HMP The Verne

What we found

The Verne is a prison holding men convicted of sexual offences. The prison itself was safe, but there were worrying weaknesses in reducing men’s future risk of harm: there were no offending behaviour programmes and high-risk prisoners could wait years for any kind of intervention to support changing their thinking or behaviour. While retention of staff was much improved, far too few were appropriately experienced or skilled in the particular challenges of working with men convicted of sexual offences. 

Points to note: A third of prisoners were over 60 and the high instance of health issues meant that the daily routine was often disrupted as staff were diverted to escort them to hospital appointments, for example. The Dorset unit provided 24-hour social and medical care for men with long-term conditions and mobility issues, and there were plans for a palliative care suite.