BRITAIN: Racism ingrained in prison culture

In a witness statement for the inquiry into the death in custody of Asian teenager Zahid Mubarak, the British Prison Service's first race equality advisor, Judy Clements, has revealed an administration-driven culture of racial abuse. Mubarak was beaten to death by his racist cell-mate at Feltham Young Offender Institution. Clements describes "countless reports" of ill-treatment of Black and Asian prisoners throughout the country. Aside from guards ignoring the racist element to severe beatings between inmates, Clements also identified a standard practice of disciplining prisoners who complained about racist comments from guards.

From Green Left Weekly, February 9, 2005.

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From GLW issue 614