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Welcome to HMI Prisons.

We help to make sure that detention in the UK is humane, decent and prepares people for returning to society.

Chief Inspector: overwhelming ingress of illegal drugs is destablising prisons and preventing rehabilitation

“This has been another very difficult year for all those living and working in prisons in England and Wales. I cannot overstate my concern about the rapid and widespread ingress of illicit drugs.”

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Latest news updates

Reports published 15 September
15 September
Food allergies in prisons: a hidden health risk
12 September
Reports published 8 September
8 September

Time to care: what helps women cope in prison?

The rate of self-harm among women in prison has rocketed and is now 8.5 times higher than in men’s jails. This thematic looks at what support officers and leaders can offer women to reduce the likelihood that they will resort to self-harm.

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Prisoners with food allergies have the same needs as people in the community, but often much less control over their diet. For some, a mislabelled meal could lead to hospitalisation, or a single spoon used for scrambled eggs could trigger a life-threatening reaction. A lack of safe food options could mean chronic malnutrition, weight loss, and deteriorating health.
Emma King, HMI Prisons researcher
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‘Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System’… painted a stark picture – neurodivergent people in prison were often unidentified, unsupported, and disadvantaged by a system that lacked adequate understanding of their needs or made consistent provision… Four years on from the review, there are reasons to be optimistic, but this is not a chapter we can or should close.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
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Graphic showing images related to the Improving behaviour in prisons thematic review.

Improving behaviour in prisons

These are challenging times for prisons, but some have created cultures that encourage prisoners to take part in employment and education that should help them to secure employment on their release.

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Find out more about the different areas of our work

Men’s prisons

We inspect every type of men’s prison in England and Wales, from high security to open prisons, private and public sector. Find out about how we inspect and read our reports on men’s prisons.

Women’s prisons

Women make up less than 4% of the prison population. Read our Expectations for the treatment of and conditions for women, and our reports on women’s prisons.

Children’s detention

We inspect each establishment in which children are detained every year either for a full inspection or an independent review of progress. Read our reports on detention for children.

Immigration detention

Read reports on our inspections of different types of immigration detention: immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and escorted flights removing people from the country.