Inspector Of Prisons Research Articles

Prison Inspection as an Instrument of a ‘New Model’ in the Prison Administration System: The General and Special (1890 to 1917)

Prison Inspection as an Instrument of a ‘New Model’ in the Prison Administration System: The General and Special (1890 to 1917)

Healthcare governance in prisons in England: prisoners’ experiences of changes over time

ABSTRACT According to international law, prisoners should have access to healthcare on an equivalent basis to the rest of the population, and the UK Government has stated its commitment to such equivalence. Healthcare provision in English prisons has seen several reorganisations, notably in 2006 and 2013, with the stated intentions of improving healthcare provision in prisons. This article focuses on prisoners’ reported experiences over the periods of changes in healthcare governance, with the aim of identifying whether there are improvements from their perspectives. Survey data from a sample of prisoners has been collected by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for over 20 years, and these data have been used for secondary analysis of prisoners’ health needs and experiences of healthcare in English prisons. Despite the reorganisations of healthcare governance, the trends from 2003 to 2019 are of increasing health needs of prisoners and decreasing initial access, ongoing access, and quality of healthcare provision. There is little indication of any improvements experienced by prisoners from the 2006 or 2013 reorganisations. Prisoners are widely recognised as having distinct healthcare needs, but the data analysis reveals demographic differences in health needs and health access within the prison population, and an overall decline in quality and accessibility of healthcare provision in English prisons.

Institutionalised violence and child imprisonment in England and Wales: a case for abolition

This article focuses on youth custody and the imprisonment of children. It applies an abolitionist, anti-carceral lens to exploring this injustice. In doing so the article critically explores the imprisonment of children and young people in England and Wales and the institutionalised violence to which these children are subject. It presents a case study of the youth secure estate, using document analysis focused on two recent reports of Werrington Young Offenders Institution, undertaken by the HM Inspectorate of Prisons in 2022. These reports are drawn upon to support the key critical arguments, concerning the imprisonment of children, presented within this article. Such arguments are centred on the failure of the state to afford legitimate safety and protection to children imprisoned in these institutions, and the deplorable role of the state in directly causing and perpetuating a range of harms against children, including ‘cultural, physical and institutionally structured violence’ (Scott, 2020: 58). Finally, the article will present a framework for abolitionist alternatives to the imprisonment of children which will ultimately serve to ensure their safety and protection.

Responding to ‘wicked problems’: policy and governance on drug-related deaths in English and Welsh prisons, 2015-2021

BackgroundPrison settings have been neglected in the growing literature on drug-related deaths. This paper explores policy and practice issues regarding the governance of drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales from 2015-2021. MethodsThematic documentary analysis was conducted on national level policy documents published between 2015-2021 (e.g. drug strategies, prison policy documents, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons and Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) annual reports and guidance for staff). At the local (prison) level, all of the PPO fatal investigation reports and their associated action plans relating to 171 drug-related deaths from 2015-2021 were analysed thematically. Various modes of governance were identified using Head's ‘wicked problems’ conceptual framework including avoidance and denial, coercive controls, compartmentalised micro-management, incremental and pragmatic adjustment and technocratic problem-solving. ResultsThere was strong evidence of the dominance of denial of the problem of drug-related deaths, coercive controls, micro-management and reliance on technological solutions in the early years (2015-2018). In some prisons, there developed a move towards the adoption of more pragmatic and incremental policies and push towards comprehensive policies over time. In others, remnants of denial and coercion remained. In our analysis, the focus on new psychoactive substances came to dominate attention, to the relative neglect of other substances and of the contribution of mental and physical illness to these deaths. Staff are not equipped, supported or resourced adequately to deal with the two ‘wicked problems’ of increasing rates of drug use and mental illness which collide in the prison setting. ConclusionThe PPO investigations repeatedly recommend reducing supply and improving monitoring and surveillance and the emergency response. There is less focus on prevention and reducing demand or improving the wider environmental context and culture in which the deaths occur. Policy needs to pay more attention to the fundamental issues driving the current deterioration in conditions in prisons.

