Custodial Review issue 76

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The Custodial Review informing the Prison, Border Agency and Police Services

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Review

Hatfield is ‘Outstanding’ see p8

The judiciary is crucial to restorative justice see p12

Accuracy of sexual assault testimonies not affected by alcohol intoxication, study finds see p14

David Fleet on the Isle of Man’s new custody suite see p16

Edition 76

The new custody suite on the Isle of Man see p16

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the Custodial Review

4 News

8 Hatfield is ‘Outstanding’

12 The judiciary is crucial to restorative justice

14 Accuracy of sexual assault testimonies not affected by alcohol intoxication, study finds

16 The new custody suite on the Isle of Man

22 Novus raises hair & beauty aspirations for HMP Styal offender learners

24 News from the Youth Justice Board

26 HMIP reports

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Custodial Review is now accepting articles from serving officers and staff within the whole custodial industry. All articles will appear on the Custodial website and will appear in the magazine subject to the Publishers discretion. Approx length 1500 to 2000 words. We are also pleased to accept news and information. Please contact the Publisher, Steve Mitchell, [email protected] or on 01234 348878 for more details.

the Custodial Review Page 4

NEWS l NEWS l NEWS l NEWS l NEWS l NEWS l NEWS

Skills for Justice merge with Skills for HealthSkills for Health and Skills for Justice announced that they will be integrating as one organisation from August 27th. The new organisation will continue as a not-for-profit registered charity across the UK and will operate the Sector Skills Council licences for the Health and Justice sector footprints.

In a joint statement Sir Duncan Nichol (Chair, Skills for Justice) and

Chris Hannah (Chair, Skills for Health) said:-

“Skills for Health (SfH) and Skills for Justice (SfJ) have worked in close partnership on a range of initiatives and services over a number of years, and our Boards felt that the timing was now right to maximise the synergies for our customers and stakeholders by bringing the two organisations together. The work of the two organisations covers a wide expanse of UK public services including health, police, prisons, fire services, armed forces and local government. Through our history of joint working we have been very aware of the benefits that could be achieved for our customers and stakeholders by combining the strengths of SfH and SfJ. We are delighted that we have been able to integrate the two organisations and look forward to the very positive outcomes for the sectors that we serve.”

The combined organisation will be taken forward under the leadership of the current SfH CEO, John Rogers who commented:-

“This is a very positive move for both Skills for Health (SfH) and Skills for Justice. Our customers and stakeholders will see very little change to the services that they receive as it will be “business as usual” and customers will see no immediate change to their service. However, over the next 12-18 months it is very clear that we will be able to deliver significant enhancements by maximising the strengths and expertise of both organisations across the combined wider sector footprint”

Skills for Health (SfH) and Skills for Justice (SfJ) are the respective Sector Skills Councils for the health and justice sectors. Their existing wholly owned subsidiaries (the National Skills Academy for Health and Skills for Justice Enterprises) will continue to operate as separate independent entities under the new single organisation. The combined organisation “Skills for Health and Justice” will maintain the separate SfH and SfJ brands.

Nacro launches ground-breaking project to help employers access the vast hidden talent pool of people with convictions.Around half of the 1.5 million criminal convictions each year are for motoring offences, 70% of all convictions result in fines. Reoffending costs the UK £13 billion a year

The Aeneid Project, which kicked off in October with an employer-led event in Luton, aims to provide local employers and other organisations with the confidence and tools to access a vast, largely untapped talent pool of people struggling to find a job due to employers’ blanket ex-offender exclusion policies. A key part of the project involves Nacro’s dedicated Employer Advice Service providing free expert advice and support to employers large and small.

Jonathan Aitken, Nacro Trustee and former Cabinet Minister, explains:

“Up to 800,000 criminal convictions each year are for motoring offences and nearly 70 per cent of all sentences end up with just a fine. Yet, three in four (75%) employers will simply use the declaration of a criminal record to discriminate

against an applicant due to exaggerated fears and concerns about employing people with offending histories.

“Preventing otherwise suitably skilled, qualified, experienced and motivated applicants from a fair opportunity to compete and secure jobs leaves many in a position where they are unable to provide for their families, pay their taxes and ultimately confined to a life on benefits: essentially a burden to the taxpayer. This can also lead to them experiencing other problems in their lives which create huge social and economic costs.”

Jacob Tas, Chief Executive at Nacro adds:

“Since we opened our doors almost 50 years ago, we have helped many thousands of individuals, who have made mistakes, to move forward in a positive and constructive way.

“We are proud of our work, supporting organisations to employ talented, dedicated people that make a positive contribution to their business and help navigate complex disclosure legislation that affects all sectors.

“The Aeneid Project is part of a wider campaign, launched earlier in the year, to encourage and support employers to recruit safely and fairly. The aim is to help break down barriers, eradicate some of the myths about employing people with a criminal record and help employers find the right person for the right job.”

Dianah Worman OBE, Public Policy Advisor for Diversity at the CIPD, said:

“Many employers tend to be cautious about offering work to someone with a criminal record and some even operate blanket exclusion policies when recruiting. This approach is flawed. It is important that talented people have equal access to employment opportunities, regardless of their background. In order to achieve this, we must help employers understand their legal obligations so they can gain skilled and valuable employees.

“Our research shows how, contrary to common perceptions, in reality many employers’ experiences of employing ex-offenders have been positive. Retention rates are high and many ex-offenders are valuable and reliable employees.

“This event marks the first step in working with employers at a local level that will eventually lead to stronger communities and a robust, diverse workforce.”

To find out more about the project visit the Nacro website at: www.nacro.org.uk/aeneid-project

Nacro comments on ‘Unlocking potential, a study of the isolation of children in custody in England’ Sally Benton, Head of Policy, comments on why this is a timely and welcome report.

“Our research, through our Beyond Youth Custody (BYC) programme, shows the vital importance of engaging young people in purposeful activity. Isolation takes young people away from interventions that will work to help them turn their lives around. The Commissioner is right to call for a full examination of its use and how we can better manage challenging behaviour in the secure estate.

“Young people in custody are some of the most vulnerable and challenging people to work with. Unless they are able to build trusted relationships, participate in activity and plan for their release they are unlikely to turn their lives around. Young people must have access to education and training. They must have the opportunity to build positive relationships with their peers, staff, community support workers and their family.

“It is crucial that the review of the youth justice system led by Charlie Taylor responds to these challenges and builds on the findings announced.”

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Stephen Crabb visits Cardiff Prison to see rehabilitation schemesWelsh Secretary, Stephen Crabb says, ‘Training prisoners to help them get jobs on release makes social and economic sense’

The Secretary of State for Wales visited Cardiff Prison to see the innovative schemes that are helping to equip prisoners with job skills. He will also visit The Clink, the unique training restaurant where the catering staff are prisoners.

Crabb will visit the prison accompanied by the Director of NOMS (National Offender Management Service) Sarah Payne and prison Governor Steve Cross.

On his tour he will meet prisoners learning new skills at a range of workshops and honing their skills for the job market after release.

Discussions will focus on the rehabilitation of prisoners in Wales and the opportunities that exist for ex-offenders to get back into the work market and contribute to society and the Welsh economy.

Following his tour of the prison, Mr Crabb will visit The Clink restaurant. Situated next to the prison, The Clink is staffed by prisoners in the South Wales area – and is rated on the Tripadvisor dining recommendations website.

It specialises in serving organic Welsh produce, including venison, wild boar and rhubarb. Prisoners study for NVQs in hospitality, catering and customer service.

Mr Crabb said:

“Finding a job is hard enough without having just served a prison term. I am interested to see the really practical ways of trying to turn an ex-offender into someone who can go to a employer with useful skills to offer.

Ensuring people leaving prison have a decent chance of getting a job is good not only for them, but for society as a whole. It cuts down on re-offending and the risk of drifting back into criminal habits. The statistics show that this approach works.

The Clink restaurant is a great example of how you can train for work in a realistic setting. This is a proper working restaurant with all the stress and pressure of the real thing. I hope those who learn the catering trade here go on to rewarding jobs.”

Hepatitis cases responsible for 93% of prison disease reportsHealth and justice annual report sheds light on prison health and inequalities.

New figures from Public Health England (PHE) reveal hepatitis B and C cases accounted for 1,174 of 1,268 infectious diseases reported in English prisons during 2014.

The number of single reports of infectious diseases made to PHE has more than doubled since 2011 (549 reports). The increase in reports reflects significant improvements in testing for hepatitis and other blood borne viruses (BBV) in prisons, which in a major change is moving from an ‘opt-in’ to an ‘opt-out’ policy to help reduce transmissions.

Preliminary results from prisons who have already introduced the ‘opt out’ policy reveal a near doubling of BBV testing. These early adopters report 21% of new entrants were tested for hepatitis C and 22% for hepatitis B in the first phase, compared to 11% for hepatitis C and 12% for hepatitis B previously. The majority of early adopters stated that the policy has helped them identify people who would otherwise have remained undiagnosed.

The prison population has a higher incidence of hepatitis C than the general population (8% compared to 2%), therefore diagnosing and treating hepatitis C and other BBVs in prisons is designed to help reduce transmission both in prisons and in the community.

These new figures were published 15 June 2015 in PHE’s health and justice 2014 report, which details the important changes in the health and justice system and discusses the public health needs of people in prisons and other prescribed places of detention. This group experience a number of health inequalities, including suffering a higher burden of chronic illnesses, mental health and substance misuse problems than the general public.

Improving health in prisons can help deal with entrenched inequalities, ultimately benefiting the health of the communities to which the majority of prisoners return, while tackling substance misuse problems in prisons also helps to reduce re-offending rates.

The prison population is around 85,000 at any one time, but the number of new receptions for 2013 to 2014 amounted to a total of 204,941, highlighting the highly mobile nature of the prison population – both between sites and between prison and the community. The majority of prisoners only serve a sentence of six months or less, presenting a real challenge to improving their health.

