Reports published week commencing 26 June 2023
Reports on inspections of HMP Preston and HMP Holme House and an independent review of progress at HMP/YOI Isis
Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Preston
Dates of inspection: 7-23 March 2023
Summary of findings: Purposeful activity was much better than most other reception prisons, with most men allocated to education, work or training that was appropriate for their needs and most men spending far longer out of their cells than in other reception prisons. The prison’s physical conditions needed significant investment: living conditions continued to be poor for many men. Disappointingly, access to family visits, crucial for both prisoners’ well-being and their rehabilitation, had deteriorated
Points to note: The head of health care was doing an outstanding job and standards had improved markedly since our last inspection, with a strong and proactive staff team working to improve outcomes for a population that had many difficulties with mental health and substance misuse.
Read the report: HMP Preston
Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House
Dates of inspection: 6-16 March 2023
Summary of findings: The prison had improved in three of four healthy prison tests since its last inspection, with a particularly marked improvement in relationships between staff and prisoners underpinned by much better key work than we usually see. Health care delivery was good, and included an exceptionally high standard of social care and strong mental health delivery, with good joint working also between health care workers and prison staff. The creative use of coloured Perspex on windows and depictions of local beauty spots in murals made the concrete walkways a more positive environment.
Points to note: A regular calendar of excellent family days, often for specific populations in the prison, such as new fathers or prisoners from the LGBT community, helped prisoners to build and maintain important family relationships.
Read the report: HMP Holme House
Report on an independent review of progress at HMP/YOI Isis
Dates of review: 15-27 May 2023
Summary of findings: Leaders were trying to make improvements in the face of several challenges, including high levels of community-based conflict among young men from London; increasing shortfalls of prison officers; and failures among partner agencies, most notably the Probation Service. Violence levels had reduced in the six months leading up to the review, although it was still higher than other category C prisons. Men were still spending too long locked in their cells and the regime remained far too limited for a training prison holding a young population. There was no prospect of further improvement without an increase in the number of prison officers at the site.
Points to note: Efforts to reduce violence included restorative justice and conflict resolution work organised by Belong (a charity providing services including mentoring and restorative justice in criminal justice settings). Its staff trained a small group of prisoners to act as conflict coaches for their peers.
Read the report: HMP/YOI Isis