Тюремные инспекторы Западной Сибири и организация пенитенциарного ведомства в конце XIX – начале XX в.

The purpose of the article consists in studying of a position of provincial prison inspector in the regional administrative apparatus and in researching of local prison inspection’s activity. Using microhistorical approach, structural-functional method and methods of retrospective and discourse analysis, the authors made an attempt to analyze the stages of the creation of the prison institution in Western Siberia and the scenarios of its transformation. The historical sources involved in the research including periodicals, sources of personal origin, documents of governmental agencies, archive materials and works of historians and publicists allow us to provide an overall pattern of provincial prison inspections’ functioning. A logical consequence of the creation of a central prison institute was the gradual formation of provincial prison departments. Due to a number of favorable factors, the prison inspection bodies (as part of the provincial governments) were formed in 1892 in the Tomsk Governorate. In other regions of Siberia, including the Tobolsk Governorate, these regulations became effective only in 1895. The prison departments were headed by provincial prison inspectors, who held a much higher position than another heads of departments. In this regard, they were almost on the same level as the vice-governor. The authors conclude that the inspection of prisons was sufficiently extensive, ranging from inspection of penitentiaries, detention houses and transit points, control of their sanitary conditions and technical equipment, to the staffing of prison schools, churches and libraries. The West Siberian prison inspections played an important role in the production and organization of convict labor, which served as an integral part of the penitentiary process of criminal forces. The philanthropic feelings were also not alien to prison officials – a lot of work was invested by the inspectors in the development of trusteeship and charitable institutions, maintaining corporate identity within the prison department, expanding official relations at the all-Russian and international level. These prison officers played a significant role in the systematization of penitentiary regulations. Despite the fact that the thesis of the need for the existence of the prison inspections was questioned in official circles, it still survived the onslaught of criticism, proving the expediency and effectiveness of its activities, developed its own scenarios for functioning during the period of revolutionary unrest and social transformations.

Healthcare in prison: Does it matter how it is provided?

ObjectivesFrom April 2013, responsibility for healthcare services for prisoners was shifted to NHS England. Administrative survey data from English prisons covering 2000-2021 was used to identify if this change affected detainees’ experiences of healthcare quality and/or access; as well as the association with other characteristics of prison or prisoner.
 MethodsSince 2000, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) has carried out surveys of detainees as part of its inspections. This presentation will highlight the potential of these datasets by presenting substantive results of analysis on detainees’ experience of healthcare in prison. Merging datasets over time provides continuity of some variables over the whole period, with responses from up to 95,000 individuals. Variables of detainees’ assessment of the ease of access to different healthcare professionals, as well as the quality of services provided, were analysed over time and in terms of association with different types of prison and demographics of prisoner.
 ResultsThe HMIP data are used to inform inspections and reports, and an ESRC-funded project has now developed these administrative datasets for wider research use. With a timeframe of over 20 years, the data can be analysed on a range of policy-relevant prison issues, such as safety, preparation for release, support within prison, treatment of prisoners, and access to information, legal rights, education, exercise and healthcare. These can be associated with demographic characteristics of detainees, and functional types of prison; as well as the analysis presented here of trends over time and whether these can be aligned to distinct policy or practice changes. The policy change in healthcare provision in April 2013 is contextualised within trends of greater health needs of prisoners and differentials between prisoners.
 ConclusionHMIP detainee survey data are now archived with the UK Data Service for research use. Cross-sectional analysis on a range of demographic factors shows differential healthcare needs and experiences, and analysis over time indicates both trends and the impact, or not, of policy changes on detainees’ experiences.

«Его императорскому высочеству государю наследнику цесаревичу и великому князю Алексею Николаевичу…» (подарок от арестантов Первой нижегородской губернской тюрьмы в 1913 г.)

