News

Staff shortages at HMP Full Sutton - a high security prison, have impacted badly on regimes, with prisoners locked in their cells on a rotation basis for significant periods. However, the prison remained safe and secure and security issues were low level and minor, says the independent monitoring board, in its 2022 annual report.  

Safety is a serious concern at HMP Lowdham Grange, for the second year running, with three apparently self-inflicted deaths in three weeks, says the independent monitoring board (IMB). The IMB took the unusual step of publishing an annex to its 2022-3 report, alerting ministers to its concerns following the change of management of the prison.

The 2022 annual report for HMP/YOI Hindley is now published.

The 2021-22 annual report for HMP Frankland is now published.

Staff shortages in all areas increased during the year and affected every aspect of prison life at HMP/YOI Isis, says the IMB, in its 2022 annual report.  

The 2021-22 annual report for HMP/YOI Aylesbury is now published.

In National Mental Health Awareness week, Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) are again drawing attention to the high level of mental health need and self-harm incidents in women’s prisons.

In its annual report for 2022, the IMB at Springhill open prison commends the fact that resettlement activity had increased, with more men able to go out to work or maintain family ties, though the living conditions in the prison remained poor.

In its annual report for 2022, the IMB at Grendon reports a steady return to a normal regime after the pandemic, but that work still needs to be done to rebuild the therapeutic community ethos, which is the core purpose of the prison.

Following the government’s decision to reject the Justice Select Committee’s recommendation for a resentencing exercise for those serving imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences, Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) have been speaking to IPP prisoners about the impact of this decision, and the sentence itself, on their wellbeing.