Prison legal correspondence security

The Director of HMP Parc

The Director should ensure that documents about disciplinary hearings are given directly to prisoners.

The Governor

The Governor should ensure that prisoner telephone calls to the safer custody line are recorded and monitored in the same way as calls to anyone other than those organisations contained in Annex B of the Authorised Communications Controls and Interception …

North Sea Camp (2020)

HMP North Sea Camp is an open Category D prison noted for its rehabilitative culture and generally humane treatment of residents. The Board commends improvements in healthcare and positive staff-resident relationships, alongside community engagement. However, significant concerns remain regarding delays in Offender Management paperwork, inadequate accommodation conditions (including continued use of dormitories), and a lack of specific facilities for end-of-life and dementia care for the prison's increasing elderly population. These issues, alongside property transfer problems and laundry machinery breakdowns, require urgent attention and capital investment.

PRISON Key concerns

Lowdham Grange (2020)

HMP Lowdham Grange generally provides fair and humane treatment, evidenced by a positive regime and improved staffing stability. Violence has decreased, and healthcare provision is seeing significant improvements, although challenges remain with mental health transfers and inadequate accommodation. Concerns persist regarding property loss, the consistency of the key worker scheme, and slow progress for IPP prisoners, along with ongoing issues in education and access to local prisons for release planning.

PRISON Key concerns

Hull (2020)

HMP Hull, a category B local and YOI prison, recorded 8 deaths in custody this year, including four self-inflicted, but generally maintained a safe environment with reductions in violence and substance misuse incidents. While healthcare provision and purposeful activity are largely positive, the Board identified significant concerns including persistent problems with property management, delays in mental health transfers, slow contractor responses to maintenance, and a lack of post-release outcome data. Recommendations address these issues, aiming to improve prisoner experience, particularly for vulnerable individuals and young adults.

PRISON Key concerns

Oakwood (2020)

HMP Oakwood maintains good overall safety and humane treatment, with commendations for staff collaboration, peer-led initiatives, and positive reception processes. However, significant concerns persist regarding the quality and quantity of education provision by Novus due to staffing issues, and a lack of national progress on prisoner property transfers. Other key issues include inconsistent use of force implementation, deteriorating cell facilities, and challenges in healthcare provision such as medication transfers and secondary care capacity. The Board will continue to monitor these areas in the next reporting period.

PRISON Key concerns

Littlehey (2020)

HMP Littlehey remains a safe, fair, and decent Category C training prison for men convicted of sexual offenses, despite facing significant challenges. Key issues include persistent overcrowding, ongoing structural and heating problems, and inadequate provision for older prisoners and those with mental health needs, often leading to inappropriate CSU placements. The Board notes improvements in social care and equality monitoring, but highlights concerns regarding regime curtailments for staff training, slow responses to property complaints, and a backlog in offender management.

PRISON Key concerns

Humber (2020)

HMP Humber faced significant challenges in 2020, operating under severe COVID-19 restrictions for nine months. The Governor and staff were highly commended for their professionalism in maintaining safety and minimizing virus spread. However, the Board expressed grave concerns about the long-term impact of extended lock-up on prisoner mental health, progression, and purposeful activity, while persistent issues like property loss and PALS response delays remained problematic.

PRISON Key concerns

Isis (2020)

HMP/YOI Isis operated under a severely restricted regime throughout most of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to prisoners spending up to 23.5 hours a day in their cells and limited access to education, work, and association. The Board commended the prison leadership for managing these challenges and highlighted improvements in hygiene, but raised significant concerns about the impact of the regime on prisoner well-being, the ongoing issue of housing prisoners with chronic mental health needs in an unsuitable environment, and persistent problems with staff recruitment and property transfers. Despite a drop in overall violence during lockdown, levels began to rise towards the year's end, particularly among young adults.

PRISON Key concerns

Highpoint (2020)

HMP Highpoint successfully navigated the Covid-19 pandemic, with prisoners adapting well and staff ensuring a fair and humane regime, leading to reductions in violence and self-harm. In-cell telephones and video visits significantly aided family contact. However, the Board raised concerns regarding the withdrawal of JobCentrePlus services, persistent issues with prisoner property transfers, and the quality of maintenance from Gov Facility Services Limited. Challenges also remain in ensuring timely mental health record transfers between establishments.

PRISON Key concerns

Kirklevington Grange (2020)

HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange, an open category D prison, operated during 2020 under significant COVID-19 constraints. The Board commended staff for their response to the pandemic, maintaining a safe environment with no deaths and improved healthcare. However, key concerns include the urgent need for capital investment in the aging estate, persistent issues with prisoner property transfers, long waiting times for mental health services, and the negative impact of COVID-19 restrictions on prisoner regime, education, and resettlement opportunities.

