Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 5, 2019

United Kingdom: shocking rise in assaults at Suffolk prison

News

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"

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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.

March 18, 2019

UK: une prison œuvre pour et avec les familles

News

Europe Social ties United Kingdom

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

March 13, 2019

UK: ‘In probation, we’re poorly paid and the caseloads are unmanageable’

News

Europe United Kingdom

Steve Brown has just completed three months on home detention curfew, having left prison at the end of November. Things are looking up. He has had his electronic tag removed and last week moved into new supported accommodation. “I’m in a good place,” he says, “but no thanks to the probation service…

March 9, 2019

UK: des prisons testent la reconnaissance faciale et oculaire

News

Europe Drugs United Kingdom

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

March 3, 2019

Scotland: prisons ‘bursting at seams’ as inmate numbers pass 8,000

News

United Kingdom

Scotland’s rising prison population has topped the 8,000 mark, prompting fears it is heading towards the highest levels since the Scottish Parliament was established. The unwanted benchmark has been reached despite high-profile efforts to drive down prison numbers.Scotland has one of the highest in…

March 3, 2019

UK: first transgender prison unit to open

News

Europe LGBTQI Facilities United Kingdom

The UK’s first prison unit for transgender inmates will open this week, the Ministry of Justice has said.

March 1, 2019

UK: Haverigg prison inmates in 'mass intoxication', says report

News

Europe United Kingdom

Seventeen inmates at Cumbria’s only prison were caught high on drugs in a single day of “mass intoxication”, a watchdog has found.

February 18, 2019

UK: ‘Prison isn’t working’

News

Europe United Kingdom

Justice secretary says ‘robust community order regime’ would be better alternative.

February 13, 2019

UK: at Birmingham prison, government takeover from G4S extended for another six months

News

Europe United Kingdom

Birmingham Prison is to remain in government hands for a further six months due to the “fragile” state of the jail, the government has said. The Prison Service stepped in to operate HMP Birmingham last August after an inspection uncovered soaring violence, drug use and appalling living conditions.…

January 16, 2019

United Kingdom: wales has highest incarceration rate in western Europe – study

News

Europe United Kingdom

Prison population in 2017 was 154 per 100,000 in Wales, compared with 141 in England.

January 13, 2019

United Kingdom: inmates in Scottish prisons ‘packed like sardines’

News

Europe United Kingdom

The majority of Scotland’s prisons were at or beyond their maximum capacity last month, figures show.

January 12, 2019

United Kingdom: se acabaron los barrotes en las cárceles de Inglaterra y Gales

News

Europe United Kingdom

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the Spanish version.

January 12, 2019

United Kingdom: prison sentences, charities and probation staff union welcome proposals

News

Europe United Kingdom

Ministers are being warned that a proposal to scrap prison sentences of six months or less will only work if there is more investment in the probation services.

January 8, 2019

United Kingdom: prison praised for installing photobooth for inmates and visitors

News

Europe Social ties United Kingdom

Families can use booth to take group shots as part of effort to improve visits for children.

January 7, 2019

United Kingdom: Chelmsford prison, assaults on prison staff double

News

Europe United Kingdom

Assaults on staff have doubled at a prison that has seen five deaths over the past year, a report has revealed.

January 4, 2019

United Kingdom: how lessons in Scandinavian design could help prisons with rehabilitation

News

Europe United Kingdom

For many people who end up in prison, efforts at rehabilitation are hampered by historic, pervasive and deeply embedded social inequalities. The bloated prison system in England and Wales has become a dangerous place with little hope of rehabilitating offenders.

December 24, 2018

UK: the harsh reality of being released from prison after more than a decade behind bars

News

Europe United Kingdom

The prisoner served more than 10 years behind bars and was then faced with re-building her life.

December 24, 2018

United Kingdom: campaigners call for landline phones in prison cells

News

Europe Social ties United Kingdom

There are calls for landline phones to be installed in prison cells in Scotland to help keep families connected.