1. Prison Inspection in England and Wales
Peter Clarke
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
ICPA, Montreal, 22nd October 2018

2. HMI Prisons statutory remit
To report to the relevant Secretary of State on the “treatment of prisoners and the conditions in prisons.”
S.5A Prison Act 1952

3. Key Points Scope Independent Inspectorate not a Regulator
Human Rights not Policy
OPCAT/NPM
Methodology, timing and contents of reports
Impact

4. Challenges to Prisons Austerity Staff/Prisoner Ratio Drugs Violence
Living Conditions
Mental Health
Ageing Population

5. Violence 12/2015 – 12/2016 All assaults – 26,022 Up 27%
Serious assaults 3,519 Up 25%
P/P assaults 19,088 Up 23%
P/S assaults 6,844 Up 38%
Self-harm incidents 40,161 Up 24%
Nos. self-harming 11,008 Up 16%
Self-inflicted deaths 113 Up 11%
(To March 2017)

6. Violence 12/2016 – 12/2017 All assaults – 28,165 Up 12%
Serious assaults 3,726 Up 10%
P/P assaults 20,346 Up 9%
P/S assaults 7,828 Up 22%
Self-harm incidents 42,837 Up 12%
Nos. self-harming 11,248 Up 4%
Self-inflicted deaths 70 Down 40%

7. Illicit Drugs Impact of NPS PPO connects 79 deaths (and rising)
37% male prisoners – ‘easy’ to get drugs.
Debt, Bullying, Violence
Too many develop problem in prison
Destabilising prisons

8. Ageing Prison Population
Predicted to be 15k > 50 yrs by 2020
Longer sentences and historic enquiries
42% of men > 50yrs sentenced for sex offences
59% of older prisoners report long term illness or disability
Drain on resources and impact on regime
Proper strategy required

9. Mental Health Gaps in primary mental health care (HMIP)
73% transfers to secure beds > 14 days
Use of segregation for MH
70% of SIDs pre-identified with MH needs
26% of women, 16% of men treated for MH in year prior to imprisonment
Pentonville, Jan (25%) receiving anti-psychotic medication.

10. Living Conditions

11. Living Conditions

12. Challenges to HMIP Declining Achievement of Recommendations
No Statutory Powers
Loss of Legislation
Removal from Prison Performance Measures
How to Generate Political/Public Interest
How to Achieve Impact

13. Response to Inspections
Too many prisons do not implement recommendations.
2013 – 79% accepted – 85% accepted
2013 – 46% achieved % achieved
Safety 2/20 (W.Scrubs), 2/13 (Nottingham)
Clear correlation between achievement and performance
More now not achieved than achieved – and gap widening.

14. Impact of Inspection Media Messaging re Public Interest
Loss of Legislation
Political Support
Urgent Notification Protocol
Liverpool Inspection
Independent Reviews of Progress
HMIP Recommendations now at heart of Performance Measurement

15. Future Challenges Maintaining Political Focus Resourcing Technology
Training of Staff (at all levels)
Effective Counter Corruption