The article is devoted to little-known facts from the life of the family of Emperor Nicholas II. The main historical source was “The case of the Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Prison Inspection. About the products of the workshops of the First Nizhny Novgorod prison in 1913”, preserved in the fund 386 of the Central Archive of the Nizhny Novgorod region. It testifies that the prisoners of the First Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Prison prepared a unique gift for the son of Emperor Nicholas II — Tsarevich and Grand Duke Alexei Nikolaevich. The gift was timed to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The article also used other types of historical sources: “Diaries of Emperor Nicholas II”, memoirs of P. Gilyar, a teacher of French, mentor of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, materials of the pre—revolutionary periodical press — the magazine “Prison Bulletin”, as well as unique photographic documents of M. P. Dmitriev, who recorded the ceremonial reception of the imperial family in Nizhny Novgorod on May 17, 1913. The historiographical basis was the works of modern historians: N. F. Filatov, A. V. Morokhin, R. V. Golubin, S. Yu. Varentsov, L. Abrosimova. The author came to the conclusion that at the beginning of the XX century in Nizhny Novgorod penitentiary institutions, convict labor was fairly well organized, prison workshops developed. In the First Nizhny Novgorod provincial prison, an exclusive gift was prepared for Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich — a printing machine with the name “American”. It was made of expensive materials, taking into account the age and interests of the heir to the imperial throne.

Comparative legal characteristics of the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

The article provides a general analysis of the legal acts regulating the activities of the UK penitentiary, the list and importance for the effective functioning of the UK penitentiary is indicated. The author performed a comparative legal analysis of the main legal acts regulating the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The special regulatory framework on the basis of which the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales operate is identified and clarified. The list of bodies and officials managing, supervising and controlling the activities of penal institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales has been also determined.
 Considerable attention was paid to the description and comparison of the powers of the Secretary of State and the Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, other officials and authorities of the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which made it possible to distinguish the differences in the powers exercised by them in the territory of each of the described territory. The proposed article, based on the performed comparative legal analysis and the identification of common and distinctive features of the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, indicates the ways of potential optimization of the management of the penitentiary system of Ukraine in the context of the reform of the penitentiary system of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2016 and continues today.
 The author proposed a comparative table in the sequence "administrative-territorial unit - bodies that manage, supervise and control the activities of penal institutions - name of the document / number of the article". Based on a comprehensive comparative analysis of the legal framework, a list of common and distinctive (special) features of the management of penitentiary systems in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales was synthesized. A whole spectrum of special, sometimes unique aspects of the functioning of the penitentiary systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales was singled out and compared with the peculiarities of the functioning of the penitentiary system of Ukraine.

'Cocooning' in prison during COVID-19: Findings from recent research in Ireland.

The advent of COVID-19 prompted the enforced isolation of elderly and vulnerable populations around the world, for their own safety. For people in prison, these restrictions risked compounding the isolation and harm they experienced. At the same time, the pandemic created barriers to prison oversight when it was most needed to ensure that the state upheld the rights and wellbeing of those in custody. This article reports findings from a unique collaboration in Ireland between the Office of the Inspector of Prisons - a national prison oversight body - and academic criminologists. Early in the pandemic, they cooperated to hear the voices of people 'cocooning' - isolated because of their advanced age or a medical vulnerability - in Irish prisons by providing journals to this cohort, analysing the data, and encouraging the Irish Prison Service to change practices accordingly. The findings indicated that 'cocooners' were initially ambivalent about these new restrictions, both experiencing them as a punishment akin to solitary confinement, and understanding the goal of protection. As time passed, however, participants reported a drastic impact on their mental and physical health, and implications for their (already limited) agency and relationships with others, experienced more or less severely depending on staff and management practices. The paper also discusses the implications for prison practices during and following the pandemic, understanding isolation in the penological context, and collaboration between prison oversight bodies and academics.