The report flags concerns that health improvements in prison may be lost when a prisoner returns to the community and shows the important role that local authorities have in ensuring continuity of care. In total 39% of local authorities have prisons within their area, however all local health bodies have a responsibility for people in their communities who are in contact with the criminal justice system.

Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE said:

“Improving the health of prisoners delivers a ‘community dividend’ by benefiting the areas to which most prisoners eventually return. By intervening in prisons we can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, lighten the burden on the NHS from long standing problems, and reduce re-offending linked to poor health. This

principle underpins our work in prisons and is no more evident than in our vital work on blood-borne viruses which will help reduce infection rates inside and outside prison walls.

We are world leading in our ability to collect surveillance data on infectious diseases from the whole English prison system in near real-time, allowing us to quickly identify and respond to emerging threats. With this experience PHE has a leadership role with the World Health Organization’s Health in Prisons Programme, helping other countries across Europe in their efforts to improve the quality of prisoner health.”

An agreement between the UK and Jamaica allows Jamaican prisoners serving time in British prisons to return home.More than 300 Jamaican prisoners serving time in British jails will be returned back to Jamaica to serve their sentence under an agreement signed by the UK and Jamaica.

The agreement was concluded today after years of negotiations as the Prime Minister made the first visit by a UK Prime Minister to Jamaica in 14 years.

It is expected to save British taxpayers around £10 million over 30 years once the first prisoners are returned from 2020 onwards.

The UK will provide £25 million from the government’s existing aid budget to help fund the construction of a new 1500 bed prison in Jamaica, overcoming one of the sticking points in the negotiations which had been the conditions in existing prisons in Jamaica. The prison is expected to be built by 2020 and from then returns will get underway.

Welcoming the agreement, the Prime Minister said:

“It is absolutely right that foreign criminals who break our laws are properly punished but this shouldn’t be at the expense

of the hardworking British taxpayer.

That’s why this agreement is so important. It will mean Jamaican criminals are sent back home to serve their sentences, saving the British taxpayer millions of pounds but still ensuring justice is done.

And it will help Jamaica, by helping to provide a new prison – strengthening their criminal justice system.

While the UK has Prisoner Transfer Agreements with a number of countries, the new deal with Jamaica is an important step forward because Jamaicans account for the third largest group of foreign national offenders in UK prisons.”


The Dual Way Anti – Barricade Door System, designed and manufactured by Cooke Brothers, is a purpose made doorset solution designed specifically to address the needs of today’s challenging mental health and custodial environments, where the risk of ligature or self harm are prevalent.

The Dual Way Door System provides unrestricted and immediate access into a room in a situation where a patient has barricaded himself or herself in.

Suitable for either new build or for retrofit applications where individual doorsets are required within an existing facility. The Dual Way system utilises a frame within a frame principal, allowing for a standard 44mm or 54mm doorset to be mounted within a secondary high security steel outer frame.

In everyday use the standard inward opening doorset operates as a normal door, providing full 90-degree access using a purpose designed full height Anti-ligature continuous hinge. The outer frame preformed steel frame provides rigid support and security by means of heavy duty purpose design mechanical hook bolt locking or with the option of an electronically powered locking system.

In an emergency or barricaded door situation the doors and inner frame can be quickly released enabling the complete doorset to swing outwards allowing immediate access into

the room. Access is achieved by releasing the dual hook locks mortised into the outer frame and operated by unique security profile keys.

The Dual Way Anti-barricade system has been designed to suit the majority of standard 44mm and 54mm doorsets, including both FD30S

Anti – Barricade Door System AND FD60S options where required. The Dual Way system is adaptable to accommodate alternative door thickness subject to special order. The steel frame can by supplied in a range of standard finishes or with the choice of special options to suit specific requirements.Outer and inner frames are secured with two purpose designed heavy duty mortise hook bolts, which are supplied complete with anti tamper escutcheons and dedicated security keys. Alternative electronic locking systems can be supplied subject to client specification. A wide range of matching Anti-Ligature door furniture and high security mortise locks are available to meet exacting specifications or Dual Way can be supplied ready to receive existing ironmongery. The Dual Way system incorporates unique Interleaf continuous hinges, which incorporates anti-ligature end tips and provides a minimal gap between the door and frame. The full height continuous hinges provide even weight distribution and substantially increased strength over pivoted doorsets, eliminating the potential for splitting under impact or during abuse. The Dual Way system is designed for use with the concealed frame mounted door closing devices.For further information on the DUALWAY Door System please contact the sales team at Cooke Brothers Ltd on 01922 740011. Email: [email protected] or visit our web site www.cookebrothers.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


HMP & YOI Hatfield is a Category D male prison in Doncaster governed by Chris Dyer. It comprises of 2 sites, Hatfield Main and a new assessment unit, Hatfield Lakes which opened in June.

Hatfield has recently been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and commended by HMIP in a recent inspection. They have also been successful at finding roles to fill local skills gaps, a new welding course has proved highly desirable. The vision as outlined in the 2015-16 Business Plan is to “Engage with a range of partners to deliver high quality resettlement services inside the prison and in the community”

Chris George is the Industries, Business and Community Engagement Manager at Hatfield, he’s been in this newly created post since March 2014. He joined the Prison Service in 2002 as a Horticultural trainer at HMP Lindholme. In mid-2003 he was promoted to Environmental Manager at HMP Moorland.

Custodial Review (CR) What sort of prison is Hatfield and what’s the purpose of having industry here? It used to be about keeping people busy, is that the case here?

Chris George (CG) HMP & YOI Hatfield is a Cat D prison with a capacity across both sites of 390. As a resettlement prison, our main emphasis is to train prisoners and prepare them for work. The Industry focus here is about giving the men experience of working so they can enhance their prospects of employment and achieve viable positions in the community whilst at Hatfield and on release. It starts with the basics, things like being at work on time, getting used to the work environment, working within a team and so forth.

CR You have Hatfield Lakes and Hatfield Main. What’s the purpose in keeping the two sites running?

CG When prisoners come to Hatfield, they initially go to Lakes site for assessment and a three month settling down period. It is used

to assist in the transition of prisoners from closed to open conditions. They have the opportunity to work in several workshops such as Recycling, Furniture refurbishment, Painting and decorating, Industrial cleaners, Production and Amenity Horticulture. Once they have completed their three months, individuals are transferred to the main site. At this time they can become eligible for ROTL.

The Inspectorate visited recently and commented positively on it. They liked the idea of bringing prisoners to an assessment site (Hatfield Lakes), testing them in open conditions before feeding them into the main site to continue their prisoner journey. They liked the fabric of the place, the feel and layout, the atmosphere and regime.

We developed Hatfield Lakes on the former HMP Lindholme immigration site, which had been empty for 2 years. There was a lack of funding to build new accommodation on the main site and the 120 bed former immigration unit proved to be an ideal location. We made good an available facility, renovated it, and brought it up to a decent standard.

It has been a steep learning curve in terms of opening a new facility but we are working hard across all functions to deliver the model.

CR Three months is a short time. Is that enough to assess somebody who may have come from a long spell in the closed estate? And how would you describe the regime in the assessment unit?

CG It is long enough as it gives the men an introduction and taster to the all the trades we offer. For example, if a prisoner is interested in a career in horticulture, the model gives him the basic skills and when he arrives at the main site, he will develop those skills further. He will have the opportunity to undertake a Level

2 qualification and then we will look to place him in the community when he is eligible for ROTL. No one is unemployed at the Lakes and all the prisoners are in education, employed in essential work such as kitchens and cleaners as well as the workshops. It is essential work that they’re doing for the establishment but at the same time they are picking up skills that they can use in the workplace.

CR What skills sets are coming out and what have the outcomes on release been like? What systems have you in place to match the lads’ skills with what there is out there for them to do?

CG A whole range of skills are on offer here. Before going to prison they may have worked in a particular trade or have already undertaken a number of qualifications whilst in the closed estate. When they first come on induction we interview them and capture what they have done before. We find out what they’re interested in and what they want to do on release. An individual may tell us he’s a qualified builder. We don’t offer a building qualification but we will utilise his skills. The prisoner who assisted in building our new farm shop at the main site had all the experience and skills so we couldn’t train him any further!

We talk to industry a great deal to ascertain what skills are in demand / where the skills gaps in the market are. One example is our new welding shop. We sent a training needs analysis out to all our prisoners, asking them what qualifications they would like to see us delivering and what they might like to do for a living. A lot of answers that came back indicating that prisoners wanted to pick up a qualification in welding.

We then spoke to industry and linked up with our commercial partner, RTN Clayton, which is based in Barnsley and have several factories around the country. They manufacture 60% of the road tankers you see on UK roads today. This is specialist aluminium welding. They told

Hatfield is ‘Outstanding’

The new Prison shop at Hatfield Main, it will sell prison produce to the local population.


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us that because this is so specialist there is a skills shortage so they’re recruiting from abroad. The problem is that Eastern Europeans only spend a few years here then tend to return home. They need to improve retention; they want people who will stay in Barnsley for a long time to forge lengthy careers. The 130 welders they employ earn up to £35,000 a year. Their business turns orders away as they can’t get enough trained staff. RTN have told us they will take five prisoners immediately if they were trained to a high enough standard and moving forward they are looking to continue this partnership by introducing Hatfield to other businesses in the field.

This partnership enabled us to get £75,000 worth of funding from our regional learning and skills budget to set up a welding shop.

The specialist aluminium welding machines cost £10,000 each, and is the same equipment major car manufacturers such as Audi and BMW use. Novus (formerly The Manchester College) have provided the instructor through our OLASS funding so the venture is a broad partnership and the Inspectorate liked this approach and commented that they would like to see more of this within the prison estate.

CR How long is the welding course? Then what?

CG The course takes around three months. Once they’ve successfully completed it they will be proficient in the aluminium welding process. They may not succeed in getting a job as the required skill level is extremely high in aluminium welding, but those who are employed by RTN will use exactly the same machines as they do on the training floor AT Hatfield. This is an example where we’ve listened to the prisoners, talked to industry, found out where the recruitment shortfalls are and reacted accordingly.

CR What about other jobs being done here that you have shown me, such as recycling? Are there qualifications for that too?

