Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

July 25, 2019

United Kingdom: one in seven prisons in England and Wales of "serious concern"

News

Europe United Kingdom

Nearly one in seven prisons in England and Wales have been judged to have a performance of “serious concern” the highest proportion since ratings began.

July 25, 2019

UK: throughcare support scheme suspended by prison service

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Europe United Kingdom

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has suspended a scheme offering inmates extra support when leaving jail.

July 25, 2019

UK: prison overcrowding needs "immediate action", HLS warns

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Overcrowding United Kingdom

Prison service “forced to concentrate on internal day to day operational issues” at expense of transitioning prisoners into community

July 24, 2019

United Kingdom: children will not be placed at Feltham for time being

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Europe United Kingdom

Edward Argar announces temporary ban due to rising levels of violence at young offender institution.

July 24, 2019

UK: Feltham youth jail warned by prisons watchdog over ‘extraordinary’ decline in safety

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Europe United Kingdom

In unprecedented move, chief inspectorate invokes rarely-used urgent notification process on Feltham A young offender institution (YOI) after ‘disturbing’ inspection findings including surge in violence and self-harm

July 23, 2019

United Kingdom: police must offer women detainees period products under new rules

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Women Europe United Kingdom

Police in England and Wales must offer female detainees free sanitary products in case they are on their period while in custody, under new legislation.

July 21, 2019

UK: surge in youth prison violence sparks call to close institutions

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Violence United Kingdom

Government accused of failing to address crisis after big rise in assaults on staff and inmates

July 9, 2019

UK: I worked in a pupil referral unit for years. The government's new "secure schools" are just a pipeline to prison

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United Kingdom

The ease with which contracts for these youth jail schemes are being secured by for-profit organisations is dizzying. All they’ll do is preside over another disproportionately black, poor, male and disabled population

June 18, 2019

UK: prison review says family contact reduces reoffending by women

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Women Social ties United Kingdom

Report finds that inmates who receive family visits are 39% less likely to break law again

June 6, 2019

United Kingdom: decline in prison safety standards and lack of staffing "seriously hampering" inmate rehabilitation, report finds

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Europe United Kingdom

“Perfect storm” of staffing issues, increased use of psychoactive substances and crumbling infrastructure across prison estate could be jeopardising public safety, expert warns.

June 5, 2019

United Kingdom: 'inhumane' : damning report on English and Welsh prisons

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Europe Torture United Kingdom

Decline in safety, conditions and social needs still apparent says monitoring boards’ chair.

May 26, 2019

United Kingdom: how teaching art to women in prison changed their outlook

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Women Europe United Kingdom

Mim Skinner spent two years teaching prisoners. Now she’s written a book, Jailbirds, to change our view of incarcerated women and how we can support them on the outside

May 23, 2019

United Kingdom: single offender has been jailed nearly 200 times

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Europe United Kingdom

A single offender has been sentenced to almost 200 jail terms of less than six months in their lifetime, new figures reveal, renewing calls for an overhaul of the justice system to curb the use of ineffective short sentences.

May 21, 2019

United Kingdom: government’s probation policy driving up prison population and trapping offenders in cycle of crime

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Europe United Kingdom

The government’s flagship probation policy is driving up the prison population and trapping people in an endless cycle of low-level offending, a report has suggested.

May 17, 2019

United Kingdom: order published to reduce ineffective short term prison sentences

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Europe United Kingdom

An order has been published to extend the presumption against short prison sentences from three months to a year, in an attempt to break the cycle of reoffending.

May 17, 2019

United Kingdom: inmates at Armley prison are looking after chickens and a mushroom farm

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Europe United Kingdom

Inmates at HMP Leeds are also being taught how to cook Asian food as part of an activity programme.

May 10, 2019

United Kingdom: record number of self-harm cases at Ranby Prison

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Europe Suicide United Kingdom

The number of inmates in Ranby Prison who self-harm reached a record high in 2018, new figures show.

May 5, 2019

United Kingdom: shocking rise in assaults at Suffolk prison

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Europe United Kingdom

A prison workers union rep has warned life on the frontline has spiralled “out of control” as new figures reveal the number of assaults at HMP Highpoint have more than doubled since 2011.

April 29, 2019

United Kingdom: more than 80% of men in prison suffered "childhood adversity"

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Europe United Kingdom

Male prisoners are much more likely than men in the wider population to have suffered childhood adversities such as child maltreatment or living in a home with domestic violence, according to a new report by Public Health Wales and Bangor University.

April 29, 2019

United Kingdom: dundee dental students scoop award for oral health prison project

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Europe Health United Kingdom

Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr. Nigel Carter OBE, has visited the University of Dundee School of Dentistry, to judge community oral health projects and present an award to the winning group. Fourth-year dental students were asked to select an area or group in the local community.…

April 17, 2019

UK: Perth prison praised after healthcare improvements

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Europe Health United Kingdom

Perth Prison has made “commendable progress” after serious concerns were raised over its healthcare provision, according to inspectors. An HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) report gave it a “poor performance” grading for health and wellbeing following a visit last May. Confidentiality…

April 16, 2019

UK: elite officers sent to Welsh prisons more than 50 times

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Europe United Kingdom

A group of elite prison officers were sent to deal with incidents in Welsh jails more than 50 times last year. These included hostage situations, prisoners climbing at heights or barricading themselves in. The Freedom of Information figures show they were called more than 600 times in total to pris…

April 1, 2019

UK: G4S stripped of contract to run Birmingham prison

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Europe United Kingdom

G4S is to be permanently stripped of its contract to run Birmingham prison after the government was forced to take control of the failing jail.

March 31, 2019

United Kingdom: where prisoners can lock their cells for privacy, and Guards are told to knock

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Europe United Kingdom

For two years, inmates at a prison in Wales have been allowed to lock their cells from the inside — for privacy. Guards have been expected to follow a “knock first” policy before entering. The detainees have had access to laptops, through which they can order meals.