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.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 461
Assaults: 428
Staff assaults: 90
HMP Durham, a reception and resettlement prison, housed an average of 961 men against an operational capacity of 985 during the reporting year. The Board observed improvements in first-night healthcare screening and a reduction in self-harm incidents, alongside a significant increase in overall deaths in custody. Persistent overcrowding, inadequate regime delivery with prisoners spending 21.5 hours in cells, and critical staffing shortages impacting key working and healthcare access remain significant concerns.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent overcrowding and unhygienic living conditions, with 90% of cells designed for single occupancy now double-occupied.
- Widespread administrative issues with 90.9% of ACCT documents, indicating a deterioration in their completion.
- Staffing shortages led to a significant reduction in key working delivery, impacting prisoner support and rehabilitation.
- Failure to sustainably deliver the core day, resulting in prisoners spending 21.5 hours a day in cells, restricting access to purposeful activity and healthcare.
- Increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and use of force incidents, with a significant proportion of prisoners involved in use of force not seen by healthcare professionals.
- Non-compliance with minimum kit entitlement for newly admitted prisoners, a concern first raised in the previous report.
- Significant education budget cuts and loss of specialist staff, limiting class provision.
- Widespread administrative issues with 90.9% of ACCT documents, indicating a deterioration in their completion.
- Staffing shortages led to a significant reduction in key working delivery, impacting prisoner support and rehabilitation.
- Failure to sustainably deliver the core day, resulting in prisoners spending 21.5 hours a day in cells, restricting access to purposeful activity and healthcare.
- Increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and use of force incidents, with a significant proportion of prisoners involved in use of force not seen by healthcare professionals.
- Non-compliance with minimum kit entitlement for newly admitted prisoners, a concern first raised in the previous report.
- Significant education budget cuts and loss of specialist staff, limiting class provision.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 798
Assaults: 409
Staff assaults: 108
HMP Durham, a Category B reception and resettlement prison, faced significant challenges in the reporting year ending October 2024. The prison, operating at 98.9% of its operational capacity with 974 prisoners, saw a concerning decline in safety, marked by substantial increases in self-harm (34%), assaults (52%), and use of force (76%). Overcrowding and a deteriorating estate were persistent issues, alongside critical failures in healthcare provision, an inconsistent regime, and poor engagement in education, leading to an overall reduction in prisoners feeling safe.
Key concerns identified
- Significant increases in self-harm (34%), assaults (52%), and use of force (76%), indicating a decline in safety.
- Persistent overcrowding, with 90% of cells double-occupied, and unsatisfactory internal fabric, including damp, mould, and stalled refurbishment of A Wing.
- Deterioration in prisoners' feeling of safety, with 80% reporting feeling safe (down from 92%), alongside a 50.5% increase in drug finds and concerns about Spice and homemade drugs.
- Major issues in healthcare provision, including 14% of new arrivals missing first-night assessments, poor secondary screening, high "did not attend" rates, and a lack of cooperation between healthcare and operational teams.
- Inconsistent regime delivery with no improvement in time out of cell, poor attendance in education, and lack of motivation among remand prisoners for activities.
- Ongoing concerns about the quality and completion of ACCT documents (78% with omissions) and the prison being designated a cluster death site multiple times.
- Persistent overcrowding, with 90% of cells double-occupied, and unsatisfactory internal fabric, including damp, mould, and stalled refurbishment of A Wing.
- Deterioration in prisoners' feeling of safety, with 80% reporting feeling safe (down from 92%), alongside a 50.5% increase in drug finds and concerns about Spice and homemade drugs.
- Major issues in healthcare provision, including 14% of new arrivals missing first-night assessments, poor secondary screening, high "did not attend" rates, and a lack of cooperation between healthcare and operational teams.
- Inconsistent regime delivery with no improvement in time out of cell, poor attendance in education, and lack of motivation among remand prisoners for activities.
- Ongoing concerns about the quality and completion of ACCT documents (78% with omissions) and the prison being designated a cluster death site multiple times.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 596
Assaults: 263
Staff assaults: 77
HMP Durham, a Reception and Resettlement Prison for adult and young adult men, holds a significant population of unsentenced prisoners (75.6%). The past year has seen a notable increase in self-harm incidents (596) and total assaults (340), including those on staff (77), alongside 8 deaths in custody. Despite these challenges, 92% of prisoners report feeling safe, and the Board commends staff de-escalation techniques and efforts to reduce illicit item supply.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding and its impact on prisoner dignity, exacerbated by the necessity of mixing vulnerable and Mains prisoners on the same wing.