CG There is a Level 2 qualification in Recycling operations and we are in the process of gaining City & Guilds approval to run it. It’s all new, with our instructor only put in post last year. We didn’t have a Recycling unit until recently, all recycling operations used to be carried out by the gardens department in an ad hoc way.

We now have a fully equipped unit housing machinery which is used in outside industry along with a Level 4 qualified instructor and a party of 15 men. They are picking, separating and sorting and learning workplace skills. They are currently receiving on the job training and once the accredited course is running, they will benefit by receiving a qualification which is recognised by the Recycling sector. Again, we have listened to Industry who tell us that they want employees with Level 2 qualifications and above.

CR Are there firms outside that do this that they can go and get jobs at on release?

CG We send prisoners to the local council who have a recycling unit as well as charitable organisations such as Refurnish who are a local not for profit social enterprise, specialising in refurbishing furniture. We send prisoners on ROTL to these organisations on Stage 1 Taskforce placements and in the case of Refurnish, prisoners have gone on to full time paid employment on Stage 2 Outwork whilst at Hatfield then on release. In fact, Refurnish have recently won a Butler Trust certificate through the work they do with the establishment.

There are firms out there and it’s just a case of looking for them, getting a foot in the door and talking to people to discuss our offer to them. There is work to be found in recycling, and the skill level is fairly low. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to do it! If someone can pitch up at a prospective employer with a Level 2 qualification and work experience in recycling and waste management, then they will almost certainly find a job in this ever growing sector.

CR How much time during the day do you have the men actually working?

CG The core day is 6.75 working hours a day. From 0830 to 1215, lunch from 1215 to 1345, before returning to work and finishing at 1645. We also have men working at weekends as well. If they work the weekend they have days off in the week. As such we’re a seven day a week operation. The recycling unit, industrial cleaners and gardens are seven days a week. As such as we have staff and prisoners in work every day of the week. This is what happens in the outside world, so it happens here too.

CR How do you find the lads adapt to a 7 hour working day after being in the closed estate where they did not work nearly as much as that?

Pictures from top to bottom: A recycling warehouse (first two pictures). Hatfield Lakes before the clean up. It had been used as a repository for debris.

The gardens at Hatfiled Lakes, now productive. Bottom picture: One of the Poly tunnels at Hatfield lakes.


Hatfield is ‘Outstanding’ continued

CG It challenges some individuals but when they come here, they have shown promise and potential in the closed estate and as such, are ready for the next step. On that basis we have a good core of men coming in initially. It is a bit of a step but they find if they can’t adapt to open conditions, then they could end up back in the closed estate with someone else taking their place and opportunity. There is therefore a responsibility on them to prove themselves at the establishment.

CR What about the future? Though you got an excellent report from the Inspector, a lot of what you’re doing hasn’t kicked in yet. Is this the future for the Prison Service? Chief Inspector of Prisons Hardwick was saying if a prison isn’t talking about reoffending then they need to look again at what they’re doing. This scheme is about preventing reoffending by getting prisoners out there and into work. Is this the right way to go? And where are you going now from here?

CG It’s certainly the right way to go. We’re embedding training into every workshop. We are currently a Level 3 performing prison and the next step is to move to Level 4 and the positive inspection report will certainly help us achieve this once published later in the year. To get to Level 4, we have to carry on what we’ve been doing thus far by adding more quality and making more opportunities available to prisoners. We still have a long way to go and are by no means the finished article, we are evolving all the time.

CR You’ve built a farm shop and are developing the range of produce you’re growing for it when it opens in the New Year. That could bring in a lot of revenue. Can you keep it and if so what will you spend that money on?

CG The farm shop will bring much needed funds to the establishment especially during these lean times within the service.

We will be able to re-invest our revenues at Hatfield after all costs have been deducted, as long as we spend it on resettlement activities. We’re purchasing new machinery wherever budgets allow and trying to improve existing workshops and conditions in line with outside industry. This isn’t easy. Through F&S, last year, we were fortunate to bring more experienced staff to the establishment.

CR Any idea how much money the farm shop will take? You’ll be selling a lot of produce!CG We are in the process of writing a business plan for the shop, which will be called ‘Thyme Served’ It was called that after we put a competition out to the prisoners for a name. We won’t only be selling vegetables but veg bags as well as bedding plants, herbs, herbaceous perennials and potting plants. Through the welding shop we’ll be fabricating items for the

garden. We are manufacturing briquettes for winter fuel in the recycling unit and also plan to make wildlife boxes in the same workshop. We will be selling a range of textile items, manufactured at neighbouring establishments.

Prisoners will work on the till and this is another transferrable skill they will be able to take with them on release. The public will be served by prisoners and we see this venture as a way of bringing the community closer to us and showing them that prisoners are normal people and they don’t have 2 heads!.

CR Thank you for talking to the Review.

Liz Whitaker is the Learning Skills and Employment Manager, she left on maternity in September however she filled in a few details.

CR You’ve just had an OFSTED Report. Would you tell us how that went?

LW It took place over four days in August and we got ‘Outstanding’ in every area. These were in Leadership & Management, Outcomes for Learners, Quality Teaching and Learning, and Overall Effectiveness. In addition we had a ‘Good’ OLAS Score, and a National Careers

one too. Our previous report was in 2012, where we got a ‘Good’.

CR Why did you get an Outstanding?

LW One of the key things was effective partnership working, where the prisoners established a working relationship between Manchester College (our OLAS provider), the National Careers Service (which is done through Prospects), and our library service. Ofsted saw that the three organisations were working well together, rather than doing their own thing.

CR How many students were involved at the time?

LW It was awarded for the whole site and not just education. They visited the workshops, even those that were not running an accredited course. They’re looking at work ethic and preparing people for employment. They assess whether the prisoners are learning skills that they can take out into the community, whether in working skills such as attendance or actual work skills.

CR Is this the same inspection as they do for school establishments or is it tailored to prisons?

LW This is the same inspection format as they do for all further education establishments. We don’t know when the next Ofsted inspection will be as this was unannounced.

CR Do you do traditional education such as literacy and numeracy and what else have you planned for education?

LW As Chris George would have said earlier, we’re opening a welding shop. The training will be provided as part of a partnership with Novus. We also have links with external industries. We do not carry out very much basic education as when most of the prisoners get to a Category D establishment they should have achieved their English and Maths qualifications. Here we’re more about getting people ready for work. If you go into our classrooms they’re very much about workplace learning rather than the basic skills.

For example, we have a business suite so while they are learning IT skills they are learning how to set up their own business. This covers who they need to make links with and how to write a business plan, as well as funding sources and so forth.

CR Can they access the Internet?

LW We have Virtual Campus. This isn’t ‘live internet’ but there are resources prisoners can access for things like job searches. Twice a week the prisoners can access the internet through the POA learning centre based in the grounds via an application process. They must be risk assessed before using it. They may want to do a job search or apply for a job. This is solely for work related activities.


The grounds now (August).

The games room. All the renovation work was done by the work dept.

The main building at Hatfield Lakes- prior to the conversion.


Prison flooring gets clean, green makeover A leading supplier of resin flooring to the custodial sector has taken advantage of improvements to technology associated with Polyaspartic materials and is launching a cleaner, greener and easier to use range of flooring products.

Elladur from Resin Surfaces Ltd (RSL) is a five-strong product range which is ideal for use in prisons and other high security environments because of its low odour, quick return to service benefits.

Customers are already in discussions with RSL on taking Elladur products into prisons where fast-turnaround, low impact features are essential.

The Elladur range will be low odour, low VOC, UV stable and have a degree of flexibility as well as being simple to use, providing speedy return to service even at low temperatures.

The initial range will include:

Elladur SF Clear - clear, high build Polyaspartic coating with a gloss finishElladur SF Colour - coloured high build Polyaspartic coatingElladur Deco FL, a decorative flake systemElladur Deco BC, a decorative quartz system with enhanced slip resistanceElladur LM – a high build Polyaspartic, fast-cure line marking coating

New systems will be added to this line throughout 2016.

The products can be applied to a wide range of substrates and are recommended into areas needing a high performance finish. The range is also good for decorative floor areas and adds durability to good looks, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming repairs.

The company will work with a number of specialist contractors in the first instance to introduce the new products into the prison sector.

Ivy Wroe, Managing Director of RSL, said that it was exciting for the company to be taking advantage of one of the very latest developments in technology for the flooring sector.

She said: “Polyaspartic materials are excellent for quick return to service projects and an eco-friendly alternative to other materials in the market place. We know Elladur will help us open up new opportunities for us and our partners across the UK custodial sector.”

For more information visit us at www.resinsurfaces.co.uk, follow us @ResinSurfaces or call 0161 483 1232.


Restorative justice is a highly effective response to crime. It gives victims the chance to meet and communicate with their offender in order to explain the human impact of the crime. Offenders are held to account for what they have done and given an opportunity to take responsibility and make amends. 85% of victims who have been through the process report being satisfied with their experience. It also benefits offenders, with government research showing a 14% reduction in frequency of reoffending.

Most importantly for the judiciary, restorative justice fits the central purposes of sentencing. It is effective in terms of reducing recidivism, rehabilitating offenders and protecting the public. It also gives the offender something more than they get from the traditional criminal justice system: a personal insight into the consequences of their behaviour. It is an addition to sentencing that offers more than most sentences do.

Restorative justice also helps to build confidence in the justice system. Research shows that victims who go through restorative justice conferencing are more likely to perceive the sentence the offender has received as fair. The perception of fairness is absolutely essential in maintaining faith in the judiciary and in the justice system. Restorative justice is important for this purpose, and the judiciary has an important role to play in increasing its use. It has been recognised as an essential intervention, and there is interest and commitment from senior judges and magistrates to use and promote restorative justice. The challenge that remains is ensuring that its benefits are understood and capitalised on by all levels of the judiciary.

