A prison chaplain recently asked me what I thought were the most important ingredients in creating a successful jail. I offered up a fairly predictable list of the things we see in the best places: effective leadership, a committed staff team, a set of values that pervades the prison, partnership with contracted services such as education and health, cleanliness, a consistent daily regime and effective support for the most disruptive or vulnerable. In the end, though, I settled for one vital element: trust.
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.
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.
Our reports
Download inspection reports, thematic reports and research, annual reports and business plans, including those carried out with other inspectorates.
Our Expectations
Explore the criteria we use for assessing the treatment of detainees and conditions in detention.
