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Chief Inspectors Blog
Photograph of Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor
Chief Inspector’s blog: how do you make a culture?

Last week I visited HMP Five Wells, the newly built prison just outside Wellingborough in Northamptonshire. The main building work is now largely complete and it is due to open in February 2022, to be run by G4S. Governors from elsewhere, particularly those who run crumbling Victorian local jails, will envy the new buildings. The architects have worked with the Ministry of Justice to design a prison that can support rehabilitation.

Read the full article
Notable positive practice
a selection of toiletry items provided to women on release from Low Newton. This was cited as an example of notable positive practice in our 2021 inspection report of the prison.
Notable positive practice

In our reports, we provide examples of notable positive practice that inspectors have observed while on inspection, like a pack of essential toiletry items (pictured) given to every woman arriving at and being released from HMP & YOI Low Newton. By publishing these examples, we hope to share and help inform positive practice within prisons.

Read recent examples
Ofsted and HMI Prisons education review
Photograph of the exterior of Chelmsford prison
Ofsted and HMI Prisons launch prison education review

The Chief Inspectors of Ofsted and HMI Prisons, Amanda Spielman and Charlie Taylor, have launched a review of education in prisons. In a joint commentary, released on 10 September, they discuss the significant impact of COVID-19 on the quality of prison education, which was already poor and has seen little improvement in recent years.

Read the commentary
Chelmsford prison Urgent Notification
Photograph of the exterior of Chelmsford prison
Chief Inspector issues Urgent Notification for Chelmsford Prison

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor is so troubled by the lack of progress to address violence, safety and poor conditions at HMP & YOI Chelmsford, a men’s local prison in Essex, that he has issued a rare Urgent Notification (UN) requiring immediate action from the Secretary of State for Justice.

Read the press release
Leadership Expectations
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Leadership Expectations

We have published our new leadership Expectations for men's, women's and children's prisons. We have chosen to strengthen our inspection in this area because we believe leadership is one of the most important factors in driving improvement and ensuring better outcomes for prisoners.

Find about our Leadership Expectations
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A close up of bars within a prison interior

What we do

Learn about our remit and values and the role of the Chief Inspector. Read the Urgent Notifications we have issued and find out about our Independent Reviews of Progress.

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About our inspections

Find out which establishments we inspect and the frequency of our visits. Learn about the inspection process and how we produce our reports.

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Our reports

Download inspection reports, thematic reports and research, annual reports and business plans, including those carried out with other inspectorates.

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Our Expectations

Explore the criteria we use for assessing the treatment of detainees and conditions in detention.

National Preventive Mechanism

Coordinated by HMI Prisons, the UK’s NPM is made up of 21 organisations which monitor places of detention to help prevent torture and ill-treatment. Find out more about the NPM

 

 

Latest reports

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Wormwood Scrubs by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (7-17 June 2021)

HMP & YOI Low Newton

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP & YOI Low Newton by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (2-18 June 2021)

HMP Oakwood

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Oakwood by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (17-28 May 2021)

HMP Haverigg

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Haverigg by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (17-28 May 2021)

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@HMIPrisonsnews

HMI Prisons
  • In his latest blog, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons - @charlie_taylor6 - discusses the opening of new prisons and wha… https://t.co/3i9YaTysSs 03:32:23 PM September 20, 2021
  • Our researchers are conducting survey work in HMP & YOI Styal, a women's prison in Cheshire, at the start of a full… https://t.co/dq7AESqqsP 11:13:04 AM September 20, 2021
  • Our researchers are conducting survey work in HMP Wandsworth and HMP Woodhill, at the start of full inspections.… https://t.co/fPsPiYpRKw 10:37:05 AM September 13, 2021
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