askham Grange prison has dropped compared to levels at the start of the pandemic, figures reveal.
With court delays owing to the pandemic being blamed for changes in the normal flow of inmates, the Howard League for Penal Reform said court backlogs had put additional strain on defendants and victims alike.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that there were 103 inmates at Askham Grange prison as of March 31 – 10 fewer than at the same point in 2020.
This is in line with the situation across England and Wales, where the number of prisoners fell by 6 per cent to 78,058 at the end of March.