IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
Channings Wood
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 533
Assaults: 141
Staff assaults: 12
HMP Channings Wood has navigated a challenging year following the closure of HMP Dartmoor, resulting in significant population changes and regime disruptions. While staff resilience and a downward trend in self-harm and assaults are positive, the prison faces persistent issues with property loss, inadequate infrastructure maintenance, and delays in access to purposeful activity. Concerns also remain regarding the care of an expanding ageing population and the plight of IPP prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The disruptive effects of the HMP Dartmoor closure, including changes to the estate, redistribution of work roles, and pressure on activities and resettlement, have created a very challenging period.
- The persistent backlog in repairs to roofing, heating systems, and work-related equipment continues to adversely affect decency and purposeful activity.
- Missing property, especially on transfer, remains a significant and unresolved issue, causing distress and undermining trust.
- The long-term segregation of a prisoner on a 'dirty protest' highlights the lack of alternative solutions for managing challenging behaviour.
- Excessive waiting times for opticians and psychologists, particularly for VP group sessions (38 weeks), indicate gaps in healthcare provision.
- The absence of a national strategy for an expanding ageing prisoner population means local initiatives are insufficient to adequately meet needs, leading to unacceptable social care provision.
- Prisoners serving IPP sentences experience hopelessness, frustration, and poor mental health due to difficulties in progression and the lack of a resentencing exercise.
- Purposeful activity is undermined by instructor shortages and ageing, prone-to-failure infrastructure, preventing the 75% participation target from being met.
- The persistent backlog in repairs to roofing, heating systems, and work-related equipment continues to adversely affect decency and purposeful activity.
- Missing property, especially on transfer, remains a significant and unresolved issue, causing distress and undermining trust.
- The long-term segregation of a prisoner on a 'dirty protest' highlights the lack of alternative solutions for managing challenging behaviour.
- Excessive waiting times for opticians and psychologists, particularly for VP group sessions (38 weeks), indicate gaps in healthcare provision.
- The absence of a national strategy for an expanding ageing prisoner population means local initiatives are insufficient to adequately meet needs, leading to unacceptable social care provision.
- Prisoners serving IPP sentences experience hopelessness, frustration, and poor mental health due to difficulties in progression and the lack of a resentencing exercise.
- Purposeful activity is undermined by instructor shortages and ageing, prone-to-failure infrastructure, preventing the 75% participation target from being met.
Dartmoor
PRISON
Concerns
The report for HMP Dartmoor covers a year dominated by uncertainty and eventual temporary closure due to elevated Radon gas levels, leading to extensive prisoner decanting. While initial safety metrics remained low and in-cell phones improved wellbeing, the period was marked by delayed decision-making from HMPPS, significant estate deterioration, and challenges in maintaining a consistent regime and purposeful activity for the fluctuating population. Healthcare provision, despite a new provider, faced issues with staffing, 24-hour care, and external waiting times, while the Board expressed strong concerns about the lack of accountability from Ministers regarding previously raised recommendations.
Key concerns identified
- Uncertainty over the future of HMP Dartmoor and lack of communication, highlighting delayed HMPPS response to Radon gas risks and potential non-compliance with safety regulations.
- Persistent issues with Ministerial accountability, including overdue strategies (Ageing Population) and reports (IPP), and a perceived lack of credibility in responses to IMB findings.
- Deterioration of the prison estate (damp, mould, pests) and the continued inhumane practice of double-celling.
- Significant challenges in healthcare, including long waits for external appointments, lack of 24-hour care, and difficulties matching services to an ageing population, exacerbated by population changes.
- An inconsistent and often poor regime, with many prisoners not engaged in purposeful activity, affected by staffing shortages in education and industries, and arbitrary time out of cell.
- A lack of confidence in the discrimination reporting system and ongoing problems with the timeliness and quality of responses to prisoner complaints.
- Persistent issues with Ministerial accountability, including overdue strategies (Ageing Population) and reports (IPP), and a perceived lack of credibility in responses to IMB findings.
- Deterioration of the prison estate (damp, mould, pests) and the continued inhumane practice of double-celling.