PRISON Key concerns

Liverpool (2020)

HMP Liverpool faced significant challenges during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a restricted regime with prisoners spending limited time out of cell. Despite these restrictions, the prison was generally considered safe with reduced violence and self-harm incidents, and healthcare services were largely maintained. Key concerns persisted around the delayed transfer of mentally ill prisoners, property issues, infrastructure problems, and significant dental waiting times.

PRISON Key concerns

Risley (2021)

HMP Risley demonstrates high safety standards with reductions in self-harm and violence, good healthcare provision, and strong equality and diversity initiatives. However, the Board raises significant concerns about long repatriation times for foreign nationals and property management issues. The pandemic severely impacted regime, education, and Key Worker scheme delivery, leading to limited time out of cell and restricted activities.

PRISON Key concerns

Huntercombe (2021)

HMP Huntercombe is a Category C prison for foreign national adult men, with a population of 447 and an operational capacity of 480 at the end of 2021. The year was marked by Covid-19 restrictions, which limited the regime but were commendably managed by staff, who also rolled out in-cell telephony and enhanced video calls. Key concerns include the continued detention of IS91 prisoners under inappropriate conditions, issues with property, and the need for improved healthcare information sharing.

PRISON Key concerns

Risley (2022)

HMP Risley demonstrated high standards in safety, humane treatment, and health and wellbeing during the reporting year ending March 2022. Key improvements included a decline in violence and self-harm incidents, effective staff-prisoner relationships, and successful implementation of an accelerator prison model for resettlement. However, the Board raised concerns regarding persistent property loss issues, the poor state of showers, mental health provision in segregation, and understaffing within the Offender Management Unit.

PRISON Key concerns

Drake Hall (2022)

Drake Hall generally provides a safe and humane environment, with commendable staff efforts and good healthcare provision. Key concerns persist regarding the unfit condition of two accommodation units, persistent issues with lost property on transfer, and challenges in education provision post-pandemic. The Board also highlights the difficulty in preparing women transferred close to their release dates for resettlement and issues with mental health staffing and low reporting of discrimination incidents.

PRISON Key concerns

Springhill (2022)

HMP Springhill, an open Category D prison, faced challenges in 2022 despite maintaining low levels of self-harm, assaults, and use of force. The Board raised significant concerns regarding the poor quality of prisoner accommodation, persistent delays with external probation impacting Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL), and a lack of sustainable employment outcomes post-release. Staffing shortages affected healthcare and education, and property complaints, particularly during transfers, remained an unsatisfactory issue for men.

PRISON Key concerns

Liverpool (2022)

HMP Liverpool, a Category B local adult male prison, generally provided a safe and humane environment in 2022 despite an old Victorian infrastructure and frequent regime closures due to staffing issues. The Board noted positive staff-prisoner relationships, maintained healthcare services, and satisfactory educational provision. Key concerns persist regarding long segregation periods for mentally ill prisoners, inconsistent main gate security, ongoing property issues during transfers, and insufficient investment for rehabilitation.

PRISON Key concerns

Leyhill (2021)

HMP Leyhill, a Category D open prison, maintained a safe and humane environment despite COVID-19 challenges during the reporting year. The Board commended the prison's response to the pandemic, its healthcare provision, and diverse purposeful activities. Key concerns persist regarding the unfair treatment and delayed resettlement of IPP prisoners and those awaiting approved premises, as well as recurring issues with prisoner property management and the need to restore creative arts programmes.

PRISON Key concerns

Lowdham Grange (2021)

HMP Lowdham Grange operated a restricted regime throughout the year due to COVID-19, which impacted various aspects of prison life and the Board's monitoring capabilities. Despite these challenges, the prison was generally well-managed, maintaining safety with reduced violence, effective healthcare provision, and positive staff-prisoner relationships, though staff morale declined. Key concerns remain around mental health transfers, property management, drug availability, and the progression of IPP prisoners, as well as the overall impact of lockdown on wellbeing.

PRISON Key concerns

Oakwood (2021)

HMP Oakwood navigated the COVID-19 pandemic under a strict 22-23 hour lockdown regime, with staff showing exemplary commitment in maintaining a safe environment and humane treatment. Despite these efforts, the regime severely limited education, purposeful activity, and access to services, leading to concerns about sentence progression and mental health impacts. Key issues included the poor performance of the education provider Novus, persistent problems with prisoner property transfers, and challenges in managing transfers of vulnerable prisoners without appropriate medical information or COVID-19 testing.

