Prison officers’ clothes reeked of cannabis the report said Photo: Bob Green

Brixton prison has been called “substandard”, according to a recent report by its Independent Monitoring Board.

In one part of the report, it was mentioned that the guards’ clothes sometimes reeked of cannabis due to its widespread usage in the prison, while in another it was told that there was a period when washing machines in the prison did not work for several weeks.

The report, which is issued annually to the Secretary of State Chris Grayling is conducted by members of the local community where the prison is located.

The most recent report, covering the period of September 2012 to August 2013, raised major concerns regarding the operation of HMP Brixton, listing among other issues its poor accommodation, an increase in the supply of illegal drugs within the prison, and an “inadequate” prisoner resettlement program.

The board also alerted that planned budget cuts, which will see staff numbers reduced by 17%, “is bound to weaken further the regime’s effectiveness.”

Commenting on the report, Labour’s shadow Justice Secretary, Sadiq Khan said: “It is staggering how readily available drugs and mobile phones are in the prison. Meanwhile, the accommodation and facilities are inadequate and there are no work or training opportunities.”

Reports over past years have all described the prison as over-crowded and under-invested, prompting a call to shut it down by Kevin Lockyer, the ex-Ministry of Justice Deputy Director, suggesting it would be preferable to build a series of super-prisons instead.

Talking to BBC News this June, Lockyer said: “”We need to build larger, newer facilities that use the most up-to-date technology to monitor inmates.”

Despite the prison’s many shortcomings, the board commended the staff’s behaviour, describing them as treating prisoners “with patience and humanity”.