Psychophysical quality of life and its determinants in prisoners: the role of selected psychosocial factors

PurposePenal institutions affect their inmates’ mental as well as physical health. Prisoners have higher rates of physical health conditions than the public. While it is known that psychosocial factors determine patients’ quality of life, little research has focused on factors related to prisoners’ psychophysical quality of life (PQoL). The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of prisoners’ PQoL.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 390 prisoners recruited from correctional facilities administered by the Warsaw District Inspectorate of Prisons. This study hypothesized that social support, coherence and self-efficacy would be positive determinants of PQoL and that depression, anxiety and anger would be its negative determinants. The collected data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling.FindingsThe positive determinants of PQoL in prisoners are coherence, self-efficacy and social support. The negative determinant of PQoL is trait depression.Originality/valueThis study has revealed a list of factors significant for improving prisoners’ PQoL. Factors have also indicated which of the predictors measured are the most significant. The identified set of significant factors should be taken into account in social rehabilitation programs for prisoners as contributing to the preservation of life and health.

How is Social Care Provided in Adult Prisons in England and Wales?

AbstractThere is variation in provision of social care in prisons. Our research aimed to understand variation across adult prisons in England and Wales, including: (1) what social care is provided? (2) who delivers social care? (3) what peer support initiatives are used? (4) what social care indicators are relevant? and (5) are there differences between prison type and social care provision? We analysed Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) reports (published 2017–2020) from 102 prisons. From these reports we extracted and analysed data on social care provision. Elements of social care are not consistently delivered; need assessments (81.4 per cent) and referrals (75.5 per cent) were most frequently reported. Different providers (health care/social care/prison) deliver social care. Forty-one prisons (40.2 per cent) included peer support (formal to informal). We found no notable differences between prison categories and social care delivery, although, within category D prisons, a significantly larger proportion of those with a disability reported receiving support they needed. Inspection reports highlighted that prison social care should mirror community social care, but we could not fully evaluate this due to reporting issues. Social care provision varies; effectiveness of different models is not yet known. We provide recommendations to improve social care reporting within HMIP reports.

'Keeping a lid on it': Exploring 'problematisations' of prescribed medication in prisons in the UK.

The non-medical use of prescription medication and risk of diversion have become policy and practice concerns within prison settings in the UK. These issues have been highlighted by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (2019) prison drugs strategy. In 2019, new prescribing guidance was issued by the Royal College of General Practitioners for clinicians working within prison settings. Informed by Bacchi's (2009) What's the problem represented to be? framework, the ways in which the 'problem' of prescribed medication in prisons have been represented is interrogated through an analysis of the prescribing guidance framework for clinicians working in prisons. Restrictive prescribing practices are recommended as a solution to the 'problem' of diversion and misuse of prescribed medication. Prescribers are advised to consider de-prescribing, non-pharmacological treatments and alternative prescriptions with less diversionary potential. They are represented as responsible for the 'problems' that prescribed medication bring to prisons. The guidance is underpinned by the assumption that prescribers lack experience, knowledge and skills in prison settings. People serving prison sentences are assumed to be 'untrustworthy' and their symptoms treated with suspicion. This representation of the 'problem' has a number of effects including the possibility of increasing drug-related harm, damaging the patient-doctor relationship and disengagement from healthcare services. The representation of prescribed medication as problems of diversion and prescribing practices inhibits alternative representations of the problem which would inform different policy directions including improvements to regime and healthcare provision and would include a range of practitioners in prison settings to address the 'problem' more holistically.

Health-promoting prisons in the female estate: an analysis of prison inspection data

BackgroundWomen in prison have comparatively greater health needs than men, often compounded by structures and policies within the prison system. The notion of a ‘health-promoting’ prison is a concept which has been put forward to address health inequalities and health deterioration in prisons. It has, however, not been fully discussed in relation to women in prison. The paper aims to distil the learning and evidence in relation to health promotion in female prisons using prison inspection reports of women’s prisons in England and Wales.MethodsPrison inspection reports are one way of ascertaining the contemporary situation in prisons. Prison inspections are often unannounced and use a myriad of methods to draw conclusions around various aspects of prison life. Thirteen prison inspection reports were analysed thematically focusing on health promotion within the institutions. Two analysts conducted the work using NVivo 12.ResultsFive core thematic areas were identified during the analysis of the reports. Saliently, a joined-up approach to health promotion was not a common feature in the prisons and indeed the focus tended to be on screening and ‘lifestyle issues’ rather than a concern for the underlying determinants of health. There was often an absence of a strategic approach to health promotion. There were some good examples of the democratic inclusion of women in prison in shaping services, but this was not widespread and often tokenistic. There were some examples of inequity and the inspection reports from a small number of institutions, illustrated that the health needs of some women remained unmet.ConclusionsThe paper suggests that there is potentially some work before conditions in women’s prisons could be described as ‘health-promoting’, although there are some examples of individual prisons demonstrating good practice. The health promoting prison movement has, implicitly at least, focused on the needs of men in prison and this has been to the exclusion of the female prison population. This does lead to several challenges and the potential for exacerbating health challenges faced by an already marginalised and vulnerable group. Greater focus on the health promotion needs of women in prison is required.