PRISON Key concerns

Littlehey (2021)

HMP Littlehey operated as a Category C training prison for sex offenders, holding 1,098 prisoners under severe COVID-19 restrictions for 11 months of the reporting period. The Board found the prison generally safe and humane, noting a decrease in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults but an increase in staff assaults and a high number of deaths in custody. Key concerns include the proposal for new double cells, persistent issues with shared accommodation, long mental health waiting times, and a significant lack of purposeful activity for prisoners.

PRISON Key concerns

Manchester (2021)

HMP Manchester's reporting year (ending Feb 2021) was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and its re-categorisation to a Category B training prison. While the reduced population saw a positive decrease in violence and self-harm, the pandemic severely impacted the regime, leading to curtailed purposeful activity and extended periods of cell confinement. The Board expressed significant concern over the mental health of prisoners awaiting secure hospital transfers, highlighting unacceptable waiting times.

PRISON Key concerns

Liverpool (2021)

HMP Liverpool operated under severe Covid-19 restrictions in 2021, leading to prisoners spending only one hour a day out of cell, though the environment remained calm. While healthcare and education were maintained at appropriate levels, significant concerns persisted regarding the holding of mentally ill prisoners in unsuitable conditions and the lack of progress in engaging all prisoners in purposeful activity. The Board also highlighted issues with the use of body-worn cameras, prisoner property management, and the effectiveness of the new resettlement contractor.

PRISON Key concerns

Ranby (2022)

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.

PRISON Key concerns

Dovegate (2022)

HMP Dovegate, a Category B training prison, operated in a calm and settled manner despite ongoing Covid challenges and staff shortages. The Board commended improvements in staff culture, the effective use of body-worn cameras, and the high standards of cleanliness and food provision. However, significant concerns persist regarding the lack of a national electronic system for property transfers, the slow progress on converting the healthcare inpatient unit, and the increasing number of remand prisoners. The Board has made recommendations to the Minister, Prison Service, and Director to address these issues, many of which have been highlighted in previous reports.

PRISON Key concerns

Frankland (2022)

HMP Frankland, a high-security training prison, has operated near its 852 capacity. The Board noted positive developments including staff efforts to maintain safety, the continuation of social video calls, and strong educational engagement. Key concerns include chronic healthcare staffing shortages, persistent issues with property tracking, the ingress of illicit drugs, and the impact of heating problems on workshop availability.

PRISON Key concerns

Highpoint (2022)

HMP Highpoint, a Category C training and resettlement prison with an operational capacity of 1,270, experienced a decrease in self-harm but a 28% increase in violent incidents during the reporting year. Persistent concerns include significant maintenance backlogs by GFSL, ongoing issues with lost prisoner property, and restricted library access. Despite these challenges, healthcare provision maintained a 'green' rating, and the key worker scheme continued its development.

PRISON Key concerns

High Down (2022)

HMP High Down transitioned to a Category C training and resettlement prison in 2022, implementing gradual regime changes that have positively impacted prisoner life, including improved time out of cell and new community units. The Board noted reductions in self-harm and assaults, and commended improvements in induction and the visits hall. However, significant concerns remain regarding the welfare of IPP prisoners, long delays in transferring mentally unwell individuals, and a high proportion of prisoners leaving without settled accommodation. Persistent issues with lost property, inconsistent key work, and a lack of high-quality employment opportunities continue to hinder effective resettlement and overall humane treatment.

PRISON Key concerns

Kirklevington Grange (2022)

HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange is a well-run Category D open prison providing a safe and humane environment with high standards of healthcare and strong staff-prisoner relationships. The IMB noted significant efforts in preparing prisoners for resettlement, including good access to work and education, contributing to low complaint levels. Key challenges include delays in new accommodation block construction, persistent issues with property transfers between prisons, and addressing the poor literacy skills of some incoming prisoners.

PRISON Key concerns

Featherstone (2022)

HMP Featherstone experienced a challenging year, marked by significant staffing issues that disrupted the regime and various services, including healthcare and purposeful activity. The prison's aging infrastructure is a major concern, along with the inadequate management of mentally ill prisoners in segregation. While violence reduced and overall safety improved, issues with staff culture, property management, and inconsistent use of body-worn cameras persist.

