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.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 256
Staff assaults: 134
HMP/YOI Norwich continues to face significant challenges with persistent violence, self-harm, and the dilapidated state of its infrastructure, particularly the segregation unit. While staff are commended for their care and some improvements are noted in reception processes and family contact, systemic issues like overcrowding, delays in mental health transfers, and lack of purposeful activity for vulnerable groups undermine progress. The Board raises critical questions about policy, resourcing, and equitable treatment, highlighting a pressing need for a safer and more humane environment.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent violence, self-harm, and the presence of illicit items, exacerbated by a lack of effective perimeter security.
- The dilapidated state of the prison's estate, particularly the segregation unit and heating systems, which are not fit for purpose.
- Inequities in access to purposeful activity, education, and healthcare for prisoners with disabilities and older prisoners, and the lack of essential rehabilitation programmes.
- The continued detention of foreign national men beyond their sentence expiry and delays in mental health transfers, leading to prolonged stays in segregation.
- Suboptimal healthcare provision, including inconsistent emergency equipment, long waiting times for appointments, and rejected mental health referrals.
- Ineffective key worker scheme and limited communication channels for prisoners, alongside concerns about the quality and meaningfulness of ACCT documents, especially for non-English speakers.
- The dilapidated state of the prison's estate, particularly the segregation unit and heating systems, which are not fit for purpose.
- Inequities in access to purposeful activity, education, and healthcare for prisoners with disabilities and older prisoners, and the lack of essential rehabilitation programmes.
- The continued detention of foreign national men beyond their sentence expiry and delays in mental health transfers, leading to prolonged stays in segregation.
- Suboptimal healthcare provision, including inconsistent emergency equipment, long waiting times for appointments, and rejected mental health referrals.
- Ineffective key worker scheme and limited communication channels for prisoners, alongside concerns about the quality and meaningfulness of ACCT documents, especially for non-English speakers.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
HMP/YOI Norwich, a multi-functional prison, faces significant challenges with dilapidated buildings and high levels of violence and self-harm during the reporting year. While staff show dedication, issues like low prisoner pay, inadequate healthcare access, and a failing key worker system undermine efforts for rehabilitation and humane treatment. The IMB raises repeated concerns about unsuitable detention for mentally unwell prisoners and substandard facilities, particularly the segregation unit.
Key concerns identified
- Dilapidated and poorly maintained buildings with broken heating, leaking roofs, and inadequate laundry facilities.
- High levels of violence, particularly prisoner-on-prisoner and gang-related assaults, exacerbated by illicit items and debt.
- Significant issues with healthcare access, including cancelled appointments due to staff shortages and lack of escorts, and an overstretched mental health team.
- Inhumane treatment of prisoners with severe mental health issues or learning difficulties held in custody due to lack of appropriate external placements.
- The segregation unit is not fit for purpose and lacks purposeful activity, leading to it becoming a "destination of choice" for some.
- Low prisoner pay rates have led to financial hardship and demotivation, impacting work/education attendance.
- High levels of violence, particularly prisoner-on-prisoner and gang-related assaults, exacerbated by illicit items and debt.
- Significant issues with healthcare access, including cancelled appointments due to staff shortages and lack of escorts, and an overstretched mental health team.
- Inhumane treatment of prisoners with severe mental health issues or learning difficulties held in custody due to lack of appropriate external placements.
- The segregation unit is not fit for purpose and lacks purposeful activity, leading to it becoming a "destination of choice" for some.
- Low prisoner pay rates have led to financial hardship and demotivation, impacting work/education attendance.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
The IMB report for HMP/YOI Norwich highlights persistent staff shortages as the overarching issue, leading to a restricted regime with prisoners locked up for extended periods daily. Key concerns include high levels of self-harm and violence, an overstretched mental health team, and a lack of purposeful activity and rehabilitation programs for long-term and IPP prisoners. The Board also notes the inhumane detention of foreign national prisoners beyond their sentences and prisoners with severe mental health issues in unsuitable facilities.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent staff shortages continue to undermine regime delivery, leading to long periods of lock-up and limited purposeful activity.
- High levels of self-harm and violence, exacerbated by restricted regimes, persist, with an overstretched mental health team.
- Significant issues with accommodation decency, including outdated buildings, leaking roofs, and inconsistent cell cleaning prior to new arrivals.
- Inhumane treatment of vulnerable prisoners, specifically seven foreign nationals held beyond their sentence expiry and prisoners with severe mental health issues detained in unsuitable facilities.
- A critical lack of accredited interventions and offending behaviour programmes for IPP and long-term sentenced prisoners.
- Ongoing problems with healthcare access due to staff shortages, including cancelled appointments and untimely medication delivery.
- High levels of self-harm and violence, exacerbated by restricted regimes, persist, with an overstretched mental health team.
- Significant issues with accommodation decency, including outdated buildings, leaking roofs, and inconsistent cell cleaning prior to new arrivals.
- Inhumane treatment of vulnerable prisoners, specifically seven foreign nationals held beyond their sentence expiry and prisoners with severe mental health issues detained in unsuitable facilities.
- A critical lack of accredited interventions and offending behaviour programmes for IPP and long-term sentenced prisoners.