Legislation has been introduced which guarantees judges specific powers to enable more restorative justice to take place. The Crime and Courts Act 2013 gave all levels of the judiciary the power to defer sentencing in order to enable pre-sentence restorative justice to take place. The Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 specifically mentions restorative justice as a potential element of a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR). This enables the sentencer to recommend that restorative justice could be used as part of the offender’s sentence.

The benefits of restorative justice are known, and legislation is in place to ensure that magistrates, district judges and crown court judges can enable its use. The Restorative Justice Council (RJC) held an event for the judiciary in October with the incoming senior presiding judge and the chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, both keen to promote restorative justice to the judiciary more widely. The event was attended mainly by lay judiciary, who are responsible for over 90% of sentencing, and are likely to see most of the cases where a community sentence involving restorative justice is appropriate. The event was a chance to inform and engage them.

Speeches at the event covered the legislative landscape, future challenges, supporting evidence, current pilot studies and offender and victim experiences to give attendees a real sense of what restorative justice can offer. The support the judiciary gave to restorative justice was exceptional. Lord Justice Fulford, the incoming senior presiding judge, expressed his sincere hope that restorative justice can become embedded as a part of sentencing practice.

Richard Monkhouse, chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, highlighted another way in which the judiciary can enhance the use of restorative justice. He argued for magistrates to help to push to improve the quality of provision in their area to make it a viable option as part of sentencing. There are local channels that magistrates can use to ensure that restorative justice is made available by Community Rehabilitation Companies. The Magistrates’ Association currently campaigns on, and will continue to campaign on this.

Once provision is secured, sentencers need to begin actually using restorative justice as a sentencing option. This is something which we still need to work on. There are two things we need to do to make sure that sentencers feel confident in deferring sentence for restorative justice, or proposing it as part of a RAR. The first is to make the case for restorative justice and explain to magistrates, district judges and crown court judges why it should be embedded in our justice system. Second, we need to help judges to feel confident about when they should be deferring sentence or imposing RARs that involve a restorative component.

The RJC has launched an information pack to help the judiciary understand more about restorative justice and their essential role in the restorative justice process. The RJC wants this pack to be in the hands of every sentencer in England and Wales, as it will help them to include more restorative interventions in their sentences. It contains all the information judges and magistrates need to build restorative justice into their sentencing practice.

The pack explains what restorative justice is and the benefits that it can offer for offenders, victims and the justice system. It also explains the role that the judiciary can play, and the powers that legislation gives them to support the use of restorative justice. It provides a checklist for sentencers to use to assess when restorative justice is appropriate, and identifies the kinds of cases where it should be considered. Articles from magistrates, probation staff, YOTs, victims and offenders detail the benefits that they have seen or gained from restorative justice. Additionally, a recent Crown Court pre-sentence restorative justice pathfinder programme is discussed in detail to demonstrate how this can work in practice.

The groundwork has been laid, and the legislation is in place to make sure restorative justice is embedded in sentencing practice. It is important that the lessons learned from the event and the information pack are used, and that restorative justice becomes an integral part of the sentencer’s toolkit. Our hope is that our judiciary information pack can give sentencers an understanding of restorative justice and its benefits, and help to achieve an expansion in the use of restorative justice across the judiciary.

The RJC’s information pack on restorative justice and the judiciary is available at: www.rjc.org.uk/judiciaryinfopack.

By John Collins of the Restorative Justice Council

The judiciary is crucial to restorative justice

http://www.rjc.org.uk/judiciaryinfopack

http://www.rjc.org.uk/judiciaryinfopack


Product Development:

Tough Furniture pioneered the development of cabinets specifically to protect televisions, computers and other vulnerable items from challenging behaviours, using lockable screens of polycarbonate, an immensely strong plastic material. Search ‘Tough Furniture’ on Youtube to see a cabinet being tested with a sledgehammer! This development made the use of screens in more challenging areas to help improve therapeutic options possible and helped realise dramatic cost savings in replacing expensive damages in addition to much improved safety considerations in all locations.

The Genesis of the Anti-ligature Television Cabinet (ALTV):

As televisions evolved and became flatscreens mounted on the wall, so protection cabinet design had to follow them up there. Then two other important factors came into play for the next design developments: rectangular boxes on the wall being deemed a potential ligature risk, and the increasing emphasis being given to visual appeal. To help address these issues we worked with our supplier to create moulded components specifically for the cabinet.

Launched in 2014 the ALTV has been very well received, with hundreds sold to a diverse range of mental health and learning disability care providers as well as medium and high secure accommodation, with sales to the US in 2015 as well.

While feedback indicates that the look of the ALTV is definitely part of its success, its fitness for purpose has also been trialled and deployed in some of the most demanding of high-security accommodation.

A unique solution for reducing ligature risk in healthcare and custodial environments


Accuracy of sexual assault testimonies not affected by alcohol intoxication, study findsUniversity of Leicester study suggests that victims of sexual assault who were intoxicated during the crime could still be interviewed by the police

• Research suggests intoxicated victims of sexual assault could accurately retain information from events

• Findings are being applied to develop National Guidelines for how the police could interview sexual assault victims who were intoxicated during the crime

• Challenges misconception that intoxicated victims and witnesses are unreliable

People are often concerned about the accuracy of testimony given by victims who were intoxicated during a sexual assault– but a new study by University of Leicester researchers has found that while alcohol intoxicated participants report fewer pieces of information about an assault, the information that they do provide is just as accurate as sober participants.

The research suggests that victims of sexual assault who were intoxicated during the crime can still report accurate information when interviewed by the police despite being intoxicated at the time of the offense.

The paper entitled ‘Alcohol and remembering a hypothetical sexual assault: Can people who were under the influence of alcohol during the event provide accurate testimony?’, published in the journal Memory, is one of the first studies to use a placebo controlled trial that investigates the effects of alcohol on memory within the context of sexual assault.

The team examined the influence of alcohol on remembering an interactive hypothetical sexual assault scenario in a laboratory setting using a balanced placebo design.

Female participants completed a memory test 24 hours and four months later.

Participants reported less information - by responding ‘don’t know’ more often to questions - if they were under the influence of alcohol during the scenario than those who were not.

However, the accuracy of the information intoxicated participants reported did not differ compared to sober participants, suggesting intoxicated participants could accurately retain information from the event as well as those who were sober.

Dr Heather Flowe from the University of Leicester’s Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour who led the project said: “Serious violent offenses often involve

intoxicated witnesses and victims. In particular, in sexual assault and rape cases, victims and perpetrators are likely to have been under the influence of alcohol during the crime.

“When a victim is intoxicated during the crime, questions about the accuracy of testimony are raised in the minds of criminal investigators. Out of these concerns, the police might forgo interviewing victims who were intoxicated during the offence. On the other hand, almost always in sexual offences, the victim is the only one who can provide information about the crime to investigators.

“Consequently, it is not likely that a crime will be solved without victim testimony. Bearing this in mind, we wondered whether intoxicated victims take their mental state during the crime into account when rendering their testimony to investigators. If they take into account that their memory has been impaired by alcohol, they should report information only when they believe it is likely to be accurate.

“Accordingly, intoxicated victims should report less information overall, but the accuracy of the information they do report might not be different from sober victims.”Together with the Crown Prosecution Service and Leicestershire Police, the research findings are being applied to develop National Guidelines regarding how the police should interview sexual assault victims who were intoxicated during the crime.

Detective Inspector Reme Gibson from Leicestershire Police’s Rape Investigation Unit said: “Working alongside the University has been of huge benefit to our understanding of the effects alcohol has on memory.

“It has been a long held misconception that victims and witnesses who are intoxicated are not able to give as good an account as they would when they are sober. The delays in speaking with victims accounts sometimes for loss of potential evidence, although alcohol is not the only factor that would influence whether or not an Officer would interview a victim.

“I hope these findings better support future investigations, particularly in the sexual violence arena which is already often complex

and not without challenges.”

The team working on the guidelines also includes University of Leicester researchers Dr Anna Carline (School of Law), Dr Clare Gunby (Department of Criminology), Professor Graham Davies (School of Psychology), Professor Mandy Burton (School of Law), and Professor Vanessa Munro (School of Law).

The British Academy and Leverhulme Trust have funded a series of workshops to develop the National Guidelines.

Dr Flowe added:

“It’s fantastic to see the University of Leicester and the Police leading on this important topic. We are working to improve the quality of how testimony is gathered from victims.”The paper ‘Alcohol and remembering a hypothetical sexual assault: Can people who were under the influence of alcohol during the event provide accurate testimony?’ published in the journal Memory is available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09658211.2015.1064536#.VdLxvvn9zSg

The study was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest funder of research on the social and economic questions facing us today. It supports the development and training of the UK’s future social scientists and also funds major studies that provide the infrastructure for research. ESRC-funded research informs policymakers and practitioners and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective. The ESRC also works collaboratively with six other UK research councils and Innovate UK to fund cross-disciplinary research and innovation addressing major societal challenges. The ESRC is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter in 1965, and funded mainly by the Government. In 2015 it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Custodial Review is now accepting articles from serving officers and staff within the whole custodial industry.All articles will appear on the Custodial website and will appear in the magazine subject to the Publishers discretion. Approx length 1500 to 2000 words. We are also pleased to accept news and information. Please contact the Publisher, Steve Mitchell at, [email protected]



The new custody suite on the Isle of ManInspector Derek Flint spent 8 years in the Western Division of Lancashire Police undertaking a number of roles including working in custody at

the divisional headquarters in Blackpool. He transferred to the Isle of Man in 1998, and since promotion to inspector has held a number of positions including custody. He had spent 3.5 years in the specialism and during this time he was responsible for the planning and completion of the islands new custody suite.

CR What are the Police’s custody requirements on the Isle of Man?

DF We process anything between 1600 – 1800 prisoners a year, which isn’t a great number. By comparison, when I was a custody officer in Blackpool, we were processing something like 16,000 a year! Recent changes to the law, which mirror those in the UK have provided more flexibility so officers can ask people to come in to do a voluntary interview or report the offence as opposed to just bringing them into custody. The number of arrests have initially declined due to these changes, but we’d expect that to settle down as it did in the UK. Over the last three years we have strived to improve the standards of custody here through compliance with professional practice and how we keep people safe. As the numbers we deal with are very low we can afford a great deal of excellence in what we do.

