Document Type: Consultation response

This document sets out the key issues the IMB identified in response to the Prisons Strategy White Paper. It was drafted following input from prison Boards.

The strategy sets out a vision for better and safer prisons that can reduce reoffending. There is a welcome focus on rehabilitation, as well as safety, and the paper sets out a wide range of positive initiatives towards the stated aim (paragraph 151) of ‘[creating] a prison system that properly rehabilitates prisoners and prepares them for life on the outside’. The paper recognises the salience of mental health, accommodation, substance use and neurodiversity as drivers of offending and reoffending, both in prisons and community settings, and the importance of education, work and skills training.

IMBs across the youth estate in England have raised particular concerns about prolonged periods of separation and, in some cases, the extremely restricted regimes for separated young people.

Until the profile of IMB is improved then they will continue to struggle with recruitment. Due to nature of the work, it proves difficult using social media i.e. either people don’t care about what happens to people in prison, or they have strong opinions of what should happen. They are trying to reach those who have a focus on social responsibility.