PRISON Key concerns

Haverigg (2020)

HMP Haverigg successfully transitioned from a Category C to a Category D open prison during a challenging year, ending with a population of 284. The Board commended the leadership and staff for effectively managing this change and the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a safe environment and high levels of prisoner wellbeing. Despite these positive developments, the Board raised concerns regarding IPP prisoner progression, issues with property transfers, potential staff deskilling, and challenges in resettlement and some aspects of healthcare provision.

PRISON Key concerns

Kirklevington Grange (2021)

HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange is a Category D open prison operating in a year significantly impacted by Covid-19 restrictions. The report highlights the prison's successful management of the pandemic, leading to a safe environment, high ROTL success, and good healthcare provision. Key concerns include reduced operational capacity, delays in new accommodation, issues with property transfers, and difficulties with prisoners obtaining debit cards, alongside an altered perception of the open regime due to restrictions.

PRISON Key concerns

Huntercombe (2024)

HMP Huntercombe, a Category C prison for foreign national men, faced significant challenges in 2024, particularly regarding infrastructure issues like heating and hot water, a malfunctioning new kitchen, and inadequate healthcare accommodation. Despite improved staffing in healthcare and education, a surge in drug incidents and prisoner-on-staff assaults raised safety concerns. The rapid churn of the prisoner population due to early removal schemes impacted purposeful activity, resettlement, and offender management.

PRISON Key concerns

Morton Hall (2024)

HMP Morton Hall, a Category C prison for foreign national offenders, maintained a population of around 350 in 2024. The Board noted good staff-prisoner relationships, improved access to mental healthcare, and increasing educational and vocational opportunities. However, significant concerns included frequent breakdowns of kitchen and unit appliances, persistent issues with lost or delayed prisoner property transfers, and ongoing delays in Home Office processing for release. The Board also highlighted under-resourced purposeful activity in the segregation unit and the library, and a high number of unemployed prisoners.

PRISON Key concerns

Norwich (2020)

Why is the issue of property continually prominent in the majority of IMB and HMIP reports, without a viable solution having been found? The loss of prisoners’ property and its movement between establishments continue to be a major and perennial issue for prisoners. No noticeable improvement in the management of prisoners’ property between establishments is evident.

HMPPS

Isis (2023)

Loss of prisoner property continues to be a problem, and the Prisoner Property Policy Framework has not improved this. How will the Prison Service improve processes and technology to ensure that prisoners’ property is not lost?

HMPPS

Isis (2023)

As the Board has said in every annual report since 2018, prisoner property continues to be a problem, particularly property on transfer between prisons. The aim of the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is to improve the management of property, but this has not been met. The manual, paper-based system is error-prone and inefficient. It relies on the manual recording of …

Ministry of Justice

North Sea Camp (2020)

Address the fact that residents still have problems moving their property from one prison to another.

HMPPS

New Hall (2020)

The Prison Service needs to address and introduce a more robust process to ensure that prisoners and their property are not separated during prison transfers.

HMPPS

Send (2021)

The Board is concerned that there are still long delays in exchanging clothing from stored property and receiving property and mail sent in (4.1).

Governor / Director

Hull (2023)

Prisoners’ property, particularly on transfer, remains a significant issue for the Board. How will the prison service put systems in place to resolve these issues?

HMPPS

Hollesley Bay (2023)

The Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework, established in October 2022, is not working effectively. The losses that occur when prisoners move between establishments require particular scrutiny.

HMPPS

Whitemoor (2024)

Will the Governor ensure that prisoners have fair and dependable access to all visits, including legal ones, whether virtual or in-person?

Governor / Director

Liverpool (2024)

Prisoners’ property during transfers is still going missing and is not managed effectively by the Prison Service, despite the updated Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework. The Board has raised this issue with the Prison Service for several years through our annual reports. What action will the Prison Service take to eliminate prisoners’ property being lost or mislaid between transfers, as previous …

HMPPS

Scotland and Northern Ireland short-term holding facilities (STHF) (2025)

Access to phones in holding rooms is often poor. Information provision can also be weak. For example, some people we spoke to did not recall being informed of their right to legal advice. What steps are being taken to standardise provision in line with best practice, and to properly enforce non-compliance?

Other

Rye Hill (2025)

The property that goes missing at times contains sensitive documentation relating to the prisoner’s index offence. Can you comment on what steps have been and are being taken to address this?

Governor / Director

Ranby (2025)

How does the Prison Service plan to resolve this problem (loss of property and difficulty claiming compensation)?

HMPPS

Pentonville (2025)

The transfer of property between prisons remains chaotic and the 2022 Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework has made no noticeable difference. When will this dysfunctional system be overhauled?

