Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Ian Acheson admitted the suggestion was "radical" and "controversial" but said "the risks of doing nothing are simply too high".
Mr Acheson said there was a danger a staff member could be murdered.
Earlier, the president of the Prison Governors Association published a damning open letter on the state of prisons in England and Wales.
There has been serious violence in prisons in Wiltshire and Hertfordshire in recent days - with riot-trained staff called into the latter earlier this week to restore order.
"There is a systemic and widespread instability in prisons and unless it is tackled, I really do fear that we're going to see a member of staff killed on duty," Mr Acheson told BBC Newsnight.
He said the justice secretary should consider an appeal to experienced staff who have recently left to return, creating a task force to "get back control" in the worst affected prisons