Chief Inspector’s annual report is a dire reminder of the risk to life in our closed institutions
The Chief Inspector of Prisons’ annual report, published yesterday, catalogues the series of ongoing failures to manage prisoners safely across the estate. Suicide and self-harm rates remain worryingly high, with some prisons seeing a considerable increase in these numbers. This must be addressed.
Too many prisoners are still held in their cells for unacceptably long periods, with little purposeful activity available when cells are open. Key working, peer support and being able to maintain contact with loved ones are also limited and evidence shows that these support systems are fundamental to keeping prisoners safe and well. For effective rehabilitation and positive mental wellbeing, education, training and work need to be available along with access to treatment for addiction and mental health issues. We now hope to see an improvement in the support, access to healthcare and staff engagement available for prisoners as the capacity issues are reduced.
The early release of almost 2,000 prisoners this week has brought into sharp focus the ability of the prison and probation service to prepare and support prisoners for release, with the Chief Inspector pointing to “disjointed” resettlement services and inadequate provisions for accommodation. We urge HMPPS to ensure prison and probation staff can work together to best support prisoners upon release and reduce the number of prisoners being recalled back to prison.
We welcome proposals for a 10-year prison capacity strategy which we hope will deliver real change. A comprehensive and joined-up plan is desperately needed to deliver reform and ensure the prison service is safe and can offer rehabilitation and support where needed. Prison sentences are an opportunity for prisoners to make a positive change in their lives so this should be supported. We are continuing to call for non-negotiable redlines that prison numbers will never again be permitted to exceed safe capacity.
The Chief Inspector also highlights an increasingly fragile immigration detention system, with the estate becoming more crowded, rising levels of violence and use of force, and growing frustration among individuals who continue to be detained because of delays in the system. Two self-inflicted deaths in immigration removal centres last year are important reminders of the inherent vulnerabilities and risks within immigration detention.
You can read the Chief Inspector’s annual report here.