HMPPS

Onley (2025)

The Minister should address the persistent problem of missing, mislaid, and delayed prisoner property, particularly on transfer between prisons, which continues despite previous reports.

Ministry of Justice

North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF (2025)

We recommend that a clear commitment is given to ensuring complete confidentiality for all reception interviews.

Other

Wymott (2020)

There continue to be issues with prisoners’ property going missing on transfer. Last year Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) assured the Board that the new Prisoners’ Property Framework would improve the service, but we have yet to see evidence of that (see section 5.8).

HMPPS

Wormwood Scrubs (2020)

While noting that there is a property policy review now under way, the Board urges HMPPS to devise a protocol committing each prison to the return of property to prisoners who have transferred to another prison.

HMPPS

Whitemoor (2020)

Will the Prison Service take steps to introduce a nationwide system for managing prisoners’ property and its transfer between prisons, an issue which causes enormous anxiety and anger among prisoners and wastes countless hours of Board members’ time (see section 5.8)?

HMPPS

Send (2020)

Prisoners should have the new Integrity Hotline added to the national permitted PIN phone numbers (4.4).

HMPPS

Norwich (2020)

managing prisoners’ property effectively, especially during cell clearances

Governor / Director

Norwich (2020)

Is it acceptable for the originals of prisoners’ personal mail to be destroyed if they cannot be handed out on visits? (See section 4.22.)

HMPPS

Manchester (2020)

What assurances can the minister provide to the Board that the handling of prisoner property is being prioritised to and from various prison establishments across the country?

Ministry of Justice

Cookham Wood (2020)

The lockdown highlighted Cookham Wood’s serious lack of IT facilities and telephone capacity. This greatly inhibited effective communication and planning with external agencies. What will be done to increase IT and telephone communication facilities in YOIs?

HMPPS

Norwich (2021)

The Board recognises the need for security screening of correspondence but asks the Minister to comment upon the possible implications of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act regarding proportionality in respect of the destruction of personal correspondence (see section 4.6).

Ministry of Justice

Channings Wood (2021)

The Board restates the question it posed last year: Why are the Prison Service and its contractors unable to manage the efficient and secure movement and storage of prisoners’ property, particularly during transfers? The loss of personal items causes a great deal of frustration and unhappiness for the individuals concerned that often detracts from their ability to settle. The costs …

HMPPS

Bristol (2021)

Property delay or loss during transfers from other establishments remains a problem locally and nationally. What is being done to improve this?

HMPPS

Altcourse (2021)

A continuing complaint from prisoners relates to their personal property, which has assumed much greater significance during the pandemic where photographs and personal items maybe the only remaining contact prisoners have with their families. We understand that this remains a persistent problem nationally, and although the subject of much discussion, nothing seems to change. This issue has been reported in …

HMPPS

Wymott (2022)

The long awaited Prisoners’ Property Framework failed to appear ⃰ and missing property continues to be of great concern to the prisoners and the Board, as evidenced by the increase in applications to the Board (see section 5.8 and page 27).

HMPPS

Whatton (2022)

Can the Prison Service develop a reliable system of handling and tracking prisoners’ property, to reduce these unacceptable losses and to minimise the number of compensation claims?

HMPPS

Highpoint (2022)

In spite of the revised framework, the loss or delay of prisoners’ property in transfer between establishments is still an issue of concern. The Board again asks for an urgent review into the handling of prisoners’ belongings.

Other

High Down (2022)

Can the prison develop a more efficient process for handling prisoners’ property, particularly in relation to cell clearances for moves between house blocks? (see section 5.8)

Governor / Director

High Down (2022)

What steps can the Prison Service take to tackle the issue of loss of property for men being transferred to or from High Down? (see section 5.8.)

HMPPS

Frankland (2022)

We would again ask the Minister to look into the tracking and tracing of property. This is long overdue.

Ministry of Justice

Dovegate (2022)

The Board looks for positive timely action from the Prison Service regarding the point raised below: prisoners’ property during transfer. This has been highlighted in at least our last three annual reports. Far more urgency needs to be applied to this problem.

HMPPS

Send (2023)

The delays and losses of property on transfer from one prison to another need coordinated action by the whole female prison estate and the contracted transfer service providers.

HMPPS

North Sea Camp (2023)

There continues to be a problem with a prisoner’s property not always arriving in its entirety on the completion of transfer. Prisoners face a long wait for their property to come and often it does not arrive at all.

HMPPS

Lowdham Grange (2023)

To give renewed emphasis to the development of a national system of storage and retrieval of prisoners’ property when prisoners are moved between prisons. The issuing of a revised framework in August 2022 has brought no change, and greater efforts are needed to find a national solution to this problem.

