Prisons a major challenge to new Justice team

The national annual report from Independent Monitoring Boards records an ‘exceptionally challenging year’ in prisons.

Prisons in England and Wales are struggling to provide safe, humane and rehabilitative regimes, due to the aftermath of the severe Covid restrictions, current staffing problems and other pressures, say the independent monitoring boards (IMBs) in their national annual report, published today.

What are Independent Monitoring Boards?

Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) exist for every prison and immigration removal centre. They are made up of ordinary members of the public who are independent, unpaid and make an average of 3-4 visits to their local institution per month. Their role is to monitor the day-to-day life in their local prison and ensure the proper standards of care indecency are maintained.

Members have unrestricted access to their local prison or immigration detention centre at any time and can talk to any prisoner or detainee they wish to, out of sight and hearing of a members of staff if necessary.

Board members also play an important role in dealing with problems inside the establishment. Any prisoner can put in a confidential request to see a member of the IMB. Problems might include concerns over lost property, visits from family or friends, special religious or cultural requirements, or even serious allegations such as bullying.

If something serious happens at the establishment, for example a riot or a death in custody, representatives of the board may be called in to attend and observe the way in which the situation is handled. The IMB role is similar to that of lay observers, the term used for members of the public who provide the same sort of independent oversight but for people detained in court cells.

IMBs are very different from prison inspectors who only visit some establishments every 3 to 4 years, IMB members are constant visitors and, in some cases, are likely to have a much deeper understanding of the successes and failings of an individual establishment. Not only do they have a much greater level of contact, but many prison inspections are planned in advance which means that the institution can try to remedy any existing failings before the inspectors call.

The report

The national annual report records an ‘exceptionally challenging year’ in prisons. But, even in prisons where regimes have improved, IMBs are still reporting major concerns. The report highlights six main priority areas:

1. Staffing problems create risks to the stability of prisons, the regimes they are able to offer and the necessary support for individual prisoners
2. Proposals for 20,000 new prison places will not only add to staffing pressures, but will also fail to replace old and unsuitable prisons, or to provide more suitable environments for women
3. The chronic problem of the inappropriate use of prison for men and women with severe mental health problems, many in segregation
4. The gaps in resettlement provision, following the transition to the Probation Service, particularly for accommodation support
5. Continuing disproportionality in the treatment of Black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners
6. The ongoing inability to ensure that prisoners are reunited with their property

The report does acknowledge some of the positive initiatives being rolled out under the Prisons White Paper, some of which resurrect previous arrangements and some of which are new.  These include more focused support for housing, employment and substance misuse, a return to a national prisoner education service, and a ‘resettlement passport’.  However, these initiatives are yet to be implemented in most establishments.

Staffing

However, staffing is the number one concern; one repeatedly highlighted by the prison inspectorate. For example, in its inspection report on HMP Swaleside published earlier this week, the Chief Inspector described the prison as “buckling under acute staffing shortages”, saying that “staffing was now at crisis point and was having an impact of on all aspects of the regime.”

The IMBs concur and their national chair, Dame Anne Owers makes the point strongly in her introduction to the report saying that staffing problems, rather than COVID, are now the principle brake on safe, humane and rehabilitative prison regimes. She notes that every month there are more experienced staff leaving than new staff joining the prison service. She points out that the majority of prisons are still running restricted regimes, some with only half the regime which existed pre-COVID and a few still running with 22 hour a day lockup. In these prisons, people in prison will have been in almost solitary confinement for a period of 2 ½ years.

She concludes that the new Justice Secretary and Prisons Minister face a “daunting in-tray”.