OVERCROWDING is pushing prisons to the limit.
According to senior prison officers, jails are at breaking point with full capacity, similar to conditions before the Strangeways riots.
And Risley Prison is no exception.
The category C prison has capacity for 1,085 inmates and is currently housing 1,080.
Duty Governor Frank Wood said: "Risley always operates at 98 per cent capacity.
"That means seven per cent share a cell.
"In ideal circumstances, we wouldn't have to do that, but we match the most compatible inmates.
"Nothing is absolutely safe."
Styal Prison is another believed to be suffering from overcrowding.
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