- Lack of tangible and rapid improvements in accommodation availability for both planned and unplanned releases.
- Late arrivals to reception posing major risks due to missed healthcare assessments.
- Slow progress on A wing refurbishment and general accommodation improvements.
- Insufficient accessible cells for ageing or disabled prisoners.
- Significant delays in vetting processes for healthcare staff, leading to candidates taking other posts.
- Lack of accountability for contractors failing to provide sufficient staff for education, healthcare, mental health, and drug treatment services.
- Incomplete and administratively erroneous ACCT documents, indicating a lack of improvement despite Board feedback.
- Insufficient staff to maintain the regime, leading to wings being placed in 'patrol state.'
- Decline in the delivery of secondary health screening within seven days of reception.
- Continued issue of wing staff allocating work to prisoners before final approval.
- Lack of tangible and rapid improvements in accommodation availability for both planned and unplanned releases.
- Late arrivals to reception posing major risks due to missed healthcare assessments.
- Slow progress on A wing refurbishment and general accommodation improvements.
- Insufficient accessible cells for ageing or disabled prisoners.
- Significant delays in vetting processes for healthcare staff, leading to candidates taking other posts.
- Lack of accountability for contractors failing to provide sufficient staff for education, healthcare, mental health, and drug treatment services.
- Incomplete and administratively erroneous ACCT documents, indicating a lack of improvement despite Board feedback.
- Insufficient staff to maintain the regime, leading to wings being placed in 'patrol state.'
- Decline in the delivery of secondary health screening within seven days of reception.
- Continued issue of wing staff allocating work to prisoners before final approval.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 486
Assaults: 225
Staff assaults: 55
HMP Durham, a reception and resettlement prison, housed 976 prisoners at year-end, with 61.6% on remand, operating above its certified capacity. The Board commends staff for managing a challenging environment, noting that 93% of prisoners feel safe. Key concerns include persistent overcrowding, the increasing time unsentenced prisoners spend on remand due to court backlogs, and inadequate access to dentistry and certain induction processes. The report highlights improvements in staff attendance at key meetings and UoF monitoring, but also calls for better embedding of BWVC use and addressing regime limitations affecting education and resettlement.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent prison overcrowding and its impact on prisoner dignity.
- Increased time unsentenced prisoners are spending on remand due to court backlogs.
- Slow refurbishment of A wing due to inability to decant prisoners.
- Limited social video calls, impacting out-of-area and foreign national prisoners.
- Lack of access to probation services for remand prisoners prior to release.
- Dire issue of access to dentistry.
- Inconsistent delivery of first night and first day inductions for prisoners moving directly from reception to SACU.
- Failure to ensure all new prisoners in reception receive healthcare screening before moving to first night centres.
- Gaps in the completion of supervisors’ daily checks on ACCT documents.
- Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) use is still not embedded into the prison's culture.
- Frequent cancellation of prisoner consultation meetings.
- Deterioration of refreshments in the visits hall tea bar.
- Uncertainty about the future of the 'early days in custody' service.
- Delay in implementing the short sentence framework.
- Cells remain inappropriate for disabled or aged prisoners; basic showering and heat control issues are endemic.
- Men held under Immigration Act powers remain too long in HMP Durham.
- Community Rehabilitation Service provision excludes remand prisoners from accommodation support on release.
- Backlog of personal learning plans and low attendance in education and work.
- Increased time unsentenced prisoners are spending on remand due to court backlogs.
- Slow refurbishment of A wing due to inability to decant prisoners.
- Limited social video calls, impacting out-of-area and foreign national prisoners.
- Lack of access to probation services for remand prisoners prior to release.
- Dire issue of access to dentistry.
- Inconsistent delivery of first night and first day inductions for prisoners moving directly from reception to SACU.
- Failure to ensure all new prisoners in reception receive healthcare screening before moving to first night centres.
- Gaps in the completion of supervisors’ daily checks on ACCT documents.
- Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) use is still not embedded into the prison's culture.
- Frequent cancellation of prisoner consultation meetings.
- Deterioration of refreshments in the visits hall tea bar.
- Uncertainty about the future of the 'early days in custody' service.
- Delay in implementing the short sentence framework.
- Cells remain inappropriate for disabled or aged prisoners; basic showering and heat control issues are endemic.
- Men held under Immigration Act powers remain too long in HMP Durham.
- Community Rehabilitation Service provision excludes remand prisoners from accommodation support on release.
- Backlog of personal learning plans and low attendance in education and work.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 589
Assaults: 193
Staff assaults: 49
HMP Durham is generally considered a safe environment, with staff commended for managing pandemic challenges and implementing effective drug strategies. However, the Board holds significant concerns regarding severe overcrowding and the dignity of prisoners in unsuitable cellular accommodation. Healthcare provision is deemed unsatisfactory due to long waiting times and low screening rates, while education delivery is hampered by staffing and a lack of vocational offerings. The prolonged detention of unsentenced prisoners, including IS91 detainees, due to court backlogs remains a persistent issue.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding and its impact on prisoner dignity, particularly in pre-Victorian cells with inadequate privacy.
- Length of time unsentenced prisoners, particularly IS91 immigration detainees, are held due to court backlogs and slow transfers.
- Unsatisfactory healthcare provision, including low secondary screening, long waiting times, and inadequate healthcare attendance at GOoD reviews.
- Impact of staffing shortages and contractor performance on education provision, leading to a lack of vocational qualifications and a concern over the withdrawal of face-to-face learning.
- Inconsistent embedding of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) and disproportionate use of force incidents among young adults (18-29).
- Poor attendance at Diversity and Inclusion Action Team (DIAT) meetings and delays in enacting actions from prison meetings.
- Length of time unsentenced prisoners, particularly IS91 immigration detainees, are held due to court backlogs and slow transfers.
- Unsatisfactory healthcare provision, including low secondary screening, long waiting times, and inadequate healthcare attendance at GOoD reviews.
- Impact of staffing shortages and contractor performance on education provision, leading to a lack of vocational qualifications and a concern over the withdrawal of face-to-face learning.
- Inconsistent embedding of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) and disproportionate use of force incidents among young adults (18-29).
- Poor attendance at Diversity and Inclusion Action Team (DIAT) meetings and delays in enacting actions from prison meetings.
Durham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 522
HMP Durham transitioned to a reception and resettlement prison for adult males and young offenders in February 2020. The reporting year was significantly impacted by COVID-19, leading to a restricted regime for much of the period. The Board noted positive developments in first night inductions, a reduction in self-harm, and improved healthcare provision by a new contractor. However, persistent concerns include overcrowding, low levels of key workers and Listeners, and the prolonged detention of immigration detainees. The report also highlights challenges with access to purposeful activity for specific prisoner groups and staffing consistency in healthcare.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding continues to be a concern, with nearly 90% of cells designed for single occupancy being used for doubles.
- The Listener scheme is at an all-time low of three, and the delivery of key working remains poor and unsustainable.
- Immigration detainees are held for unacceptably long periods in a prison not equipped for their specific needs, with limited Home Office contact.
- There are no plans to introduce education or work experience for prisoners serving less than 16 months, and vulnerable and older prisoners have poor access to engagement opportunities.
- Healthcare staff attendance at segregation reviews is inconsistent, and there are concerns about the allocation of prison staff to healthcare and the cessation of reporting on missed medication.
- There is an increasing trend of positive body scans for prisoners on licence recall and poor utilisation of body-worn video cameras for use of force incidents.
- The Listener scheme is at an all-time low of three, and the delivery of key working remains poor and unsustainable.
- Immigration detainees are held for unacceptably long periods in a prison not equipped for their specific needs, with limited Home Office contact.
- There are no plans to introduce education or work experience for prisoners serving less than 16 months, and vulnerable and older prisoners have poor access to engagement opportunities.
- Healthcare staff attendance at segregation reviews is inconsistent, and there are concerns about the allocation of prison staff to healthcare and the cessation of reporting on missed medication.
- There is an increasing trend of positive body scans for prisoners on licence recall and poor utilisation of body-worn video cameras for use of force incidents.