CR Are you bound by UK law and practice? Do you take the sections of UK law that are relevant to the island and adapt them accordingly?

DF We are a standalone jurisdiction. We are not part of the UK or EU, and have our own laws though many of ours are derived from UK law. Our Misuse of Drugs Act is very similar and so is our Theft Act. Our Police Powers and Procedures Act, which covers detention, is a version of PACE which we have adapted for use in an island context.

We’ve been ahead of the game as well. For example, we prohibited the use of mobile phones whilst driving before the UK did. In that regard we can be a “test bed” for new legislation. We follow the College of Policing authorised professional practice in regards the standards of detention as far as we can, because if we have a death in custody we will be measured by those standards. Where we can’t meet those standards we will policy it out, though in some respects we exceed those requirements.

CR What with the Isle of Man TT and other holiday season rushes you must have a lot of variability through the year in your custody requirements. What did you have in terms of custody provision before you moved into this new suite? How did you determine the actual requirement for cells when you were planning the new suite?

DF We used to have a central custody suite at Headquarters with 10 cells. This was built in 1976 and regularly didn’t meet the demand. The cells were dark, they weren’t particularly sanitary, and the layout of the suite wasn’t easy for the custody sergeant to manage. The charge rooms and reception rooms were off the main block. It was difficult for a sergeant to survey what was going on in his block while he was booking in.

The Douglas police station was built in 2000, and that has four cells, but again this didn’t meet peak demand. After that it was Port Erin, which was 15 miles away and had another four cells. After that we were pretty much scuppered! In emergency situations we had access to the courthouse cells.

The main difficulty with having 18 cells in three

The custody suite from the staff perspective. Note the vertical mounted panic strips.



The custody desk.

locations across the island was staffing. We have 210 officers in the force, and on a Friday or Saturday we had to put extra sergeants on in case we had to open other facilities. Depending on the needs of the prisoners we could end up having six staff spread across three different suites. You also ran the risk of needing to deploy non-trained staff to look after detainees, which is unacceptable. That is exactly where we didn’t want to be.

CR What determined the timing, position and size of the new facility?

DF This had been on the agenda for at least 10-12 years and we finally got the capital

budget for the new block in 2013 so could start working out our requirements. We had some plans in place already but in 2012/13 we could start refining them.

The sensible thing was to consolidate everything in one place. One well-managed block where we could put in place care and maintenance and the flexibility, if needed, to close one set of cells off for refurbishment, but also when peak demand was there we could have the capacity to deal with that too. What we came up with was one unit at Headquarters with 20 cells.

CR What standards did you build them to?

Did you borrow the specifications of the UK ones? How did you go about financing it and choosing your contractor?

DF We used the Home Office manual on how to build a custody block. That went to our design team, and also in terms of choosing a contractor it was very important that they knew our requirements as well. The reason we closely followed Home Office requirements was that if you do have an Inquiry, those are the standards you are going to be measured by. You will be asked what your control measures were for example.

What we wanted was something that would go up quickly, where the standards were specified in Home Office requirements in terms of Lambeth Cells, and we were going to minimise operational downtime through the inevitable snagging that comes with any new build. We looked at two options, the traditional wet build or the modular build. In light of snagging and operational downtime, we opted for the modular build. On that basis we talked to the contractors that were out there almost from the start.

In the meantime we were looking at a floor plan in terms of what it might look like. We


The new custody suite continued

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looked at what the cells may look like, the main lobby area, the interview rooms and welfare facilities for staff. We had a fairly good idea as to our requirements so we could go to a contractor, they could load it into CAD and we could alter the design as required.

CR How is it being paid for?

DF We don’t have PFI here so the government has a works plan that it publishes every year, and that covers everything from road building to new offices, schools and we received our funding in that way.

CR Did you have to knock down the old custody suite? Where did you build the new one? What did you do with the old suite?

DF We built it on an old car park in the Headquarters site. TheHQ building is quite remote and everyone who works there uses a car so it was quite a compromise regarding loss of car park spaces. However, it enabled us to use the old suite and enabled us to maintain

operational viability while the construction took place. We moved in when the facility was ready in April this year. We completely decommissioned the old suite. At present it is

used as a storage facility, and will transition to a secure property store in the near future.

CR You chose Wernicks as the principal contractor. They are a well-known modular building construction company who have successfully completed many custody suites in the UK. Did they bring a big ship over and unload the building onto the site?

DF That’s almost exactly what happened! We wanted to use islander contractors to build it as far as possible so once we’d hired Wernicks as our main contractor, we engaged a separate contactor to do the groundwork. This was quite a major operation because it was a steeply sloped car park. Thousands of tonnes of earth had to be removed, including an old base for the police radio mast. You can imagine how thick that was. We also pushed some other land back to make new car park and the end result has been a net loss of six car parking spaces, which considering the original car park held 40 cars is not bad really.

The advantage of the modular build is that while the groundwork is taking place the building is being built in a factory. We started the groundwork in July 2014 and by December; the units were all craned into place

ready for the Christmas recess ready for fitting out and commissioning in January. The units were built in Neath in South Wales. They were driven three miles to the dock in Swansea, and loaded onto a coaster which sailed over here. They were unloaded at the Douglas docks and driven two miles up here.

CR Those roads from Douglas are very wiggly, how on earth did you get a transporter loaded with two cell sized blocks up them?

DF The haulage contractors on the island are very good and had no trouble at all in delivering the units. The general footprint of the units is a standard shipping container, and they were literally loading it onto a low loader and driving it up to the site.

CR How close to being finished were those cells? Did they come up in complete two cell unit blocks?

DF The units came in two types, as preconfigured cells and a modular office block. The cells were a bespoke product called PC Flex which Wernicks supply for extensions to custody blocks, there is one in Blackpool where they dropped an additional 10 cells into the existing custody unit and bolted them onto the existing unit. The office block walls are all prefabricated, the plumbing and most of the pre-wiring is already done. The more fragile equipment such as cameras and so on were put in after the blocks were installed, the floor was screeded and it was ready to go.

CR When you were designing it, what considerations did you have toward the developments there have been towards equality, mental health nursing and so on?

DF We’ve been very much alive to that. It

One of the vulnerable detainee cells.

Vented shoe lockers. - Note the vertical mounted panic strips. Chubb locks were used throughout.

Built on part of the car park the new custody suite is a single story modular building.

Administration areas have been provided.

comes down to us being a small jurisdiction. One of the advantages of that is that fellow professionals are known to each other. For example I have sat on a number of mental health committees through my role in the Police, so I know the mental health professionals very well. During the early days of my stewardship of custody we moved

to better compliance with professional practice, putting in place better strategic governance, tactical governance as well, introducing committees of internal and external professionals. At a strategic level we have members from the Law Society, the lead forensic medical examiner, someone from mental health, another from social care, as

well as internal people as well. They set the strategy that we implement at a tactical level. The people that are working on the ground meet in committees quite regularly. Because of that we were able to drive our design through those requirements as well. For instance we were very much cognisant of how the doctors wanted their room laying out.

One of the things that we do here that’s quite unique is a health passport. When a detainee comes into custody we carry out the usual risk assessment, when the forensic medical examiner sees them they complete a health record. If the FME then says we have to take them to hospital, we take the ‘passport’ with them, and the doctor of the hospital will write

in the passport what they have done. That will come back to us. If they are then seen by a mental health practitioner they will then fill in their report, and then if they are charged and sent to prison this record goes with them.


The cardio room. The sports hall.


The medical room.

The shower.

A ‘before picture’. This is one of the cells in the old custody suites.

At the point of reception the prison will be aware of what is wrong. They will know what medication they have had, they will know what mental health interventions they have had, and they can start their care plan in prison immediately. We are very proud of that, it works very well, and this has generated a lot of interest from various forums in the UK. The difficulty in the UK is the dispersal of prisons and they don’t have that sort of proximity.

Some of them may use contractorised healthcare. The NHS system may help with that, but our FMEs are local GPs, consultant surgeons and A&E doctors so they all appreciate the same things. When they are discharged they will get a letter for their GP but this is one slight issue they have in terms of continuity. Our FMEs have direct access to people’s mental health records which again is a game changer in terms of what medication is prescribed is suitable for purpose, they are not over prescribing, and so on.

CR What about staffing of the custody suite?

DF We have a custody sergeant and a jailer, the jailer is a PC. They have all been trained to a prescribed standard which pretty much follows the National Custody Officer programme syllabus. We are also

looking towards the provision of civilian custody officers. The problem with that is we don’t have the Police Reform Act 2002 that allows the provision of civilians in roles that previously were roles only warranted officers could do. That legislation is about to go through. We have talked to some service providers, and it is a direction we are likely to go in.

CR With such low use of the suite, and the low staffing levels how do you deal with people of different genders? What if there is need for a body search?

DF If the arrested person is a female we will bring in a female officer from the neighbourhood. It is the same in the UK. If there is a female under 18 years old on the custody suite there must be a female present.

We have standard operating procedures which kick in those requirements as and when they are needed.

CR How do you meet the needs of other minorities and avoid running into trouble with the Equalities Act?

DF It is the same as with other aspects of policing. Whatever the issue, be it race, sex or religion you deal with it at the time. It is also a very diverse island anyway. We have a big Polish community, and we previously had a huge South African community of between 2500 to 3000 people, a big Filipino community which has come as part of the nursing provision for the hospital and care homes. Working with minorities is very much something that people here are used to. It is interesting here that we don’t have the divisions you would see in any metropolitan area. It really is a diverse community, and is very harmonious as a result.

CR Is there equalities legislation like the UK?

DF It isn’t as far reaching as in the UK. Things such as Incitement to Racial Hatred aren’t on the statute books. Things like employment discrimination are there but aren’t so advanced. When it does happen, it just gives the judges less sentencing powers.

CR You’ve had the new suite in since April. What would you have done differently if you’d had the chance? And what do the other staff who have to use the facility think?

