The first annual report from the new Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales documented the damaging effects of the dramatic rise in the prison population. She said : 'The debilitating and chilling effect of prison overcrowding threatens all four of the Inspectorate's tests of a healthy prison - safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement'.
Source: Annual Report of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales 2001-2002, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | HO press release | Prison Service press release
Date: 2002-Dec
An annual publication presented statistics describing the work of the Probation Service in England and Wales during 2001, and examined recent trends. Of the sentences imposed by the courts for indictable offences in 2001, 32 per cent were community sentences, compared with 30 per cent in 2000.
Source: Probation Statistics: England and Wales 2001, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Dec
A report projected a growth in the prison population of England and Wales to between 91,400 and 109,600 by 2009 (dependent on different assumptions). The government said the projections underline the need to develop tougher community sentencing for non-violent and first time offenders.
Source: Rachel Councell and John Simes, Projections of Long Term Trends in the Prison Population to 2009: England and Wales, Statistical Bulletin 14/02, Home Office (020 7273 2084) | Press release 9.12.02, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Bulletin (pdf) | Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121, paragraph 6.3
Date: 2002-Dec
Researchers explored whether it is possible to develop well grounded survey measures of prison life and quality. They found that it is possible to measure complex aspects of prison quality, such as relationships, respect, safety and trust and to compare performance among prisons and over time.
Source: Alison Liebling and Helen Arnold, Measuring the Quality of Prison Life, Research Findings 174, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings (pdf)
Date: 2002-Dec
The number of self-inflicted deaths among prisoners rose in 2002 to 94, a rise of 29 per cent over 2001 (73). This was despite a three-year strategy to reduce the number of suicides, begun in 2000.
Source: Press release 31.12.02, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Howard League press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 6.2
Date: 2002-Dec
A collection of essays examined the role of religion, the faith communities and voluntary organisations in serving both prisoners and the prison system.
Source: Christopher Jones and Peter Sedgwick (eds.), The Future of Criminal Justice: Resettlement, Chaplaincy and Community, SPCK Publishing (020 7643 0382)
Links: Summary | Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A report said that thousands of remand prisoners in England and Wales are being denied their legal right to prepare for trial, because many prisons are failing to fulfil their statutory duty to provide frequent and reasonable access to legal reference materials.
Source: Restricted Access: Legal Information for Remand Prisoners, Prison Reform Trust (020 7251 5070)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A new book described the eight-year campaign led by parents whose son was kicked to death in a prison cell (and who the European Court of Human Rights ruled had not been properly protected by the prison authorities).
Source: Audrey Edwards, No Truth, No Justice, Waterside Press (01962 855567)
Links: Summary | Liberty press release
Date: 2002-Nov
About 125,000 children are believed to be affected by the imprisonment of a family member, according to a report. More than 11,000 prisoners are held more than 100 miles away from home.
Source: Parenting Under Pressure, Young Voice (fax: 020 8979 2952)
Links: Summary | Community Care article
Date: 2002-Nov
A new book examined the institutional dynamics underlying violence in prisons.
Source: Kimmett Edgar, Ian O'Donnell and Carol Martin, Prison Violence: Conflict, power and victimization, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2002-Nov
Staff believe that separate specialist provision is essential for most minority ethnic offenders on probation, a study found: but it said that it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of relevant programmes, on the basis of the evidence currently available.
Source: Beverly Powis and Rachel Walmsley, Programmes for Black and Asian Offenders on Probation: Lessons for developing practice, Research Study 250, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
The prison population in England and Wales in June 2002 reached a record level of 71,220, 7 per cent higher than a year earlier.
Source: John Simes and Karl Chads, Monthly Prison Population Brief, England and Wales: June 2002, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124, paragraph 6.2
Date: 2002-Oct
A new book examined the effects of imprisoning fathers on the emotional development of their children and on their family relationships.
Source: Gwyneth Boswell and Peter Wedge, Imprisoned Fathers and their Children, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2002-Sep
The government announced that funding responsibility for prison health services in England will transfer to the Department of Health from April 2003. Primary Care Trusts will become responsible for health services to prisoners in their areas.
Source: Press release 25.9.02, Home Office (020 7273 4000)
Links: No link
Date: 2002-Sep
The Prison Service failed to meet six of its 15 key performance targets in 2001-02, according to a report. It missed targets for providing an average of 24 hours a week purposeful activity per prisoner, and for reducing the level of assaults.
Source: The Prisons League Table 2001-2002: Performance against Key Performance Indicators, Prison Reform Trust (020 7251 5070)
Links: Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 6.3
Date: 2002-Sep
The chief inspector of prisons reportedly said that prison conditions are 'close to breaching the Human Rights Act' because of overcrowding.
Source: Interview with Anne Owers in the New Statesman magazine, reported in The Independent, 8.8.02
Links: Independent article | New Statesman
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121, paragraph 6.3
Date: 2002-Aug
An interim report was published on the introduction of offending behaviour pathfinder programmes (a variety of community-based programmes designed to reduce re-offending) being piloted in the probation service. It concluded that clearer central guidelines are needed to produce a more consistent approach.
Source: Clive Hollin, James McGuire, Emma Palmer, Charlotte Bilby, Ruth Hatcher and Angela Holmes, Introducing Pathfinder Programmes into the Probation Service: An Interim Report, Research Study 247, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jul
A report from a new think tank proposed a radical redesign and reorganisation of prisons, based on the work of architects, educationists and prison officials.
Source: Learning Works: The Twenty-First Century Prison, Do Tank (hilary@thedotank.org) | The Guardian, 17.7.02
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2002-Jul
Official guidance was published on the issues which may arise when seeking consent from people in prison to receive healthcare services.
Source: Seeking Consent: Working with People in Prison, Department of Health (08701 555455), HM Prison Service and Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Guidance (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jul
The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Home Secretary should lose the right to keep murderers in prison once the parole board had recommended their release.
Source: Stafford v The United Kingdom, 28 May 2002, Application 46295/99, European Court of Human Rights (33 0 388412018)
Links: Judgement
Date: 2002-Jun