Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

August 29, 2019

UK: forecast fall in prison numbers not "green light" for government justice reforms

News

Europe United Kingdom

A projected drop in the prison population is “no justification” for an “unevidenced ‘tough on crime’ policy” from the Government, campaigners have said. The comments came as the number of people behind bars was forecast to drop in the next five years.

August 29, 2019

UK: Portland prison had 'unbearable smell of dead rats'

News

Europe United Kingdom

The smell of dead rats made working conditions at a prison “unbearable”, a report has said.

August 11, 2019

UK: Boris Johnson anuncia la creación de 10.000 espacios nuevos en las prisiones

News

Europe Facilities United Kingdom

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

August 2, 2019

UK: HMP Littlehey: prison staff restrained 'frail' cancer patients

News

United Kingdom

Prison staff inappropriately restrained “frail” inmates undergoing cancer treatment, inspectors found.

August 1, 2019

UK: prison restaurant serves up cut in reoffending

News

United Kingdom

A high-quality restaurant in prison, where inmates can learn valuable skills in cooking and hospitality, is making a “significant” difference in cutting reoffending rates, say researchers. The Ministry of Justice study suggests inmates trained in the Clink restaurant are much less likely to be stuc…

July 29, 2019

UK: Welsh speaking prison guard shortage at HMP Berwyn sparks security fears over inmates calls

News

United Kingdom

There are not enough Welsh speaking prison guards to monitor inmates phone calls at HMP Berwyn.

July 26, 2019

UK: MPs investigate the ageing prison population

News

United Kingdom

The proportion of people in prison aged over 60 is expected to rise.

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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.