DF The pleasing thing about that is in hindsight that there is very little we would have changed and I realise that’s a very bold statement! We involved the staff quite heavily in the planning. We started out with a basic plan, and everyone sat around the table and from the PCs, facilities staff and custody sergeants up to me we discussed what we needed and how it would work.

We only visited one custody suite in Bridgend to look at the gadgets such as access control, CCTV, intercom systems and so forth. Wernick’s main electronics suppliers are Tremorfa who are also in South Wales. One of the communications employees and I went down there and looked at the Bridgend custody suite. That was all we looked at as short of one or two finishes we knew exactly what we wanted. There were a couple of fundamental decisions such did we want analogue or digital cameras? We ended up going for analogue cameras. We also went for the old fashioned mechanical Chubb keys because of the limitations of electronics because ultimately a mechanical key isn’t going to fail.

It was nice to walk in with my hard hat on and yellow jacket and think, “Yes, we got this about right.” As we got the floor in and




The new staff kitchen.

Some back ups have been retained!

The disabled toilet.

One of the interview rooms.



HMP/YOI Styal and the Novus education team, part of The Manchester College Group, have launched a new state of the art hair & beauty training salon for learners at the prison.

In partnership with the prison, Novus secured Gateways funding to build new facilities which have become the Prestige Hair & Beauty Salon for learners. The project was led by Styal’s Reducing Reoffending department and Novus, the UK leader and innovator in offender learning, skills and employability – a social

enterprise reinvesting back into learners in custody and the community.

Learning and Skills Manager, Chris Burns, HMP/YOI Styal, said: “At Novus our focus is on transforming offenders’ lives through learning and skills.

“We are excited at now being able to provide professional training facilities so that our learners gain the skills and experience they need to find jobs on release, which is a crucial factor in reducing the likelihood they will reoffend.

“We are keen to expand the number of partnerships with local hair & beauty salons to take our learners on day release.”

The official opening took place on 9th October and was attended by Stuart Kirkham & Stuart Cookson, directors of local hairdressing chain Terence Paul, which has salons in Manchester, Didsbury, Bramhall, Hale, Knutsford and Wilmslow. Stuart Kirkham said: “This is a fantastic facility and provides an excellent place for learners to rehabilitate themselves because it allows them the skills to do what they want to do and to feel good about it.

“Job satisfaction in hairdressing is instant and to make a difference to somebody’s appearance is brilliant for a learner’s rehabilitation.”

The event was well attended by partners and stakeholders of HMP Styal including Novus, DARs (Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service) and Gateways.

The project reflects Novus’s commitment to rehabilitating learners and equipping them with employability skills when they leave prison. The building work of Prestige Hair & Beauty Salon took six weeks to complete and some of the women and female young offenders gave up their time to help with finishing touches.

Novus is a not-for-profit large scale social enterprise delivering education, training and employability in more than 100 sites within prisons, Approved Premises and the community.

Part of The Manchester College Group, Novus has more than 20 years’ experience in offender learning and is the largest UK provider of education, training and employability programmes to offenders, supporting learners in both custody and community settings.

We work with the Ministry of Justice, National Offender Management Service, the Youth Justice Board, and a wide variety of partner organisations, to raise the aspirations of offenders to increase employability and reduce reoffending.

Naila Aziz (tutor), Gemma Jones (tutor), Sarah Jackson (Head of Learning Skills and Employment for HMP Styal), Abi Jones (Manager - Through the Gate,

Gateways), Preston Hulse (Probation Liaison Officer, NHS England - Gateways), Stuart Kirkham (Partner, Terence Paul), Stuart Cookson (Director, Terence Paul), Chris Burns (Learning & Skills Manager, HMP/YOI Styal), Amanda Cooper (tutor), Jayne Firth (trainer)

Novus raises hair & beauty aspirations for HMP Styal offender learners

the lighting came on the primary thing was everything was in the right place. There were some minor design changes such as putting access control in certain places, but they were only convenience issues as opposed to “Blimey, we’ve really cocked this one up!”

CR What about the effect of this on your staff? Custody used to be the worst job of all, but in some cases this has changed when a new suite has been installed?

DF We were lucky that we reached the point that custody was a desirable role long before. That came from a lot of hard work on the strategic governance. We managed to cast it in the light of not being a role for the sick, lame and lazy, that it was an important job. We also reviewed the training and ran a longer training course. This succeeded in upping the role’s profile. The move from a dirty, dark, unsanitary unit to the new facility is a profound change that follows this trend. I occasionally work in there to help the team out. Even sitting down and processing the detainees is a lot different. It is a pleasant working environment. There is no doubt who is in control of it, the access control is much easier and you haven’t got people wandering in and out. It is a lot more

relaxed and I think it has reduced stress among the custody officers.

It is still a tough job but what it does do is give you some capacity back in terms of surveillance and what is going on. Everybody comes to you because of the way it is set up rather than you running up and down trying to service everybody else.

CR What about the effects on the rest of the IoM Police Service? Can they just drop detainees off or do they have to book them in themselves? What are the cost implications of having only one custody suite, have there been savings?

DF The efficiencies of running a custody suite on an island are always going to be difficult. I also ran the call handling side of the force as well, and we introduced force incident managers who knew exactly what was going on in a specific incident. If it takes two police officers in Ramsey (a 20 minute drive from here) to handle an arrested person and get them here, the Force Incident Manager will be aware that temporarily there is no Police coverage in Ramsey so they will have a plan to deal with it. They will look at more creative use of dog handlers, traffic officers and so on.

There’s always somebody who has the bigger picture in terms of the 220 square miles of the island. We do not have handover teams but the more complex cases will be passed to CID to deal with but overall the arresting officer will handle things right over to disposal at court.


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YJB announces £13.5m of in-year budget reductionsThe Youth Justice Board (YJB) has published its response to its consultation on proposals to find £13.5m of in-year budget reductions.

Lord McNally, Chair of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), said:

“Having carefully considered the responses received to the consultation on in-year budget

reductions, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) has reluctantly decided to reduce the Youth Justice Grant paid to youth offending teams (YOTs) by £9m. This is as part of its efforts to make £13.5m of in-year budget reductions.”

The YJB was required by the Secretary of State to make in-year budget reductions of £12m. This is in addition to a £1.5m shortfall in the YJB’s 2015/16 budget, which remains after a range of measures were taken to tackle a larger shortfall.

It consulted on proposed budget reductions in September and received 129 responses. The consultation outlined the limited options open to the organisation, as a result of efforts in recent years to protect the Youth Justice Grant by making reductions in spend to other areas of the system.

In addition to reducing the Youth Justice Grant, the YJB will delay by two months until April 2016 commencing the roll-out in Parc under-18 young offender institution (YOI) of the new behaviour management system used in youth custody called Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR).

There are also a number of other budget reductions achieved through underspends on staffing in YOIs, contractual efficiencies and measures employed by the YJB to reduce its internal costs to make up the £13.5m required.

YJB Chief Executive Lin Hinnigan said:

“This has been an exceedingly difficult decision. We share the concerns of respondents to the consultation that reductions to the YOT grant will put the successes seen in the youth justice system - including the savings they have generated – at risk.

We also recognise that these budget reductions falling as they do in-year are going to be particularly difficult for the YOTs locally to manage and will ultimately impact on outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children in our society.

We are acutely aware of the impact these reductions are going to have on YOTs and in response to the requests made through the consultation will support them to minimise the impact.”

To help support YOTs to minimise the impact of the cuts to the Youth Justice Grant, the YJB

will be reducing the reporting burdens on YOTs for the rest of the financial year. It also plans to issue guidance to YOTs on mergers, and to explore removing ring-fencing of grants to enable YOTs to have more flexibility in managing their budgets.

In addition, HMI Probation has agreed to remove three of the proposed Short Quality Screening inspections scheduled to be carried out before January 2016. This will enable those YOTs which were due to be inspected to manage the impact of cuts without concurrently being subject to inspection.

The YJB has written to all YOTs to let them know about the in-year reduction in grant allocations and the support available to help them minimise the impact.

YJB response to HMI Probation report into Doncaster Youth Offending Service

Lin Hinnigan, YJB Chief Executive, said:

“Doncaster Youth Offending Service is a priority for the YJB’s support and we take very seriously the report’s concerns about the poor effectiveness of

governance and partnerships found there. We will work closely with the service to ensure that measurable improvements are made. We will also continue to offer ongoing assistance through our role to assess, support and challenge youth offending team performance.”

An independent review into self-inflicted deaths in National Offender Management Service (NOMS) custody of 18-24 year olds is publishedA YJB spokesperson said:

“We welcome the publication of Lord Harris’ Independent Review into Self-Inflicted Deaths in NOMS Custody of 18-24 year olds.

Although focussed on the young adults’ secure estate, the Review’s findings powerfully advocate the benefits of a multi-agency and holistic approach to address the needs of those in the criminal justice system; to reduce the use of custodial sentences; and to rehabilitate those who are serving them. This same approach - used by the YJB for the last 15 years - has been key to our success in reducing the numbers of young people in custody, and of first time entrants into the youth justice system, to their lowest ever levels.

We will be considering carefully where, and how, the well-informed recommendations that

have been made could also apply to the care of children and young people in custody.”

YJB responds to a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England on the use of isolation in the secure estate

Lin Hinnigan, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, said:

“This report’s findings are in line with our own monitoring activity in the secure estate. We have a very clear expectation that isolation should primarily

be used if a young person poses a risk to themselves or others.

We place children in specific secure establishments according to their needs, and have already reduced the proportion of young people placed in youth offending institutions from around 85% in 2008/9 to 68% in August 2015.

We recognise that young people in custody present complex challenges in behaviour management. The YJB continues to work with the National Offender Management Service to ensure improvements in youth offending institutions, to better address the needs of young people and reduce the use of isolation.

We will carefully study the report’s findings as a contribution to our work to improve the current secure estate.”

The response to the government’s announcement of a review of youth justiceThe Youth Justice Board’s (YJB) Chair, Lord McNally, has responded to the written ministerial statement laid by the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, announcing a review of youth justice.

