Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Stocken
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 1 October 2024
HMP Stocken is a Category C training prison with an operational capacity of 1,071, generally providing a safe and humane environment. The report highlights improvements in education and vocational training and increased staff recruitment and retention, but raises concerns about prolonged mental health transfer delays, property transfer issues, and the prison's unfunded role in direct resettlement. The Board also notes the need for refurbishment in older parts of the estate and long waiting times for accredited programmes.
Positive Findings
HMP Stocken is generally a safe place for both prisoners and staff, with individuals treated fairly and humanely. Significant improvements have been made in education and vocational training provision, offering new courses and workshops. Staffing levels have improved, leading to better staff-prisoner relationships, and physical healthcare is well catered for. The prison's employment hub continues to run successful jobs fairs, assisting with resettlement, and screening and testing facilities have been enhanced.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
It takes too long to transfer mentally ill prisoners to secure mental health facilities. This often means that they have to be held in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) for their own safety for extended periods of time.
Estate/Conditions
The remedial work required on prisons such as HMP Stocken, which was built in the 1980s, should not be forgotten.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
property that has not been transferred with the men when they come to HMP Stocken.
Estate/Conditions
Although another new wing is due to be opened at HMP Stocken, no refurbishment, renovation or enlargement has been planned for the CSU.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
With the pressures on the prison population, the Board is seeing an increase in the number of prisoners held ‘out of area’, with the negative impact this has on family ties.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
As the prison still continues to release prisoners back into the community despite it not being a resettlement prison, what is the Prison Service doing about funding this activity?
Segregation
When Board members observe R45 reviews for prisoners held on security intelligence, the Duty Governor has little information to pass on to the prisoner and it often appears to take a long time for the security department to visit the prisoner.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The Board was disappointed with this response, particularly as HMP Stocken is being expanded. Some prisoners see the move to HMP Stocken as a backward step, with its rural setting and lack of in-cell technology, which they have been used to in their sending prison.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
There are still long waiting lists for the courses and the changes to the new accredited courses have further increased prisoners’ anxiety.
Board Commentary
Staffing
While starting with staff shortages, HMP Stocken has seen improved recruitment and retention, particularly in anticipation of new wings. This has, however, led to a higher proportion of junior staff, with concerns about their interpersonal skills being addressed by increased mentoring. Staffing for the Offender Management Unit (OMU) and mental health teams improved towards the end of the year, but workloads remain high. The ethnic diversity of prison officers has also increased.
Healthcare
Physical healthcare at HMP Stocken is considered at least as good as local community provision, with a focus on preventative measures and remote consultations. Practice Plus Group retained the healthcare contract, and recruitment for the new structure has begun. However, mental health services face ongoing challenges due to staff shortages and the excessive time taken to transfer seriously ill patients to secure facilities, leading to prolonged stays in segregation. Improvements in mental health recruitment and substance misuse prescribing were noted towards the year-end.
Regime & Daily Life
Despite initial staff shortages, HMP Stocken maintained a high level of out-of-cell time for prisoners, with the regime being reviewed to ensure all men received time for domestics and association. However, the number of prisoners in part-time work has decreased. The prisoner induction program causes delays for new arrivals, and the transition of Open University learning to five days a week depends on room availability. Social visits are being expanded to accommodate the growing prison population.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 12 | 10 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 11 | 4 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 19 | 20 | |
| Equality | 5 | 9 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 18 | 18 | — |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 6 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 39 | 33 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 23 | 9 | |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | 3 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 52 | 52 | — |
| Property within the establishment | 27 | 17 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 18 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation | 38 | 47 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 27 | 40 | |
| Transfers | 16 | 25 |
Recommendations (7)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 1
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Although the Board appreciates that work needs to be done on old, Victorian prisons, the remedial work required on prisons such as HMP Stocken, which was built in the 1980s, should not be forgotten. How and when will the Minister address the renovations required at HMP Stocken?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 2
Repeated
It takes too long to transfer mentally ill prisoners to secure mental health facilities. This often means that they have to be held in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) for their own safety for extended periods of time. What is the Minister doing in conjunction with the Department of Health to address the shortfall in secure mental health places?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
What is the Prison Service doing to ensure that when men are transferred between prisons, their property goes with them? The Board has received a number of applications concerning property that has not been transferred with the men when they come to HMP Stocken.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 4
Although another new wing is due to be opened at HMP Stocken, no refurbishment, renovation or enlargement has been planned for the CSU. When will this be addressed?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 5
With the pressures on the prison population, the Board is seeing an increase in the number of prisoners held ‘out of area’, with the negative impact this has on family ties. What will the Prison Service do to address this matter?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
Repeated
As the prison still continues to release prisoners back into the community despite it not being a resettlement prison, what is the Prison Service doing about funding this activity?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
When Board members observe R45 reviews for prisoners held on security intelligence, the Duty Governor has little information to pass on to the prisoner and it often appears to take a long time for the security department to visit the prisoner. There was talk of the prisoner being sent a ‘holding’ letter, but we have seen no evidence of this being used in practice. How are you planning to address this?
Governor / Director
Segregation
Other IMB Reports for Stocken
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
16 Jan 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.