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.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 533
Assaults: 265
Staff assaults: 82
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, faced significant challenges in the reporting year, including a high level of violence, persistent issues with illicit substances, and severe overcrowding. The Board noted ongoing concerns regarding the deteriorating estate, the rising proportion of inexperienced staff, and significant delays in mental health transfers. Despite its training designation, the prison continues to house a high proportion of short-term resettlement prisoners who cannot access appropriate courses.
Key concerns identified
- High level of violence in the prison, including prisoner-on-prisoner assaults.
- Illicit substances continue to enter the prison, with high availability, including through drones and thrown packages.
- Significant delays in transferring prisoners with mental health issues from the CSU to appropriate facilities.
- Deteriorating estate condition, including shabby shower/toilet blocks, bedbug problems, and persistent overcrowding.
- Ongoing issues with loss or misplacement of prisoners' property during transfers, causing distress and frustration.
- HMP Ranby functions more as a resettlement prison (40%) than its designated Category C training role (60%), exacerbated by a high churn of short-term prisoners who cannot access rehabilitative courses.
- A rising proportion of inexperienced staff, lacking life skills and empathy for vulnerable prisoners, compounded by key workers being pulled from duties due to staff shortages.
- Persistent problems with the canteen system, including incorrect orders, delayed refunds, and inadequate contract management.
- Complaint forms (including IMB and IPCI ombudsman forms) have not been readily available on the house blocks despite repeated concerns raised.
- Healthcare staffing shortages contributing to delayed responses to prisoner complaints.
- Illicit substances continue to enter the prison, with high availability, including through drones and thrown packages.
- Significant delays in transferring prisoners with mental health issues from the CSU to appropriate facilities.
- Deteriorating estate condition, including shabby shower/toilet blocks, bedbug problems, and persistent overcrowding.
- Ongoing issues with loss or misplacement of prisoners' property during transfers, causing distress and frustration.
- HMP Ranby functions more as a resettlement prison (40%) than its designated Category C training role (60%), exacerbated by a high churn of short-term prisoners who cannot access rehabilitative courses.
- A rising proportion of inexperienced staff, lacking life skills and empathy for vulnerable prisoners, compounded by key workers being pulled from duties due to staff shortages.
- Persistent problems with the canteen system, including incorrect orders, delayed refunds, and inadequate contract management.
- Complaint forms (including IMB and IPCI ombudsman forms) have not been readily available on the house blocks despite repeated concerns raised.
- Healthcare staffing shortages contributing to delayed responses to prisoner complaints.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 747
Assaults: 250
Staff assaults: 97
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, faces persistent challenges including high levels of violence and illicit substance use. The Board noted overcrowding, significant staffing shortages, and a high proportion of inexperienced officers, impacting regime delivery and prisoner services like healthcare applications and escorts. Concerns were also raised about lost property during transfers and the difficulty in moving prisoners with complex mental health needs to external facilities.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of violence and illicit substances persist, despite increased security measures.
- Ongoing issue of overcrowding, with the prison receiving many short-sentence prisoners not suited for its training designation, hindering progression.
- Significant delays in transferring prisoners with complex mental health needs from the CSU to appropriate external facilities.
- Persistent problems with lost property during transfers and difficulties with compensation claims.
- Acute shortage of experienced operational staff, leading to issues with key worker duties and escorts, impacting regime.
- Healthcare applications are not processed in a timely manner, and there are long waits for mental health transfers.
- Prisoners' canteen orders are often incorrect, and refunds are delayed, negatively affecting morale.
- Ongoing issue of overcrowding, with the prison receiving many short-sentence prisoners not suited for its training designation, hindering progression.
- Significant delays in transferring prisoners with complex mental health needs from the CSU to appropriate external facilities.
- Persistent problems with lost property during transfers and difficulties with compensation claims.
- Acute shortage of experienced operational staff, leading to issues with key worker duties and escorts, impacting regime.
