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HMP Northumberland, a category C resettlement prison in the north east of England was safer than during the last inspection in 2017, according to prison inspectors. However, the provision of meaningful work, education and training was lacking, and inspectors were particularly disappointed with limited rehabilitative opportunities and poor oversight of public protection. Staff shortages had severely impacted the prison’s ability to fulfil these crucial functions.

Divisions between black prisoners and white prison staff are entrenched throughout the prison service, and black prison staff report very negative experiences at work. But both of these problems could be tackled through taking a more creative approach focused on building mutual trust and respect. This is one of the key findings of ‘Thematic review: The experiences of adult black male prisoners and black prison staff’, published today.

Isis is a modern prison in south-east London, with an unstable and challenging population; around 80 new prisoners arrive each month, many of whom are involved at some level with London gangs. On this visit, inspectors were impressed with the governor and her commitment to improvement, but there were some disappointing findings, particularly in the area of rehabilitation and release planning.

Inspectors visiting Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) found an establishment providing good care and support to the women detained there, particularly in health care, yet with urgent improvements needed areas of safety.

Lancaster Farms, located just outside the city of Lancaster, was providing decent outcomes for the 544 men held there at the time of our inspection. The prison was reasonably calm, with well-maintained buildings and grounds, and had improved its rehabilitation and release planning. However, following the trend across the estate, provision of purposeful activity – education, training, and work – was lacking.

Inspectors returning to Feltham A were pleased to find that decent outcomes for children had been maintained since the last full inspection earlier this year.

Yesterday, the Chief Inspector of Prisons wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice invoking an Urgent Notification for Exeter Prison.

Inspectors visiting Liverpool in July and found a calm and well-ordered prison with a positive and caring culture. This marked an impressive transformation from the jail HMI Prisons inspected in 2017, when Liverpool was in a “parlous state”.

Inspectors returning to Rochester found that little progress had been made since the full inspection in 2021, where prisoners were not getting access to purposeful activity and there were concerns about living conditions, violence, and staffing shortages.

Inspectors returning to Portland found the prison in a better state than during a troubling visit in 2019. At that time, the jail was not keeping prisoners safe or providing decent living conditions. A new governor, appointed in 2020 and with a strong understanding of the issues facing the prison, had carried out good work to begin to transform the jail. However, some concerning gaps in mental health support, violence and self-harm reduction, and purposeful activity remained.