Rights protection in prisons: Understanding recommendations-making by prison inspection and monitoring bodies in the European Union

Despite the increasing focus on prison inspection and monitoring bodies in international law and policy, little is known about their operations in practice. This study contributes to fill this gap by examining how countries of the European Union (EU) have responded to these demands, paying special attention to one of the central tasks of these bodies: the making of recommendations. To do so, we used data from the first EU-wide survey of prison oversight bodies, with responses from all Member States. Our findings reveal that recommendations-making is a key part of the work of these bodies. They also provide evidences that the approach to dialogue between these bodies and prison authorities advocated in the legislation is taking place on the ground.

No Place for Old Men? Meeting the Needs of an Ageing Male Prison Population in England and Wales

Recent years have witnessed significant increase in numbers of older men imprisoned in England and Wales; a phenomenon experienced across the western world. Those aged fifty and over represent the fastest-growing demographic group in prison in England and Wales. This article summaries explanations for and implications of this increase and the characteristics, needs and lived experiences of this population, before critically reflecting on current policy and practice responses; and how responses highlight definitional and policy ambiguities around older prisoners. The article discusses a multi-agency initiative developed at one prison in northern England that recognised the uniqueness of older prisoners, modified regimes and changed physical environments. Impact is benchmarked against Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons four tests of a healthy prison, followed by discussion of findings and implications for policy and practice. The article argues for expanded collaboration to better manage challenges posed by older prisoners, supported by a national strategy.

Producing gender-blind drug knowledge and representations in prison spaces

PurposeThis paper aims to examine knowledge production and problem representation with regard to new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) annual reports.Design/methodology/approachSeven annual reports published by HMCIP for England and Wales between 2014 and 2020 have been systematically reviewed drawing on thematic analysis.FindingsThis paper demonstrates how framing in HMCIP annual reports produced a characterisation of NPS in prisons that inadvertently obstructed gender-sensitive knowledge production and problem representation. The framing formalised knowledge silences about spice in women’s prisons.Originality/valueHMCIP annual reports monitor drugs in prisons and this affects how these spaces are represented to government and other stakeholders. This paper provides theoretical and practical insights into how gender-blind knowledge is produced by discussing examples of gender-blind drug representations in a specific policy context.

Developing health and wellbeing in prisons: an analysis of prison inspection reports in Scotland

BackgroundThe Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has been long regarded for its progressive policy approach to health promotion in prison. It is one of the few countries with a strategic plan for health promotion implementation. Given the paucity of understanding in relation to the concept of a health promoting prison, this study assessed routinely collected prison inspection data to understand and distil learning in regard the practical implementation of health-promoting prisons.MethodsHer Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) oversees the independent inspection of all prisons. This desk-based study analysed openly accessible inspection reports from a public repository. The sample was limited to inspection reports using the 2018 revised Standards to ensure comparability between reports. Eight unique inspection reports meeting this criterion were downloaded between January and October 2020. The prisons had their inspections undertaken between May 2018 and January 2020. Data from the reports which focused on ‘health and wellbeing’ were inductively coded using NVivo 12 to support thematic analysis.ResultsResults are presented against the values and principles outlined in the SPS’ own framework for promoting health in prison. All of the institution reports contained evidence of fairness and justice in their prison and understandings of health inequalities were recognised by staff. There were also examples of mutual (peer) support between people in prison; good relationships between staff and prisoners; and strong health promotion leadership. Conversely, some environmental conditions hindered the development of health promotion – this included staffing shortages and some practices fostering health inequity. Even where a prison was reported as having health promotion activities in place these were focused on a narrow range of individual risk factors such as smoking cessation or substance misuse. Far less attention was paid to wider health determinants.ConclusionsScotland has been at the forefront of attempts to embed a health promoting prison philosophy in their justice system. Inspection data focusing on ‘health and wellbeing’ were analysed, but the analysis suggests that more could be done to ensure a health promoting setting. The way prisons inspectors are assessing health and wellbeing in particular areas is very narrow, with the focus exclusively on healthcare without a wider appreciation of how other areas of prison life can impact.

