Men's prison Expectations

From October 2023 we began using an updated version of Expectations, the criteria against which HMI Prisons inspects prisons holding adult men. This new sixth edition aims to bring Expectations up to date so that we can continue to fulfil our responsibility to deliver independent and objective assessments of outcomes for prisoners. This focus is in accordance with the UK’s responsibilities as signatory to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

Our Expectations are designed to promote treatment and conditions in detention which at least meet recognised international human rights standards. In particular, they seek to ensure that any restrictions imposed on prisoners are proportionate, lawful, accountable, necessary and non-discriminatory.

We have retained four healthy prison tests and our criteria for judging the effectiveness of leadership. In these Expectations, the term ‘leader’ refers to anyone with leadership or management responsibility in the prison system. We will continue to direct our narrative at the level of leadership which has the most capacity to influence a particular outcome.

Read the Expectations, published in September 2023:

PDF version – English (699 kB)

Word version – English (506 kB)

PDF version – Welsh (736 kB)

Word version – Welsh (287 kB)

Find out what has changed.