THE number of officers at public-sector prisons in Wales has been cut by 37 per cent in less than four years, new figures show.

Research published today by the Howard League for Penal Reform charity showed, across Wales and England, there were only 14,170 officer grade staff working in prisons run by the state at the end of June 2014. There were more than 24,000 at the end of August 2010.

This includes 1,375 officer posts that were lost when 15 public-sector prisons were closed during the period.

In Wales, officer numbers have been cut from 505 to 320. HM Prison Prescoed in Usk, which houses 483 prisoners, had 90 officers in August 2010, but that figure was down to 60 by June this year - a drop of 33 per cent.

Frances Crook, chief executive of the charity, said: “The prison system is in crisis, and these figures reveal why. While the prison population has grown, officer numbers have been cut without any thought for the consequences.

“A shortage of governors makes matters even worse, because officers are being taken off the wings and asked to ‘act up’ to fill vacancies.

“Having made prison officers redundant, the Ministry of Justice is now apparently struggling to recruit. These are desperate times, and ministers are resorting to desperate measures.

“The only solution to this crisis is one that successive governments have ducked. There are many people in custody who have not committed serious or violent offences and it is time for a hard look at who we send to prison and why. We must reduce the prison population.”