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.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 0
Assaults: 4
Staff assaults: 0
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross maintains a safe and rehabilitative environment with positive staff-prisoner relationships and strong support for education and community employment. Despite these strengths, significant concerns include an inadequate kitchen, persistent issues with illicit items, and challenges in mental health engagement. Delays in infrastructure projects and restricted gym access during non-working hours also require urgent attention.
Key concerns identified
- The kitchen is inadequate for the prison's size, impacting food quality, with a promised new kitchen repeatedly delayed.
- Illicit items, particularly steroids, continue to be found, contributing to a worrying rise in adjudications.
- Despite efforts, engagement with mental health services remains low, suggesting ongoing stigma or prioritisation of employment over mental wellbeing.
- Reduced gym access during evenings and weekends due to staffing limitations frustrates men, especially those engaged in community work.
- The new OMU building was demolished due to significant faults, leading to considerable delays and indicating a failure in building project monitoring.
- There is an increasing trend of men arriving at the prison without their essential medication.
- Illicit items, particularly steroids, continue to be found, contributing to a worrying rise in adjudications.
- Despite efforts, engagement with mental health services remains low, suggesting ongoing stigma or prioritisation of employment over mental wellbeing.
- Reduced gym access during evenings and weekends due to staffing limitations frustrates men, especially those engaged in community work.
- The new OMU building was demolished due to significant faults, leading to considerable delays and indicating a failure in building project monitoring.
- There is an increasing trend of men arriving at the prison without their essential medication.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 0
Assaults: 1
Staff assaults: 0
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross, an open prison for Category D and YOI prisoners, reported a safe environment with extremely low violence and self-harm incidents. The Board noted positive staff-prisoner relationships and good healthcare provision. Key challenges include the Government's lack of progress on IPP re-sentencing, staffing shortfalls impacting training and education, and inadequate kitchen facilities. The report highlights the need to develop mental health provision and improve outcomes in education courses.
Key concerns identified
- Re-sentencing of IPP prisoners is not being addressed by the Government.
- Staffing issues, including a significant number overdue for control and restraint training, and understaffing in the Offender Management Unit (OMU).
- The kitchen is too small and equipped with broken items, affecting food quality; there are also too few opportunities for prisoners to cook for themselves.
- Mental health provision needs development, as the official caseload is very low compared to the number of men reporting mental health issues.
- Outcomes for English and mathematics courses are poor, exacerbated by staff sickness and lack of cover.
- The OMU building project is well behind schedule, and there are concerns about OMU staff conduct and delays in ROTL checks.
- There is no planned programme of decoration for residential units, leading to some looking tired.
- Staffing issues, including a significant number overdue for control and restraint training, and understaffing in the Offender Management Unit (OMU).
- The kitchen is too small and equipped with broken items, affecting food quality; there are also too few opportunities for prisoners to cook for themselves.
- Mental health provision needs development, as the official caseload is very low compared to the number of men reporting mental health issues.
- Outcomes for English and mathematics courses are poor, exacerbated by staff sickness and lack of cover.
- The OMU building project is well behind schedule, and there are concerns about OMU staff conduct and delays in ROTL checks.
- There is no planned programme of decoration for residential units, leading to some looking tired.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1
Assaults: 2
Staff assaults: 0
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross is a Category D open prison that maintains a very safe environment with extremely low violence levels and effective drug reduction strategies. Relationships between staff and prisoners are generally positive, fostering a rehabilitative culture. While healthcare provision is deemed excellent and rehabilitation efforts are at the heart of the prison's operations, concerns remain regarding low transfer rates for long-sentence prisoners, property transfer issues, and limitations in internet and mobile phone access for prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- Low transfer rates for lifers and IPP prisoners, denying them rehabilitation opportunities.
- Ongoing issues with property transfers resulting in missing items and slow resolution.
- Lack of internet access for prisoners studying at university and limited mobile phone access for remote family visits.
- Inconsistent use of Body Worn Video Cameras during use of force incidents and concerns regarding cuff usage.
- Proposed central dining plans are unsuitable and there are poor facilities for prisoners to cook their own meals.
- Mental health provision is not available in the evenings and at weekends.
- Disruption to education attendance due to other prison activities.
- Ineffective Prison Council and insufficient analysis of prison activities by protected characteristics.
- Ongoing issues with property transfers resulting in missing items and slow resolution.
- Lack of internet access for prisoners studying at university and limited mobile phone access for remote family visits.
- Inconsistent use of Body Worn Video Cameras during use of force incidents and concerns regarding cuff usage.
- Proposed central dining plans are unsuitable and there are poor facilities for prisoners to cook their own meals.
- Mental health provision is not available in the evenings and at weekends.
- Disruption to education attendance due to other prison activities.
- Ineffective Prison Council and insufficient analysis of prison activities by protected characteristics.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1
Assaults: 1
Staff assaults: 3
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross experienced a challenging year due to the pandemic and staffing issues but maintained a safe and humane environment. The Board found the prison's rehabilitative culture and healthcare provision to be strong, with positive staff-prisoner relationships. Key concerns include budget pressures, delays in high-risk transfers, persistent property issues, and the need to improve data collection on protected characteristics and reduce absconds.
