News

Far too few prisoners at HMP Kirkham, an open prison in Lancashire, were able to get the opportunity to work, and men said they were frustrated and bored, with little to fill their time. Many were using drugs, with the positive mandatory drug test rate the highest in the open estate at 25% and inspectors frequently smelt cannabis as they walked around the jail.

Reports on inspections of HMP Five Wells and HMYOI Wetherby

Report on an inspection of HMP Rye Hill

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.

Reports on inspections of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall and HMP Peterborough (Men)

Report published on an inspection of Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.

More children in custody felt unsafe than last year, and fewer said they were getting any education, according to an annual review by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The review, which analysed survey findings from children living in young offender institutions (YOIs) and secure training centres (STCs) in England and Wales in 2023-24, found that children spent the majority of their time locked in their cells, with little done to address their offending. When they were able to mix with other children on the wings, this was often marred by conflict and violence.

In September, a very concerning inspection of HMP Rochester led Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, to write to the Secretary of State to invoke the first Urgent Notification for improvement at a category C prison. Today, the full report from that inspection further outlines the dilapidated accommodation, rising violence and self-harm, widespread illicit drug use, and the lack of purposeful activity or risk reduction work inside the jail.

HMP Garth, part of the long-term and high security estate, is facing major security issues from the ingress of drugs and a breakdown in safety and security, with around a 45% increase in violence and many prisoners needing protection because of drug-related debt.