- Healthcare applications are not processed in a timely manner, and there are long waits for mental health transfers.
- Prisoners' canteen orders are often incorrect, and refunds are delayed, negatively affecting morale.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 425
Assaults: 108
Staff assaults: 54
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, generally provides a safe environment with satisfactory healthcare, though mental health transfers face significant delays. The Board raised concerns regarding cell sharing, inadequate purposeful activity, and difficulties prisoners face in accessing offender managers. Staffing has improved but retention of new officers is an concern, while the prison struggles to maintain its training role due to overcrowding and a high churn of short-sentence prisoners. The Board’s ability to monitor was impacted by administrative and equipment issues.
Key concerns identified
- Cell sharing in single-occupancy cells, where prisoners eat and use the toilet, is questioned as fair and humane and has been an ongoing concern.
- Prisoners consistently struggle to access or even identify their offender manager and POM Officer.
- Purposeful activity is sometimes poor, and a high churn of short-sentence prisoners prevents many from completing rehabilitation or skilled work courses.
- Significant concerns persist regarding the length of detention for IPP prisoners and the extended waits for severe mental health cases to be transferred to appropriate institutions.
- Rehabilitation and release planning are inadequate, with the prison struggling to balance its training and resettlement roles due to overcrowding and population churn.
- Issues with prisoner property, particularly loss or damage during transfers, remain a major source of frustration and complaints, as do delayed refunds from DHL and problems with canteen deliveries.
- The daily food budget of £2.17 per prisoner makes it difficult to provide adequate quality and quantity, leading to frequent complaints.
- Staff retention is a concern, with 25% of new probationary officers leaving within their first year, and primary healthcare services are understaffed due to lengthy vetting processes.
- The Board's ability to effectively monitor the prison is hampered by a lack of administrative support, non-attendance by governors at meetings, and unserviceable office equipment.
- Prisoners consistently struggle to access or even identify their offender manager and POM Officer.
- Purposeful activity is sometimes poor, and a high churn of short-sentence prisoners prevents many from completing rehabilitation or skilled work courses.
- Significant concerns persist regarding the length of detention for IPP prisoners and the extended waits for severe mental health cases to be transferred to appropriate institutions.
- Rehabilitation and release planning are inadequate, with the prison struggling to balance its training and resettlement roles due to overcrowding and population churn.
- Issues with prisoner property, particularly loss or damage during transfers, remain a major source of frustration and complaints, as do delayed refunds from DHL and problems with canteen deliveries.
- The daily food budget of £2.17 per prisoner makes it difficult to provide adequate quality and quantity, leading to frequent complaints.
- Staff retention is a concern, with 25% of new probationary officers leaving within their first year, and primary healthcare services are understaffed due to lengthy vetting processes.
- The Board's ability to effectively monitor the prison is hampered by a lack of administrative support, non-attendance by governors at meetings, and unserviceable office equipment.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 258
Assaults: 152
Staff assaults: 41
HMP Ranby, a Category C male training prison, concluded its reporting year ending March 2022 with a CNA of 892 and operational capacity of 1,025. The Board noted improved safety statistics, but highlighted significant concerns regarding prolonged waits for mental health transfers, the effective closure of the resettlement department, and persistent issues with property management for transferring prisoners. The regime was heavily impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, limiting purposeful activity and gym use, while the IMB itself faced operational challenges due to staffing and equipment shortages.
Key concerns identified
- Prisoners with serious mental health issues are being held too long awaiting transfer to specialist facilities.
- HMP Ranby is receiving prisoners with short sentences, diverting it from its training prison purpose and making it difficult to offer appropriate courses.
- The management of prisoners’ property continues to be a considerable concern, with transfers often arriving without all property and issues with the recording system.
- The resettlement department ceased to operate, significantly impacting support for prisoners nearing release.
- Lack of accommodation in the category D estate prevents suitable transfers for prisoners.