With Age Comes Respect? And for Whom Exactly? A Quantitative Examination of White and BAME Prisoner Experiences of Respect Elicited through HM Inspectorate of Prisons Survey Responses

AbstractThrough the analysis of survey data, collected by HM Inspectorate of Prisons between 2010 and 2019, we examine the responses of adult male prisoners of different ages and ethnicities and the extent to which they report being treated with respect by staff. Survey responses from 62,664 prisoners support the conclusion that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) prisoners are less likely than white prisoners to report that they are treated with respect; younger prisoners are less likely than older prisoners to do so. Our macro‐level findings demonstrate that there is considerable variation between the subgroups within these broad categories and that a simplification of experiences may lead to incorrect assumptions about the experiences of minority groups in prison. These survey data should be used in conjunction with other resources, such as official data and operational statistics, to support detailed examination of prisoner treatment and conditions for safe, decent and rehabilitative prisons.

Towards a typology of prisoners’ awareness of and familiarity with prison inspection and monitoring bodies

Inspection and monitoring bodies have an important role in the protection of prisoners’ rights. Although these bodies are seen as widely beneficial, there is limited research examining their operations in practice. This study addresses this gap in the existing literature by identifying unique profiles of prisoners based on their familiarity with prison oversight bodies. In addition, the relationship between profiles and key factors (personal characteristics, sentence-related variables and those related to life in prison) was examined using multinomial regression. Participants were 508 males randomly selected from three prisons in Ireland. Data were collected between November 2018 and February 2019, using self-administered surveys. Latent class analysis revealed four subgroups of prisoners characterized by distinct patterns of awareness and contact with prison oversight bodies: (1) Low familiarity (44.1 percent); (2) High awareness with low contact (26.4 percent); (3) High familiarity with the Visiting Committees but low with other oversight bodies (14.2 percent); and (4) High familiarity (15.4 percent). Notably, the largest group was the low familiarity group, and few prisoners belonged to the high familiarity group. Nationality, sentence length, confidence in staff and complaint usage were linked to class membership. The results of this study point to the importance of increasing awareness of inspection and monitoring bodies among prisoners in general, and among certain groups in particular.

Experiencing human rights protections in prisons: The case of prison monitoring in Ireland

The protection of human rights in prison gives rise to unique challenges. The power differentials and dynamics involved, the need to balance considerations of security with those of dignity, and the lack of openness to the outside world mean that the implementation of human rights principles takes on a particular importance in these environments. International human rights law has increasingly emphasized the importance of external oversight of prisons as a way to prevent torture and ill-treatment and to uphold fundamental rights more generally. Although the monitoring of prisons is now quite well established as a principle of European and international human rights provisions, we know surprisingly little about how people in prison experience and understand monitoring bodies. This gap in our understanding is part of a wider lack of literature on how prisoners experience their rights and protections of their rights. This article addresses that gap, reporting on qualitative findings from a study with people in prison in Ireland on their views and perceptions of a monitoring body: the Inspector of Prisons. The article finds evidence of a lack of awareness of, and a deficit of trust in, monitoring. However, this picture is complex, with people in prison also viewing the concept of monitoring as a good way to protect rights, believing that the visibility of monitors, clarity in their role and powers, and ensuring that a variety of voices are heard by monitoring bodies are important elements of a good system of prison oversight.