- Significant challenges in healthcare, including long waits for external appointments, lack of 24-hour care, and difficulties matching services to an ageing population, exacerbated by population changes.
- An inconsistent and often poor regime, with many prisoners not engaged in purposeful activity, affected by staffing shortages in education and industries, and arbitrary time out of cell.
- A lack of confidence in the discrimination reporting system and ongoing problems with the timeliness and quality of responses to prisoner complaints.
Dartmoor
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Dartmoor, a Category C training prison, experienced significant overcrowding during the reporting year, with 682 prisoners held against a capacity of 640. This led to serious concerns about humane treatment, purposeful activity, and stretched resources. Critical staffing shortages across healthcare, education, and general duties, exacerbated by recruitment freezes and lack of investment, impacted regime delivery and prisoner welfare. The Board also highlighted ongoing issues with infrastructure, support for vulnerable prisoners, and a lack of confidence in the complaints system, many of which are repeated from previous reports.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding in small, single cells, deemed inhumane and unsafe.
- Lack of matching increase in staff and support services for the increased population.
- Insufficient purposeful activity, leading to prolonged unlock times on wings.
- Severe lack of capital investment, impacting infrastructure, in-cell telephony, and basic amenities.
- Critical staffing issues in healthcare, leading to reduced services and increased complaints.
- Continued inadequacy of support for older, infirm, and vulnerable prisoners.
- Lack of prisoner confidence in the DIRF and complaints processes.
- Poor support provision for Foreign National Prisoners.
- Lack of matching increase in staff and support services for the increased population.
- Insufficient purposeful activity, leading to prolonged unlock times on wings.
- Severe lack of capital investment, impacting infrastructure, in-cell telephony, and basic amenities.
- Critical staffing issues in healthcare, leading to reduced services and increased complaints.
- Continued inadequacy of support for older, infirm, and vulnerable prisoners.
- Lack of prisoner confidence in the DIRF and complaints processes.
- Poor support provision for Foreign National Prisoners.
Dartmoor
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Dartmoor continues to suffer from underinvestment, management instability, and a slow recovery from Covid restrictions, leading to extensive lockups and a sub-optimal rehabilitative regime. While some aspects of healthcare are commendable, the prison struggles to meet the complex needs of its older and chronically ill population due to environmental and contractual limitations. Staffing shortages and issues with key working persist, alongside concerns about safety, bullying, and the effectiveness of equality and diversity mechanisms.
Key concerns identified
- Protracted underinvestment in infrastructure, facilities (e.g., in-cell telephony, showers, laundry) and security, leading to substandard living conditions and operational issues.
- A striking lack of management stability and a fully functioning senior leadership team, hindering consistent focus on prisoner wellbeing and rehabilitation.
- The very slow recovery from Covid restrictions, resulting in extensive lockup times and a detrimental impact on prisoner access to activities and overall wellbeing.
- Significant safety concerns, including a perceived increase in prisoner-on-prisoner bullying and the unreliability of body-worn video cameras.
- Inadequate healthcare provision and an unsuitable physical environment for older and chronically sick prisoners with complex needs, exacerbated by a lack of 24-hour care.
- Persistent staffing shortages across all grades, impacting both operational delivery and prisoner-staff contact, and leading to an inconsistent regime.
- Ineffective key working and a lack of consistency in fair and humane treatment for prisoners, removing vital support opportunities.
- Inadequate support for equality and diversity, with prisoner-led forums not fully re-established and a significant lack of confidence in the discrimination incident reporting form (DIRF) process.
- Extremely long dental waiting times, extending up to three years, reflecting a systemic issue that significantly impacts prisoner health.
- A striking lack of management stability and a fully functioning senior leadership team, hindering consistent focus on prisoner wellbeing and rehabilitation.
- The very slow recovery from Covid restrictions, resulting in extensive lockup times and a detrimental impact on prisoner access to activities and overall wellbeing.
- Significant safety concerns, including a perceived increase in prisoner-on-prisoner bullying and the unreliability of body-worn video cameras.
- Inadequate healthcare provision and an unsuitable physical environment for older and chronically sick prisoners with complex needs, exacerbated by a lack of 24-hour care.