HMPPS

Long Lartin (2023)

Management of property. Will the Governor review and clarify the local rules, process and responsibilities for ensuring that property reaches its owner without unreasonable delay?

Governor / Director

Long Lartin (2023)

Management of property. The rules for possession of property vary among prisons. Are rules covering transfer and possession of property belonging to prisoners in the LTHSE to be standardised?

HMPPS

Guys Marsh (2023)

Loss of property on transfer between establishments continues to undermine prisoner progress, as well as being costly to the Prison Service in terms of personnel time and compensation payments. Can the transfer process be made more rigorous to avoid these all too frequent events?

HMPPS

Five Wells (2023)

Loss of property (particularly for inter-prison transfers) is problematic and creates anxiety for prisoners and extra work for staff. What immediate steps are being taken to address this?

HMPPS

Wakefield (2024)

Prisoner property: we remain concerned that prisoners do not receive ‘in possession’ property from reception in a timely manner. We ask the Governing Governor to clarify what action is being taken address this. Property delays lead to frustration on the residential wings for prisoners, staff and IMB members alike.

Governor / Director

Parc (2024)

There is a need to monitor and ensure that the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is followed and monitored to ensure that prisoners’ property is always transferred with them.

HMPPS

Morton Hall (2024)

Can the Minister please institute a review of the transfer of prisoners’ property? An unacceptable amount goes missing in transfer from institutions or takes a long time to reach the new prison (5.8).

Ministry of Justice

Moorland (2024)

Ensure the situation regarding loss or delay of prisoners’ property is improved by the new national framework.

HMPPS

Kirklevington Grange (2024)

The Prison Service should take steps to address the national problem of prisoners' property being lost or mislaid on transfer between establishments.

HMPPS

Highpoint (2024)

There has been no improvement in the management of prisoners’ property within the prison, and the Board would also like to see an improvement in the handling of prisoners’ parcels within the Prison Security Framework.

Ministry of Justice

Five Wells (2024)

What steps are being taken to introduce electronic communication between PPG and prisoners?

Governor / Director

Five Wells (2024)

The Board remains concerned that little progress has been made in introducing a system which reduces the problems of loss of property during transfer from another establishment.

HMPPS

— LP 6

We recommend that the banning of visitors should be a last resort and in the case of young offenders the implications of such bans are taken into account before imposing them. Prisoners should be told of bans and avenues of appeal made known to visitors and prisoners when bans are …

HMPPS Partially Accepted

— LP 4

We recommend that stronger efforts are made to assemble and substantiate basic information about prisoners’ next of kin and family situation, particularly where young offenders are concerned.

HMPPS Accepted

201101139 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the Governor's response to his complaint was unreasonable. Mr C complained about a member of staff opening his legal mail and also about a member of staff throwing away stamps that had been used on a parcel sent to him. After making …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Nov 2011

201101004 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained because a member of staff refused to allow a solicitor to send a legal fax to the prison. He said this was contrary to published Scottish Prison Service (SPS) policy. In addition to this, Mr C said that the prison did not tell …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2012

201201776 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained to the prison about a delay in receiving correspondence from his solicitor. The complaint was resolved to his satisfaction, but he was unhappy with the time taken to respond. The prison rules say that, at stage one, a manager should offer to discuss …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Mar 2013

201402677 — Scottish Prison Service

We received a complaint that prison officers had not handled a prisoner's incoming post in line with prison rules and had not handled his complaint to the SPS reasonably. However, the prisoner later contacted us to say that the complaint had been made to us without his knowledge or agreement. …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Oct 2014

201402429 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that prison staff opened an item of post from his solicitor, which they should have passed to him unopened. Post in prison must be strictly handled, so that prisoners do not receive inappropriate items. Incoming mail is, therefore, opened by prison officers. However, the Scottish Prison Service …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Nov 2014

201204576 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained because he said that two of his requests to have items of mail sent by recorded delivery were unreasonably delayed because of the process that was in place at the prison. The prison explained that if a prisoner wants to have an item …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jun 2013

201303377 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that he was issued with mail on a Sunday, when it should have been issued on a Saturday. He also complained that the prison failed to ensure that staff adhered to the procedures regarding cell searches, as well as those for handling and …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld May 2014

201306259 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison did not handle his mail appropriately. He said he was given three items of legal mail several days after they were posted, and suspected the prison had held his mail back longer than they should have. Mr C also complained …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Sep 2014

