Category: Blog

We routinely find impoverished regimes on our prison inspections, with most prisoners spending long periods of time locked in their cells with little to occupy them. Time out of cell is even worse on Saturdays and Sundays. But what about Fridays in prison? Are regimes similar to Monday to Thursday, with some access to purposeful activity, or is Friday the start of a long weekend of lock up? Sara Pennington led a team of inspectors to find out.

With the publication of the ‘Just passing time’ thematic review, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, outlines the problems with current work and training provision in adult prisons and his concerns that cuts will make things even worse.

When we think about food in prison, allergies and other medical requirements probably aren’t the first thing that spring to mind. But for a number of prisoners, this is a daily concern. Researcher Emma King explores the challenges prisoners can have in accessing appropriate food, and the impact it can have on their physical and mental health.

Lead inspector Kellie Reeve has seen much improvement since she first began inspecting court custody in 2014. She reflects on what has changed, and how positive relationships and a focus on detainee care can mitigate shortcomings.

In July 2021, we published a review of evidence of ‘Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System’, as part of the Criminal Justice Joint Inspection (CJJI) with HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. The findings 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, we ask: how far have prisons come in supporting those with neurodivergent needs?

Sophie Riley, Head of HMI Prisons’ Research, Data and Thematics team, explains how the effective use of data in prisons can bring about improvements for prisoners and staff.

How does an open prison get the best out of its prisoners and equip them for life in the community? HMI Prisons inspector, Lindsay Jones, discusses how HMP Standford Hill used education, training and work to motivate prisoners and give them the skills they needed to turn their lives around.

In contrast to many of our inspections this year, Rye Hill, a category B training prison holding men convicted of sexual offences, was providing good outcomes for prisoners in three of our four healthy prison tests. In this blog, Angus Jones, who led the inspection, discusses how the prison was achieving such impressive results.

Inspector Jonathan Tickner reveals how our recent inspection of Drake Hall in Staffordshire was a reminder of the good work that can still be achieved with women in prison, despite the current challenges in the system.

In this blog, Angus Jones, HMI Prisons Team Leader for Children and Young People, talks about the sustained failure to improve outcomes for the small number of children in custody.