YJB’s Chair, Lord McNally said:

“The YJB has been clear that a strategic review of the youth justice system is essential as the current system cannot

sustain further piecemeal reductions in funding.

We therefore welcome this review, and hope that it will deliver lasting reform of the system as a whole. This is essential to ensure that the impressive successes of the last 15 years are recognised, preserved and resourced, and that real opportunities to deliver meaningful reform are grasped.

We will continue to advise the Secretary of State and the review team, based on our experience and expertise in youth justice.”

News from the Youth Justice Board




Border Force Customs custody suites in England and Scotland - significant progress madeBorder Force customs custody suites across England and Scotland had significantly improved since their last inspection, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and Dru Sharpling, HM Inspector of Constabulary, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection.

The inspection was the second in a programme of inspections of Border Force customs custody suites. Detainees held in Border Force cells are people primarily suspected of secreting or swallowing drugs. The inspection covered the network of custody suites which include interview suites and ‘spine suites’. Spine suites are normal custody suites with cells. Inspectors went to spine suites at: Birmingham Airport, Colnbrook (Heathrow Airport), Dover Seaport, Gatwick Airport, Glasgow Airport, Harwich Seaport and Manchester Airport. Interview suites do not have cells but can be used for detention of usually no longer than six hours. Inspectors went to the interview suite at Stansted Airport.

The illegal importation of controlled drugs often involves the suspect ingesting them in sealed packages to avoid normal search procedures. Spine suites are equipped with specially adapted and supervised toilets where suspects can be detained until the body naturally excretes the packages.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

There was a clear organisational structure to director level supervising this work and it had adapted principles from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice to develop safe custody policies;Good work with partners in commissioning a health needs analysis for detainees was evident;An excellent custody early warning system had been developed with Metropolitan Police Service health care which helped to monitor the health of people suspected of ingesting drugs;

Detainees were generally well cared for;

Staff were aware of human trafficking issues and knew how to make referrals to the National Crime Agency or Home Office immigration enforcement;Staff knew they had to ensure that children were not kept in custody; andGenerally health services had improved except in Scotland, where a new contract was to be signed in February 2015.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

In the custody suites that had a low throughput of detainees, staff said they did not feel confident about their skills, but Border Force managers were considering options to bolster their experience;

There were inconsistencies in the use of handcuffs; All detainees had to be observed when using the toilet and were given a one-piece suit which could only be zipped from the front. This meant that women would be semi-naked while they used the toilet. This could have been resolved by providing two-piece suits.

Nick Hardwick and Dru Sharpling said:

“Overall, Border Force demonstrated significant progress in all areas that we inspected. This report provides a small number of recommendations. We expect an action plan to be provided in due course.”

Cumbria Police Custody - a mixed pictureSome aspects of police custody in Cumbria had improved while others had deteriorated, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and Dru Sharpling, HM Inspector of Constabulary. On 29 September they published the report of an unannounced inspection.

The inspection was part of a national programme of joint inspections of police custody and the second inspection of Cumbria police custody suites. The first inspection was in September 2009. There had been some significant improvements since the previous inspection, particularly in the condition of the custody estate and some aspects of care for detainees, but other areas had deteriorated considerably.

In 2009, custody had been a devolved function, allowing areas to manage resources and policies locally. Custody was now a centralised function, making it separate and distinct from territorial policing. This change was relatively new and needed to be embedded, and some custody staff did not understand their place in the new structure.


Detainee care was reasonable, except when custody suites were busy;There was a concerted and focused effort to build relationships with health providers and a regular custody forum which included external organisations;Risk assessments were mostly good and in some cases excellent;Levels of observations set for detainee care were appropriate and handovers between shifts were focused;There was good team working between custody sergeants and detention officers, ensuring a safe environment for detainees; andIndividual interactions between health services staff and detainees were professional and clinically appropriate.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

Cumbria Constabulary did not monitor or provide performance data on custody functions and data management was not used to drive planning or performance;

Use of force was not monitored or analysed to determine patterns or to identify where it was being used disproportionately;There was poor provision of appropriate adult (AA) services to children and vulnerable adults;children were subject to further delays because The Appropriate Adult Service required a referral from children’s services before an AA would attend and social workers were sometimes not available to make the referral; andAlthough there were good partnerships to try to resolve matters, detainees experienced long delays in receiving a mental health assessment in policy custody and too many mentally ill people were taken to police custody as a place of safety.

Nick Hardwick and Dru Sharpling said:

“There had been improvements in the condition of the custody estate and the care of detainees since our last inspection. Nevertheless, new management arrangements were not yet embedded and arrangements to monitor and manage

performance were weak. It was a particular concern that processes to protect and safeguard the most vulnerable detainees were not fully effective.”

Court Custody - a dangerous disregard for risksCourt custody was an accident waiting to happen and conditions were some of the worst inspectors have seen, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. In a thematic review of court custody in England and Wales.

The review draws together findings from inspections of 97 courthouses with custody facilities between August 2012 and August 2014. Inspectors’ expectations of court custody are modest. Inspectors expect to see a clear strategy for and leadership of the custody function, that detainees are held for the shortest time possible and that their rights are respected. While they are in custody, detainees should be safe and treated decently according to their individual needs, and any health needs should be dealt with effectively.

Of most concern to inspectors was the lack of any meaningful risk assessment when detainees arrive in custody or are released. The concerns identified have been repeatedly made known to HM Courts and Tribunal Service through the publication of individual reports and inspectors are not satisfied that they have been adequately addressed. The pockets of good practice inspectors found, and the fact that most court custody staff tried hard to treat





people in custody decently, shows it is not inevitable that poor conditions and degrading, unsafe practices will prevail.

Overall, inspectors found that:

No single organisation exercised any effective leadership for court custody provision at local or national level;

No organisation has a good overall picture of the situation and physical conditions were poor, with deep cleaning and decorating clearly neglected for years;

The valuable insights of Lay Observers, whose independent scrutiny of court custody is of pivotal importance, are often overlooked;

Contract management is focused on the timely delivery of detainees to court and little priority is given to ensuring detainees to do not spend long periods in court cells after their appearance is over;

Deficits in aspects of detainee care, such as risk assessment, where poor care could result in serious harm to detainees themselves, staff or others, are allowed to remain almost entirely unaddressed;

Established practices that are applied unquestioningly often cause the greatest disadvantage to the most vulnerable detainees, such as the handcuffing of disabled detainees in public;

While a few custody staff did attempt to ask detainees how they were feeling, it was often clear that they lacked training in risk assessment, meaning serious risks – that detainees might harm themselves or others, lapse from sleep into a coma, or become ill while in custody – were not managed;

Pre-release risk planning was unusual with, on most occasions, only a travel warrant given to vulnerable detainees, in sharp contrast to police services, who recognise they have a duty of care;

Often, HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) managers were unaware of how bad conditions in the cells were or claimed that detainees only spent a couple of hours in them, while in reality, many detainees spent eight or 10 hours in a tiny cell with no natural light, sometimes no heating, that might be filthy;

Provision for people who were pregnant, elderly or disabled was almost always inadequate and custody staff had little awareness of the needs of children; and

Physical health care was poor, with treatment and medication often delayed in the belief it would be provided later in prison or police custody, though mental health was better.

Nick Hardwick said:

“The treatment of detainees and the conditions in custody suites were very low priorities

for the different organisations involved, which failed to adequately coordinate their custody roles. Inspectors could find almost

no-one at local or national level who accepted overall accountability or saw it as their responsibility to address the inspectorate’s recommendations. The treatment and conditions we found were the consequence. We found filthy, squalid cells covered in old graffiti. The needs of women, children or other detainees with particular needs were often not understood or addressed. Routine security measures were often disproportionate or inconsistent. Health care was inadequate. Of most concern and despite, in many cases, the best efforts of custody staff, we found a dangerous disregard for the risks detainees might pose to themselves or others. Court custody is an accident waiting to happen.”

HMP Liverpool - going backwardsDespite pockets of good work, HMP Liverpool had deteriorated, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. On 20th October he published the report of an unannounced inspection of the local prison in Merseyside.

HMP Liverpool is an old, inner-city prison which was last inspected in late 2013. Inspectors then described a well-led prison doing a reasonable job despite the very great challenges of working in a 19th-century infrastructure and managing the risks and complexities of its population. Liverpool remains a tough prison to run successfully and this more recent inspection found that outcomes were not sufficiently good across all four tests: safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement. The very poor quality of the environment remains a fundamental challenge.

Inspectors were concerned to find that:

Outside areas had litter strewn on the ground and the accommodation was dirty, overcrowded and poorly equipped;

The quality of health provision had deteriorated dramatically during 2014 and was now the subject of interventions by the commissioners, the prison and a new primary care provider;

Newly arrived prisoners were received well, but overcrowding meant that some did not make it to the first night centre and could therefore miss out on vital assessments;

Although levels of violence were lower than at comparable prisons, there had been a worrying three-fold increase in the number of assaults on staff;

Nearly half of prisoners thought it was easy to get drugs in the prison and random testing suggested illicit drug usage was comparatively high;

Disciplinary procedures were applied proportionately, but the use of force was nearly double that seen at similar prisons and oversight and accountability was weak;

There had been 10 deaths in the 14 months prior to the inspection, three of which were self-inflicted, and although the prison was

addressing recommendations from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, the quality of case management for those at risk of self-harm was inconsistent;

The prison’s daily routine was chaotic and unpredictable and too many prisoners (44%) were locked in their cells during the working day; and

Co-ordination between offender management work and the new community rehabilitation company was very new and half of eligible prisoners did not have an offender supervisor.

