Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP/YOI Peterborough (Women)

Dates of inspection: 6-16 November 2023

Summary of findings: At the time of inspection, Peterborough was generally safe with supportive relationships between staff and prisoners. Help to maintain family connections and living conditions were good. But Peterborough lacked a purposeful regime, with work being menial, education inadequate, and enrichment and recreation activities limited. However, work to prepare women for release was generally good despite high caseloads.

Points to note: The Peterborough site compromises a prison for women next to one for men run by the same leadership team. The men’s site is much larger, and there was a risk that policies designed for the men’s site were not applied wholesale to the women’s site. For example, there were no self-harm, violence reduction, or resettlement strategies, or action plans, specific to women. Staff vacancies limited mental health service support.

Read the report: HMP/YOI Peterborough (Women)

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Morton Hall

Dates of inspection: 30 October – 9 November 2023

Summary of findings: Since 2021, HMP Morton Hall has been a category C resettlement prison for adult male foreign national offenders. The inspection was mostly positive, with an encouraging and respectful culture and clean and decent accommodation in welcoming grounds. However, the quality of the regime and access to work and education fell short.

Points to note: Worryingly for a resettlement prison, many prisoners were frustrated by being unable to progress through their sentence and by a lack of contact with offender managers and there had been no use of release on temporary licence.

Read the report: HMP Morton Hall