- The IMB itself experienced significant operational difficulties due to the lack of a dedicated Clerk and functioning office equipment.
- Cell sharing remains a concern.
- Staff communication, cell clearing, and canteen via DHL continue to be problematic.
- HMP Ranby is receiving prisoners with short sentences, diverting it from its training prison purpose and making it difficult to offer appropriate courses.
- The management of prisoners’ property continues to be a considerable concern, with transfers often arriving without all property and issues with the recording system.
- The resettlement department ceased to operate, significantly impacting support for prisoners nearing release.
- Lack of accommodation in the category D estate prevents suitable transfers for prisoners.
- The IMB itself experienced significant operational difficulties due to the lack of a dedicated Clerk and functioning office equipment.
- Cell sharing remains a concern.
- Staff communication, cell clearing, and canteen via DHL continue to be problematic.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 336
Assaults: 156
For the reporting period ending March 2021, HMP Ranby operated under severe Covid-19 restrictions, including a 22-hour lockdown. Despite this, the prison commendably controlled Covid-19 outbreaks and saw significant reductions in self-harm and violence. However, the Board highlighted recurring concerns regarding mental health provision, cell sharing, resettlement issues, and deficiencies in prisoner complaint handling and transfer processes.
Key concerns identified
- The continued housing of prisoners with mental health problems in the segregation unit due to lack of appropriate facilities.
- The ongoing practice of cell sharing in single cells, contributing to overcrowding.
- The high percentage of prisoners released to no fixed abode and restrictions on home releases.
- Issues with prisoner property during transfers and the lack of due process for those returned from Category D prisons.
- Persistent problems with late replies to prisoner complaints and lapses in the cell clearance process.
- The inability of suitable prisoners to transfer to Category D establishments.
- The ongoing practice of cell sharing in single cells, contributing to overcrowding.
- The high percentage of prisoners released to no fixed abode and restrictions on home releases.
- Issues with prisoner property during transfers and the lack of due process for those returned from Category D prisons.
- Persistent problems with late replies to prisoner complaints and lapses in the cell clearance process.
- The inability of suitable prisoners to transfer to Category D establishments.
Ranby
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 624
Assaults: 408
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, is considered reasonably safe with generally fair treatment, though issues in communication and specific processes exist. The healthcare service is satisfactory, but challenges remain with mental health transfers and long-term care, often involving segregation. While efforts are made for resettlement, 36% of prisoners are released without accommodation. Key concerns include overcrowding, mental health provision in segregation, property transfers, and ensuring access to purposeful activity for all prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The continued practice of housing prisoners with mental health problems in the segregation unit, a concern raised previously, with no apparent action taken.
- The use of single cells for two prisoners, leading to overcrowding (population 200 over CNA) and issues with decency.
- The high percentage (36%) of prisoners released with no fixed abode, and suitable prisoners not being allowed home release for the same reason.
- Ongoing issues for IPP prisoners, including delays in Parole Board decisions and discrimination in accessing training.
- Prisoners being transferred from other prisons or returned from Category D prisons without all their property or adequate paperwork.
- The level of violence within the prison.
- The prevalence of illegal substances and mobile phones in the prison.
- The number of missed healthcare appointments.
- Ensuring all prisoners have access to purposeful employment and qualifications to aid release.
- The use of single cells for two prisoners, leading to overcrowding (population 200 over CNA) and issues with decency.
- The high percentage (36%) of prisoners released with no fixed abode, and suitable prisoners not being allowed home release for the same reason.
- Ongoing issues for IPP prisoners, including delays in Parole Board decisions and discrimination in accessing training.
- Prisoners being transferred from other prisons or returned from Category D prisons without all their property or adequate paperwork.
- The level of violence within the prison.
- The prevalence of illegal substances and mobile phones in the prison.
- The number of missed healthcare appointments.
- Ensuring all prisoners have access to purposeful employment and qualifications to aid release.