- Persistent staffing shortages across all grades, impacting both operational delivery and prisoner-staff contact, and leading to an inconsistent regime.
- Ineffective key working and a lack of consistency in fair and humane treatment for prisoners, removing vital support opportunities.
- Inadequate support for equality and diversity, with prisoner-led forums not fully re-established and a significant lack of confidence in the discrimination incident reporting form (DIRF) process.
- Extremely long dental waiting times, extending up to three years, reflecting a systemic issue that significantly impacts prisoner health.
Dartmoor
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 96
HMP Dartmoor, a Category C training prison, generally maintained safety and humane treatment during the reporting year despite Covid-19 challenges. The Board commended staff efforts in managing the pandemic and providing support. However, significant concerns persist regarding the detrimental impact of the impending closure on investment, staffing, and the regime, leading to extended lock-up times and inadequate infrastructure. Long waiting times for mental health transfers and dental care, alongside insufficient support for IPP prisoners, are also key issues.
Key concerns identified
- The lack of clarity regarding the prison's closure is detrimentally impacting investment, staffing, recruitment, and the prisoner regime.
- Insufficient investment in infrastructure, security, kitchens, laundry, and other equipment leads to substandard amenities and regimes for prisoners.
- Unacceptably long waiting times for psychiatric hospital placements for prisoners with complex mental health issues.
- Lack of clear pathways and support for IPP prisoners, particularly concerning their release and preventing recall.
- Inconsistent availability of complaint forms on wings and inadequate processing and follow-up within the discrimination incident report form (DIRF) system.
- Challenges in providing 24-hour health and social care support for prisoners with complex needs due to the unsuitable physical environment.
- Insufficient investment in infrastructure, security, kitchens, laundry, and other equipment leads to substandard amenities and regimes for prisoners.
- Unacceptably long waiting times for psychiatric hospital placements for prisoners with complex mental health issues.
- Lack of clear pathways and support for IPP prisoners, particularly concerning their release and preventing recall.
- Inconsistent availability of complaint forms on wings and inadequate processing and follow-up within the discrimination incident report form (DIRF) system.
- Challenges in providing 24-hour health and social care support for prisoners with complex needs due to the unsuitable physical environment.
Dartmoor
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Dartmoor, a Category C training prison, faces significant challenges due to uncertainty about its 2023 closure, leading to under-investment in infrastructure and impacting staff morale. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, reducing time out of cell and exacerbating mental health issues, despite staff efforts to maintain safety and welfare. Key concerns include inadequate mental health provision, substance misuse, and deficiencies in resettlement support, as Dartmoor is not funded as a dedicated resettlement prison.
Key concerns identified
- Uncertainty over the prison's future closure in 2023, impacting capital investment in infrastructure and staff morale.
- Lack of investment in living conditions, in-cell telephony, resettlement budget, and laundry, leading to the prison not being fit for purpose.
- Serious level of substance misuse without adequate capital investments like portals and itemisers.
- Extensive periods prisoners with severe mental health issues spend in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) awaiting transfer to specialist facilities (over 100-140 days in some cases).
- Mental health unit is inadequately resourced and commissioned to provide the full range of services required by the prison's evolving population profile.
- Lack of in-cell telephones, with unreliable on-wing phones and poor privacy shielding.
- Dartmoor not being funded as a resettlement prison, leading to inadequate preparation for release for over 220 prisoners annually.
- Long waits for Category D prisoners to transfer to appropriate facilities designated in their sentence plans.
- Lack of investment in living conditions, in-cell telephony, resettlement budget, and laundry, leading to the prison not being fit for purpose.
- Serious level of substance misuse without adequate capital investments like portals and itemisers.
- Extensive periods prisoners with severe mental health issues spend in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) awaiting transfer to specialist facilities (over 100-140 days in some cases).
- Mental health unit is inadequately resourced and commissioned to provide the full range of services required by the prison's evolving population profile.
- Lack of in-cell telephones, with unreliable on-wing phones and poor privacy shielding.
- Dartmoor not being funded as a resettlement prison, leading to inadequate preparation for release for over 220 prisoners annually.
- Long waits for Category D prisoners to transfer to appropriate facilities designated in their sentence plans.