Key concerns identified
- Ensuring the prison budget keeps pace with inflationary pressures.
- Undue delays caused by ministerial oversight of high-risk prisoner transfers.
- Continuing issues with missing property during transfers.
- Lack of decent fire-retardant seating for prisoners' rooms.
- Sending prisons failing to complete prisoner records fully.
- The need to reduce the increasing number of absconds.
- Insufficient analysis of prison activity data by protected characteristics.
- Mandatory drug testing remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
- Undue delays caused by ministerial oversight of high-risk prisoner transfers.
- Continuing issues with missing property during transfers.
- Lack of decent fire-retardant seating for prisoners' rooms.
- Sending prisons failing to complete prisoner records fully.
- The need to reduce the increasing number of absconds.
- Insufficient analysis of prison activity data by protected characteristics.
- Mandatory drug testing remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 3
Assaults: 7
Staff assaults: 1
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross continued to be a safe and respectful environment, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Board noted good healthcare provision and a strong rehabilitative culture, supported by the welcomed use of mobile phones. Key concerns include the national reduction in open estate places, insufficient resources for prisoners with complex needs, and persistent issues with IT systems and missing property during transfers.
Key concerns identified
- The national fall in open estate places means fewer prisoners can benefit from rehabilitative culture.
- Increased numbers of prisoners with complex needs are not matched by adequate resources.
- Lack of approved premises causes delays in prisoner release.
- There's a risk that the positive learning from the temporary use of mobile phones may be lost.
- Arrangements for high-security prisoners moving directly to the open estate are unfair and need review due to adaptation struggles.
- The prison continues to fail in providing decent, fire-retardant seating, an issue referenced in the last report.
- The systemic problem of prisoners' property going missing during transfer persists.
- IT systems for staff remain slow and inefficient, a concern raised two years ago.
- Embedding the new OMiC model and noting its impact on prisoner outcomes requires ongoing focus.
- There is a need to reduce contraband brought onto the estate by intruders and to re-evaluate methods for identifying absconding risks.
- Increased numbers of prisoners with complex needs are not matched by adequate resources.
- Lack of approved premises causes delays in prisoner release.
- There's a risk that the positive learning from the temporary use of mobile phones may be lost.
- Arrangements for high-security prisoners moving directly to the open estate are unfair and need review due to adaptation struggles.
- The prison continues to fail in providing decent, fire-retardant seating, an issue referenced in the last report.
- The systemic problem of prisoners' property going missing during transfer persists.
- IT systems for staff remain slow and inefficient, a concern raised two years ago.
- Embedding the new OMiC model and noting its impact on prisoner outcomes requires ongoing focus.
- There is a need to reduce contraband brought onto the estate by intruders and to re-evaluate methods for identifying absconding risks.
Thorn Cross
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 0
Assaults: 3
Staff assaults: 3
HMP/YOI Thorn Cross is a high-performing open prison for adult males, offering a positive rehabilitative culture where prisoners generally feel safe and are treated humanely. While the prison demonstrates good healthcare provision and strong staff-prisoner relationships, key concerns include the unsatisfactory state of the OMU building, the unsuitability of new furniture, and issues surrounding prisoner transfers, particularly regarding drug status and medical needs. The Board also highlights the need for a re-evaluation of mobile phone use and the high cost of telephone calls to maintain family links.
Key concerns identified
- The Ministry of Justice should reconsider the use of mobile phones for prisoners in the open estate, given the success during COVID-19.
- The high cost of telephone calls remains an issue, impacting prisoners’ ability to maintain family contact.
- The Offender Management Unit (OMU) building is in an unsatisfactory state and a replacement should be a high priority for the Prison Service.
- The newly provided chairs are unsuitable, uncomfortable, and unsafe, with prisoners refusing to use them.
- The fire alarm system does not meet current standards, and a completion date for a new system should be set.
- Prisoners transferring from closed conditions are sometimes found to be positive for drugs upon reception, despite assessments indicating they should be drug-free.
- A 'medical hold' process for prisoners requiring ongoing specialist treatment upon transfer has been requested but not approved, creating resource strain.
- Prisoners' belongings continue to go astray during transfers, often due to van drivers' discretion and GeoAmey's apparent intransigence.
- Concerns persist regarding the level of mental healthcare, with a slight increase in prisoners admitting suicidal thoughts and a need for more support for those adjusting to open regimes.
- The high cost of telephone calls remains an issue, impacting prisoners’ ability to maintain family contact.
- The Offender Management Unit (OMU) building is in an unsatisfactory state and a replacement should be a high priority for the Prison Service.
- The newly provided chairs are unsuitable, uncomfortable, and unsafe, with prisoners refusing to use them.
- The fire alarm system does not meet current standards, and a completion date for a new system should be set.
- Prisoners transferring from closed conditions are sometimes found to be positive for drugs upon reception, despite assessments indicating they should be drug-free.
- A 'medical hold' process for prisoners requiring ongoing specialist treatment upon transfer has been requested but not approved, creating resource strain.
- Prisoners' belongings continue to go astray during transfers, often due to van drivers' discretion and GeoAmey's apparent intransigence.
- Concerns persist regarding the level of mental healthcare, with a slight increase in prisoners admitting suicidal thoughts and a need for more support for those adjusting to open regimes.