News

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at Belmarsh has flagged a serious lack of education, skills and work opportunities for prisoners in its 2023-24 annual report, published today (11 October 2024). The Board echoes the concern expressed by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent review of prisons in England and Wales, that the lack of purposeful activity may be fuelling a sharp increase in drug use at the prison.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) for the family detention unit pre-departure accommodation (Family PDA) at Gatwick has recommended the closure of the unit and an end to the detention of children there. The Family PDA forms part of the Gatwick immigration removal site, which includes Brook House immigration removal centre. Since 2017, 48 families have been held at the Family PDA as part of the Home Office removals process, with only six of those removals going ahead.

The 2023-24 annual report for HMP Woodhill is now published.

The 2022-23 annual report for HMP Frankland is now published.

The 2023-24 annual report for HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall is now published.

The 2023-24 annual report for HMP North Sea Camp is now published.

Increased pressure on the prison system has led to some prisoners being transferred to HMP Coldingley before they're ready for its category C regime, which is focused on training and resettlement. This churn of prisoners and instability has resulted in a sharp increase in violence.

In its 2023-24 annual report published today (2 October 2024) the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at HMP Norwich highlight the widespread impact that budget restrictions are having on prisoners, raising concerns over cuts to resettlement funding, which is key to helping prisoners reintegrate back into their communities. The Board further notes how the lack of investment into the infrastructure is affecting the daily life of men at Norwich.

The 2023-24 annual report for HMP Stocken is now published.

For a number of years, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at HMP Send has expressed concern over the injustice of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences. In its annual report for 2023-24 (published today, 27 September 2024), the Board highlights one IPP prisoner who has served 14 years over their original tariff of two and a half years. The Board believes that the continued detention, and repeated recalls of IPP prisoners for what the Board considers to be relatively small breaches of licence conditions, is both unfair and inhumane.