We use small files called ‘cookies’ on hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk. Some are essential to make the site work, some help us to understand how we can improve your experience, and some are set by third parties. You can choose to turn off the non-essential cookies. Which cookies are you happy for us to use?
Choose which cookies we use
Marketing cookies
Google analytics
We use Google Analytics to measure how you use the website so we can improve it based on user needs. We do not allow Google Analytics to use or share the data about how you use this site.
See our Google analytics cookies
Google analytics
Name
Purpose
Expires
_ga
These help us count how many people visit on https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/ by tracking if you’ve visited before
2 years
_gid
These help us count how many people visit on https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/ by tracking if you’ve visited before
24 hours
_gat
These help us to manage how we collect analytics when we have lots of visitors on the site at one time
10 minutes
Google Analytics 4
We use Google Analytics to measure how you use the website so we can improve it based on user needs. We do not allow Google Analytics to use or share the data about how you use this site.
See our Google Analytics 4 cookies
Google Analytics 4
Name
Purpose
Expires
_ga
Used to distinguish users.
2 years
_ga_
Used to persist session state.
2 years
Third-party cookies
Video Streaming
We have no control over cookies set by third parties. You can turn them off, but not through us.
See our Video Streaming cookies
Video Streaming
Name
Purpose
Expires
YouTube
YouTube videos play in privacy-enhanced mode. This mode may set third-party cookies on your computer when you click on the YouTube video player. These cookies will not be personally identifiable.
These cookies will always need to be on because they make our site work.
See our All users cookies
All users
Name
Purpose
Expires
wordpress_test_cookie
This is used to test whether the browser accepts cookies
When you close your browser
PHPSESSID
This is used to link your device to the information sent to the server from your browser. It is typically used to avoid you having to retype information when moving from one page to another.
When you close your browser
ccfw-banner-hidden
Lets us know you have chosen which cookies are used so we can stop the cookie banner appearing when you return to the site.
1 year
ccfw-gtm-allowed
Lets us know you have accepted certain cookies so we can stop them loading when you return to the site.
1 year
ccfw-time
This is used to store the cookie expiry dates so we know when to ask you again for consent.
1 year
info_banner_dismissed
This remembers if an information banner has been dismissed and prevents it from being displayed again.
When you close your browser
Logged in users
These cookies will always need to be on because they make our site work.
See our Logged in users cookies
Logged in users
Name
Purpose
Expires
wordpress_[hash]
This authenticates you when you log in to the admin area
When you close your browser
wordpress_logged_in
This shows the site that you’re logged in and who you are so you can access the functions you need
When you close your browser
wordpress_sec
If you are logged in as a site admin, this stores your authentication details.
When you close your browser
wp-settings-{time}-[UID]
The number on the end [UID] is your individual user ID from the users database.
Welcome to our news centre. You can filter by speeches, press releases, blogs and media briefings using the drop down menu below and selecting ‘filter’.
A prison holding men convicted of serious offences and who pose a high risk of harm to the public is continuing to struggle because of its reliance on officers bussed in from other jails.
A report on Woodhill prison published today reveals the full scale of problems that led HM Chief Inspector of Prisons to write to the Secretary of State for Justice in August to invoke an Urgent Notification about the state of the jail.
An inspection of HMP Lindholme, a category C prison in South Yorkshire, has found that, rather than working to reduce the risk of reoffending, it was failing to provide high-risk prisoners with access to the interventions, education or training that they needed ahead of release, and many of them were developing drug problems while they were there.
Two reports published today paint a bleak picture of youth custody in England and Wales. While the number of children in custody continued to fall in 2022-23, levels of violence and self-harm rose by just over a quarter and a third respectively.
Conditions at HMP Bedford, a category B reception prison, had deteriorated so sharply since the last inspection that the Chief Inspector of Prisons issued an Urgent Notification for improvement within days of finishing the inspection on 9 November 2023.
As more prisoners are being released from prison earlier in their sentences in order to free space in the crowded prison estate, Charlie Taylor reflects on ongoing challenges to preparing prisoners for release.