- Ongoing problems with healthcare access due to staff shortages, including cancelled appointments and untimely medication delivery.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 181
HMP/YOI Norwich faced significant challenges in 2021-2022 due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and chronic staff shortages, impacting regime, safety, and humane treatment. Despite dedicated local leadership and staff efforts, the prison grappled with high self-harm incidents, violence, and inadequate ACCT management. Key issues highlighted include overcrowding, dilapidated facilities, insufficient rehabilitative programmes for long-term prisoners, and concerns regarding the detention of individuals with severe mental health needs and foreign nationals past their sentences.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent staff shortages leading to curtailed regimes and safety risks.
- High rates of self-harm and violence, exacerbated by inadequate ACCT management and training.
- Overcrowding and dilapidated estate infrastructure, including issues with cleanliness, basic equipment, and fire safety.
- Inhumane treatment concerns for new arrivals, those with severe mental health issues, and foreign nationals held past sentence expiry.
- Lack of rehabilitative programmes for long-term and IPP prisoners, alongside insufficient funding for increased prisoner numbers.
- Difficulties with property management, access to healthcare (dental, GP, mental health transfers), and communication for non-English speakers.
- High rates of self-harm and violence, exacerbated by inadequate ACCT management and training.
- Overcrowding and dilapidated estate infrastructure, including issues with cleanliness, basic equipment, and fire safety.
- Inhumane treatment concerns for new arrivals, those with severe mental health issues, and foreign nationals held past sentence expiry.
- Lack of rehabilitative programmes for long-term and IPP prisoners, alongside insufficient funding for increased prisoner numbers.
- Difficulties with property management, access to healthcare (dental, GP, mental health transfers), and communication for non-English speakers.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
HMP/YOI Norwich, a multi-functional category B, C, D, and YOI prison, experienced significant operational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to severely restricted regimes. Key concerns include persistent overcrowding with inadequate toilet privacy, a severe rat infestation, and the lack of rehabilitative programmes for IPP prisoners. Despite strong local leadership and staff teamwork, issues such as staffing shortages, poor healthcare access, and inadequate induction processes remain pressing concerns for the Board.
Key concerns identified
- The prison is overpopulated, and doubled-up cells lack essential toilet privacy, which is inhumane.
- There is a severe and intolerable rat infestation across all three sites.
- Prisoners are locked in their cells for approximately 22 hours daily, which the Board considers inhumane.
- Inadequate staffing numbers persist, undermining the ability to run safe and stable regimes and hindering rehabilitative programmes.
- Dental provision is inadequate, and GP access is difficult for prisoners; mental health caseloads are also very heavy.
- There is no funding for accredited offending behaviour programmes, leaving IPP and long-term sentenced prisoners without avenues for progression towards release.
- Covid-induced induction processes for new prisoners are brief, inadequate, and confusing.
- The destruction of all original personal correspondence for security reasons raises concerns regarding proportionality under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act.
- There is a severe and intolerable rat infestation across all three sites.
- Prisoners are locked in their cells for approximately 22 hours daily, which the Board considers inhumane.
- Inadequate staffing numbers persist, undermining the ability to run safe and stable regimes and hindering rehabilitative programmes.
- Dental provision is inadequate, and GP access is difficult for prisoners; mental health caseloads are also very heavy.
- There is no funding for accredited offending behaviour programmes, leaving IPP and long-term sentenced prisoners without avenues for progression towards release.
- Covid-induced induction processes for new prisoners are brief, inadequate, and confusing.
- The destruction of all original personal correspondence for security reasons raises concerns regarding proportionality under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act.
Norwich
PRISON
Concerns
The IMB report for HMP/YOI Norwich (2019-2020) highlights a deterioration in many areas, including safety, decency, and purposeful activity, a view endorsed by HMIP. Key concerns include chronic understaffing, high levels of violence and self-harm, a prevalence of illicit substances, and substandard accommodation. Positive aspects noted are improved staff-prisoner relationships, better cleanliness, and enhanced resettlement support, but the prison remains under significant pressure in its multifunctional role.
Key concerns identified
- Insufficient staff numbers and experience, leading to duties not being fully carried out and poor behaviour not always challenged.
- High levels of violence and self-harm, with inconsistent ACCT process quality and restricted access to Listeners/Samaritans.
- Easy availability of illicit substances despite preventative measures, and difficulties in completing MDT tests.
- Substandard and overcrowded accommodation, with a lack of basic items, dirty serveries, and poor property management.
- Unsatisfactory attendance at purposeful activities, limited qualifications, and lack of offending behaviour programmes.
- Deteriorated dentistry provision, increased waiting lists, cancelled GP clinics, and inappropriate housing of prisoners with complex mental health needs.
- Lack of a national strategy for managing exceptionally disruptive, long-term segregated prisoners.
- Unreliable and unsafe cell call bell system.
- High levels of violence and self-harm, with inconsistent ACCT process quality and restricted access to Listeners/Samaritans.
- Easy availability of illicit substances despite preventative measures, and difficulties in completing MDT tests.
- Substandard and overcrowded accommodation, with a lack of basic items, dirty serveries, and poor property management.
- Unsatisfactory attendance at purposeful activities, limited qualifications, and lack of offending behaviour programmes.
- Deteriorated dentistry provision, increased waiting lists, cancelled GP clinics, and inappropriate housing of prisoners with complex mental health needs.
- Lack of a national strategy for managing exceptionally disruptive, long-term segregated prisoners.
- Unreliable and unsafe cell call bell system.