However, inspectors were pleased to find that:

The prison was working on some good initiatives to tackle violence, including some useful joint work with police to tackle gang culture;

Security measures were proportionate;

The range and quality of education was good and although too few prisoners completed their courses, success rates among those who did were high; and

Outcomes across various resettlement pathways – notably accommodation and support for children and families – were reasonable.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Throughout this report we have noted a series of backward steps. The prison has many

longstanding problems to deal with and we acknowledge that urgent issues concerning health and to an extent, the numbers of deaths in custody, were being addressed. We did not think that HMP Liverpool was a fundamentally poor prison and we saw pockets of really good work. Managers and staff needed, however, to get a better grip on issues – such as providing enough space on the first night centre; better supervision of force, sorting out the chaos that was the daily routine so that prisoners could properly access what was otherwise a reasonable provision of activity; and a determined effort to clean the place up – and focus on outcomes and delivery. We have made a number of recommendations that we hope will aid this process.”

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service, said:

“The Governor and staff at Liverpool are determined to improve the prison and

action is already being taken to address the recommendations made in this report.

“We are working closely with Lancashire Care NHS Trust to improve the healthcare provision. More prisoners are out of their cells in work, training or education, and a range of initiatives are also in hand to reduce violence and tackle drug supply.

“The Victorian environment is challenging but as the Chief Inspector makes clear – Liverpool




PRODUCT NEWS


is ‘not a fundamentally poor prison’ and I’m confident the action being taken will deliver real progress over the coming months”.

HMP Standford Hill - a much improved resettlement prisonHMP Standford Hill was well led and had made significant progress, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. On publishing the report of an unannounced inspection of the open prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent.

HMP Standford Hill was previously managed as part of a cluster of Isle of Sheppey prisons but while some services continue to be shared, the prison is now independent and has its own governor. At the time of its inspection, the prison held 456 adult men, nearly all of whom were coming to the end of a long prison sentence or nearing the expiry of a life sentence tariff. The number of prisoners with indeterminate sentences for public protection had increased significantly since the last inspection and nearly all these men were now well beyond their tariff expiry date. At its previous inspection in December 2011, inspectors found that despite some good work, resettlement work was fragmented and inconsistent. This inspection found a much improved prison where preparing men for release and resettling them back into the community was at the core of nearly everything that happened.


Prisoners felt safe, early days support on arrival was good, levels of violence were low and arrangements to manage poor behaviour, when it happened, were strong;

Prisoners clearly felt they had a personal investment in following the prison’s rules and something important to lose if they transgressed;

Security arrangements were appropriate to an open prison and robust, while supporting resettlement work;

The challenges with illicit drugs and alcohol were well managed, which was a significant achievement given the large number of men working out of the prison each day;

The living environment was clean and decent;

The quality of relationships between staff and prisoners had improved overall, and some staff were excellent;

Learning and skills provision was very good and all prisoners were occupied in some good education and work places within the prison, while over half of prisoners benefited from placements in the community;

Resettlement services had improved and the processes to risk assess release on temporary licence (ROTL) were suitably robust and reflected recent improvements to ROTL assessment rules; and

Offender management work was mostly good, as was support in the resettlement pathways.

However, inspectors found that more work needed to be done to understand the concerns of some black and minority ethnic and Muslim prisoners and to look at why their outcomes in some areas were poorer than those of white prisoners.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Standford Hill had made significant progress since our last inspection against all of our

healthy prison tests, most notably in putting resettlement work at the heart of the prison. The prison was very well led, and we had confidence that it would continue to progress.”

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service, said:

“This report highlights the excellent work being done at Standford Hill to get prisoners

ready for life on the outside.

“The Governor and her staff deserve huge credit for the quality of work and training provided both inside the prison and on placements in the community.

“As the Chief Inspector makes clear the prison is maintaining a clear and proper focus on public protection whilst providing excellent rehabilitation opportunities which will reduce reoffending and cut crime.”

Court Custody facilities in Humber and South Yorkshire - some concernsCustody staff treated detainees decently, but lacked training which would help them keep people more safely, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. On 29th August he published the report of an inspection of court custody facilities across Humber and South Yorkshire.

The inspection was the ninth in a programme of inspections of court custody carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. At the time of inspection there were thirteen courts currently in use that had custody facilities, including four Crown courts. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) had

contracted GEOAmey to provide custody and escort facilities for HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).


Strategic relationships between HMCTS and GEOAmey were positive and communication about changes to court processes were communicated to those primarily concerned with court custody;

HMCTS understood their role in relation to the provision of custody facilities and delivery managers attended suites to monitor conditions and informally deal with any issues;

Custody staff treated detainees courteously and inspectors saw examples of good detainee care; and

The physical conditions of most of the suites were good.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:Despite a range of meetings attended by organisations with responsibilities for custody, there was insufficient focus on court custody at the meetings, and some issues were left unresolved;

Staff lacked training on diversity, local safeguarding procedures and mental health;

Poorly completed person escort records accompanying detainees from local prisons and police stations impacted upon custody staff and their ability to care appropriately for detainees;

Custody staff were expected to handcuff all detainees at all times when moving around the custody suites; and

The lack of a designated officer in charge at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court was concerning, as there was no one individual with oversight of the detainees or management of the suite.

Nick Hardwick said:

“This report raises a range of concerns about safety, risk management and the training needs of staff to enable them to improve the care of people detained in court custody, particularly the most vulnerable. We have made a number of recommendations – some to be resolved nationally – to improve the safety and care of people in court custody.”

Pickersgill-Kaye Locks receive worldwide sales enquiries at showPickersgill-Kaye Ltd’s ongoing export drive has been given a major boost, with the manufacturer of high security and custodial products reporting encouraging sales enquiries from overseas after displaying its range of locks and hatches at the Home Office’s 2015 Security & Policing Exhibition in Farnborough.

The Leeds based company, which designs and manufactures all its locks in the UK, is confident of securing several orders as a result of exhibiting at the security industries’ showcase event in March, which is by invite only and attracts defence and security experts from across the globe.

Enquiries for its mechanical and electro-mechanical custodial, high security gate and multipoint locking products were received from many countries including the Middle East, Far East and the Caribbean. There was also plenty of interest from government departments and defence experts closer to home, says Pickersgill-Kaye.

For more information tel: 0113 277 5531 fax: 0113 276 0221 or visit www.pkaye.co.uk

Fireworks Fire Protection installs world’s first LPS 1223 approved fire suppression system in The Clink at HMP Brixton. Fireworks are pleased to announce that they are installing the Hydramist® 15ampu kitchen fire suppression system. It’s the world’s first LPS1223 approved watermist fire suppression system and it protects the deep fat fryers on the site. The Clink Restaurant is situated in the old Governors house that has been used recently as administration offices within the grounds of the prison and has been replaced with a three-storey restaurant and meetings venue, which is due to open in the next few months.

The restaurant will follow The Clink’s Five Step Programme that has been successfully implemented at the award winning and successful Clink restaurant at HMP High Down in Surrey, educating prisoners and equipping them with the skills and tools to secure employment upon their release.

Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity believes Brixton will cement the future for further Clink restaurants. “Brixton was the perfect site for our next restaurant. HMP Brixton is undergoing a regeneration project and was looking for an organisation to work with to develop the building into an opportunity for rehabilitation. The central location lends itself to securing support from local businesses and members of the

public, providing they are committed to The Clink’s vision and once the necessary security checks have been processed, providing real-life experience for those prisoners who make it through the selection process to join the programme.”

In 2012 the charity agreed a partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS) who supports the charitable initiative in a bid to open a further seven Clink Restaurants over the next four years. The charity is solely reliant on the generous support of the industry, charitable

trusts and philanthropic individuals to build future Clink restaurants and each training restaurant relies on the income from diners and donations to operate.

Edmond Tullett, Governor, HMP Brixton says: “Brixton is more than delighted to host the third Clink training restaurant in the Regency Roundhouse which dates back to 1819. The restaurant will provide an unforgettable experience for customers and an unrivalled opportunity for prisoners to acquire marketable skills that will lead to local jobs and provide a pathway to a better life.”

The kitchen will be operated by prisoners who will take on full-time positions within the restaurant under the guidance of a tutor chef and restaurant manager.

Fireworks design and install specialist high pressure watermist fire suppression systems to meet a large number of different applications for the Custodial sector and have over 150 installs throughout England and Wales. As a distributor for the Hydramist product range they are now able to offer systems to cover the risk of fire in prison kitchens with the latest installation just complete at HMP Peterborough.

The Hydramist® 15 AMPU offers fast and effective extinguishing of catering equipment fires, is safe for people and the environment and dramatically reduces the spread of smoke from a fire.”

Kitchen Fires: The Problem

Until now restaurant and commercial catering fryers have used dry powder or wet chemical fire suppression systems. Whilst effective at initially suppressing and extinguishing the fire these traditional systems offer little or no cooling resulting in a prolonged return to production for the kitchen. Additionally they leave a large amount of potentially hazardous residues from the chemical based fire equipment and surrounding areas which must be cleaned up before cooking can re-commence. This leaves a restaurant without a kitchen during this period.

Kitchen Fires: The Solution

The Hydramist® 15AMPU uses atomised tap water at high pressure to quickly and effectively extinguish the fire and prevent re-ignition by cooling the oil and hot surfaces. The Hydramist® system’s very fine droplets of water turn to steam upon contact with the flames. The steam created then smothers and extinguishes the fire in under 10 seconds. After extinguishing the fire the mist continues to cool the oil and hot surfaces to below ignition temperature in less than 30 seconds preventing re-ignition of the fire. After activation next to no clean-up is necessary as only clean water is used allowing the kitchen to be back in operation extremely quickly (in most cases within minutes). A further advantage of this system is that smoke is prevented from spreading throughout the kitchen and into other areas as the smoke particles from the fire are captured by the watermist droplets and the smoke is washed out with the fire. The Hydramist® 15AMPU uses a high pressure pump connected to the kitchen water supply resulting in a system that can run for as long, or short, as required. The Hydramist® 15AMPU Kitchen Fire Suppression System offers a cost effective, fast reacting solution to this fire risk. Using a wall mounted Hydramist® pump also eliminates storage issues associated with traditional fire suppression equipment.

For more information on the Hydramist® 15AMPU please call Lee Haines on 01953 458420 or email [email protected]

Documents

Custodial Review issue 76