United Kingdom: England & Wales
Seen in the press
Read our selection of press reports about this country.
United-Kingdom: 'Signs of improvement' at 'worst' prison
A troubled prison that was taken over by the government is showing early signs of improvement, inspectors say. HMP Birmingham was removed from the control of G4S in August after it was said to be in a “state of crisis”. The Independent Monitoring Board said conditions inside the jail had been “squa…United Kingdom: inspectors warn of worsening conditions for mentally ill inmates
Mentally ill prisoners in the largest high-security jail in the UK face “totally unacceptable” delays in being transferred to a secure hospital, leading to a further deterioration in their conditions, inspectors have said.UK: Why doesn't prison work for women?
Women make up just under 5% of the prison population in England and Wales, yet they are more likely than men to reoffend. Why doesn’t prison work for women and what is being done to improve outcomes for them? “The last day, I was given a bin bag of my stuff. The door closed behind me, and it was ov…UK: it’s no wonder prisons are in crisis. Inmates are humans, too
Strikes by prisoners and officers in the UK and US highlight how the failing prison system demeans us all. The last couple of months have been a crucial time for the prison system. The mass walkout by prison officers in England and Wales a fortnight ago, which was quickly called off by the Prison O…United Kingdom: sexual assaults in women's prison reignite debate over transgender inmates
A leading prison reformer has said prisoners who have committed violent offences against women should not be able to transfer to women’s prisons if they have not legally changed their gender, after it emerged that a transgender inmate had sexually assaulted fellow prisoners after transferring to a…UK: prisoners to get phones in cells in bid to curb violence
Thousands of prisoners will be able to make calls from their cells, as part of government plans to reduce violence and crime in prisons in England and Wales. The move is part of a £30m package of measures to be announced later today by Justice Secretary David Gauke. The scheme, already in place at…