201502172 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that his prison had inadequate arrangements for him to access documents that were held for him in the reception area. Mr C also complained about how the prison handled his complaints about this matter. During our investigation, Mr C told us that legal action he was taking …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Nov 2015

201508843 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained about issues with his mail coming into the prison. He said that he was having to wait at least a week to receive mail, that he was being made to sign for letters, and that the prison was unreasonably opening some of his mail and sealing it …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Dec 2016

201101136 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained because an officer opened an envelope containing documents that Mr C had asked to be faxed to the court. Mr C said that, because the decision had been taken not to fax the documents, it was inappropriate for the officer to open the …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Dec 2011

201204249 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison had decided to put his outgoing mail on the mail intercept scheme. This meant that any non legal or non privileged mail that he sent out of the prison could be opened and read by prison staff. Mr C complained …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jul 2013

201900780 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C said that mail sent to him by recorded delivery, which arrived at the prison, had not been received by him. Mr C said that he did not sign the mail log. This is a document used by the prison to record that a prisoner has received recorded mail …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Jun 2020

201103118 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed to properly consider his request for compensation for items of property that he said went missing when he was transferred between two prisons. Mr C said that the first prison accepted that they had mislaid some …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Sep 2012

201200440 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison inappropriately issued his mail to another prisoner. The prison investigated Mr C's complaint and confirmed that his mail had been given to another prisoner in error. Our enquiries with the prison confirmed that steps had been taken to carry out …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Oct 2012

201205132 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison lost some of his property. A visitor had handed in clothing and some coat hangers, which the prison logged as received. However, they did not reach Mr C, so he put in a missing property claim. He was unhappy with …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Sep 2013

201204091 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained to the prison governor about the monitoring and recording of phone calls to the mobile numbers of two of his legal representatives. Mr C asked us to consider whether the prison had appropriately handled his complaint about this. In responding to the complaint, …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Sep 2013

201205062 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison would only allow him to purchase a Playstation 2 instead of a Xbox games console. The prison advised Mr C that Xboxes were not allowed as they can be modified for internet provision, which was a security risk. Mr C …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Nov 2013

201507927 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that his lost property claim was not appropriately investigated. During our initial investigations we found some discrepancies in the claim correspondence and associated evidence. We therefore asked the Scottish Prison Service to reconsider the claim in the first instance. Related reading View Decision Report 201507927 as a …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Mar 2017

201600415 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) acted unreasonably by refusing his request for phone credit to allow him to call his partner, who was seriously ill. SPS said that Mr C's requests were declined because he refused to return to mainstream accommodation and that as a result …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jul 2017

201608784 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the pornographic magazines stocked by the prion's supplier were aimed at heterosexual men. Mr C asked for access to equivalent homosexual pornographic magazines. The prison said that magazines were subject to the stock held by the supplier and that the supplier could not accommodate one-off requests. …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld May 2018

201200043 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the prison unreasonably refused to permit him to have certain pagan worship materials in use. Our investigation found that the prison had consulted with their chaplaincy advisers and also the Scottish Pagan Federation. It was concluded that some of the content of the materials was not …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Sep 2012

201204937 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, said that he posted three items of mail in the mail box in his residential hall but they went missing. He complained to the prison about this and the deputy governor tasked a security manager to investigate. The security manager discussed this with Mr …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Oct 2013

201306092 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that when he transferred from prison 1 to prison 2 some of his property went missing and that this was not properly investigated, although he submitted a claim form in December 2012. He told us that prison 2 had made several attempts to contact prison 1 to …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Apr 2015

201601777 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) unreasonably failed to manage his property in line with relevant policy and procedure. Mr C said that over a few months, he had condemned (voluntarily given up) items of his property, handed it out to visitors, or donated it to the …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jan 2017

201508791 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that prison staff had inappropriately opened an item of his mail. Prison staff may open mail sent to prisoners when they consider they have reasonable cause to do so. However, the prison told us that staff had not opened the item of mail. We did not consider …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Apr 2017

201707695 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that a prisoner officer made inappropriate comments about him in an email sent to another officer. The officer did not accept that their comments were inappropriate, and noted that they were informed by a psychological risk assessment given to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) in relation to …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Dec 2018

201706971 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) did not reasonably investigate and respond to his report of lost property. Mr C's property went missing and the SPS acknowledged that the door to his cell was left open accidentally by one of their officers. We found that the SPS …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Jun 2019

202001300 — Scottish Prison Service

Ms C provided her express consent for her pronouns to be used for this publication. Ms C complained about matters relating to the SPS failing to give Ms C advice and failing to put in place an appropriate procedure for Ms C to obtain certain items. Ms C also complained …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Sep 2022

201100170 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that information given by the prison in response to his complaint was incorrect. He said that he pled 'not guilty' to a charge in an orderly room hearing and a witness request was refused. The prison's response to his complaint indicated that he did not request a …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld Aug 2011

201100807 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the prison lost a ring that belonged to him, and were refusing to compensate him for it. When we investigated the complaint, we found that the SPS failed to act in line with the prison rules and SPS procedures. This meant that Mr C's property, including …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jan 2012

201102988 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that prisoners in one hall did not have access to a prisoner telephone at all of the times specified in a particular part of the Scottish Prison Service Rules. During some of these times, Mr C was locked in his cell. He felt …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2012

201104125 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that he was not allowed to have two specific electrical items despite having purchased them while in a previous prison establishment and being allowed to use them there. We obtained a copy of the prison's 'items in use' policy which confirmed that the …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jul 2012

201103423 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, was unhappy with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS)'s investigation of his claim for several books that had gone missing in prison. Mr C said that although he gave the prison information about the missing books, there was a delay in finalising the matter. We …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Nov 2012

201202641 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison's decision to remove his hi-fi was unreasonable. He said he had used the same hi-fi for many years. In response to Mr C's complaint, the prison said he could not have his hi-fi in use because it had a recording …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jan 2013

201202525 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison were failing to credit money, handed in for him, to his account within a reasonable timescale. We asked the prison to tell us what the process was. They confirmed that money handed in for a prisoner would be credited to …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Jan 2013

201204046 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that he was not allowed to have a particular item in prison. It is not for us to tell prisons what items they should allow, so our role was to consider whether the prison correctly followed their policy about items that are allowed …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2013

201203590 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that prison officers opened an item of his incoming post when he was not present. Our investigation found that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) are permitted to open personal post in certain circumstances, such as when they have reason to believe that an …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2013

201203496 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that he was not allowed to use his electric typewriter in prison. He said that he had previously been in another prison, where he had been allowed to use it. He also felt that the prison had not responded properly to his complaint …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2013

201203108 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) legal laptop policy inappropriately restricted his access to a laptop computer. The policy sets out the circumstances and conditions under which access to a laptop may be granted to prisoners. In particular, Mr C was unhappy because …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2013

201303600 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who is a prisoner, claimed that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed to properly investigate his claim for property that went missing when he was removed from his cell. He said that staff left the cell door open and other prisoners had taken his property. The SPS told …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Jul 2014

201304372 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C sent a wash bag to the prison laundry but did not receive it back. He said it appeared that his laundry bag had been stolen and he submitted a compensation claim. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) rejected Mr C's claim and said that any property held in use …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Dec 2014

201404172 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that some of his property went missing when he was moved from one prison to another. Mr C disagreed with the outcome of his property claim. He said it was unreasonable for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to say that he was responsible for the property when …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld Feb 2015

201300474 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that because the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) failed to appropriately process his property, he lost two items. Mr C said that they failed to record or itemise his belongings correctly, failed to place them in sealed bags and mixed them up with those of another prisoner. The …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Feb 2015

201400007 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that prison 1 did not properly investigate his claim for his lost property after he submitted two claim forms. When Mr C was transferred from prison 2 to prison 1, he signed on his property card that he had a mobile phone in storage in prison 2, …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Mar 2015

201305951 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained about the Scottish Prison Service (SPS)'s handling of his property when he was transferred between prisons. He also complained that the SPS did not handle his complaint properly. Mr C was released from prison whilst we were investigating his complaint and he did not provide us with …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Mar 2015

201306133 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) delayed in repairing a phone that he reported broken. We found that the SPS had not taken any action to repair the phone for over two weeks after Mr C complained about it and we upheld his complaint. Mr C also …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Apr 2015

201402202 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the prison's handling of his request to have a phone number added to his account was unreasonable. He said an officer told him that his request would be actioned the same day he submitted it but that did not happen. Instead, Mr C's request was actioned …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Not Upheld May 2015

201400679 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained to us that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) had breached the prison rules by refusing him access to a phone whist staff were searching cells in his area of the prison. We found that the SPS were entitled to do this, under the relevant prison rules and …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Partly Upheld May 2015

201403898 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) delayed sending all of his property when he was transferred from his previous prison to his current prison. Mr C also complained about how the prisons had dealt with his concerns and complaints about his property. We found that Mr C's …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Jul 2015