HMIP Annual Report 1997-98 - The Prison Inspectorate's Year 1997-98


HMIP Annual Report 1997-98 13. The Prison Inspectorate’s Year 1997-98 Inspections 13.1 Inspections for the financial year were completed as follows (previous year in brackets):- SPS Establishments Five full inspections (5) Fourteen short/unannounced inspections (15), three of which lasted 2/3 days. Visits to Other Establishments Members of the Inspectorate visited HMP Doncaster in April 1997 and again in March 1998. This establishment is run by Premier Prison Services, who have been awarded the contract for the PFI prison which is being built at Bowhouse, near Kilmarnock. A number of prisons in Northern Ireland were visited on exchange in June 1997 and March 1998, whilst a total of 44 major conferences or seminars were attended by Inspectorate members during the course of the year. Production of Reports 13.2 Eight (8) formal reports (including 1996-97 Annual Report and Custody of Women Review) were distributed during the year. These contained 45(36) Recommendations and 230(314) Points of Note; the longest period between signature and publication of formal inspection reports was 11 weeks (14), whilst the shortest was 5 weeks (5). 13.3 All other reports were produced within fourteen days of inspection: further detail is shown at Annexes 1 and 2. Review of the Use of Community Disposals and Custody for Women Offenders in Scotland 13.4 This review was ordered by the Home Affairs Minister on 4 December 1997 and was completed in conjunction with the Social Work Services Inspectorate on 31 March 1998. Seven major recommendations were made to The Scottish Office, Local Authorities and the SPS. (See Chapter 12, item H.) Communications 13.5 Scottish Office IT equipment (SCOTS) is now in use. (E-mail address clive.fairweather@so082.scotoff.gov.uk) 13.6 All formal and thematic reports produced since 1995 can now be obtained on the Internet. (www.scotland.gov.uk) Staff 13.7 John Durno moved from the appointment of Deputy Chief Inspector to Head of Custody in SPS Headquarters in November 1997; he was later awarded the OBE in January 1998. His successor, David Croft, formerly Deputy Governor of HMP Shotts, was appointed Deputy Chief Inspector in December 1997. 13.8 The Inspector’s post is now termed an SPS attachment and is no longer funded by the Inspectorate. Attachments normally last a year. 13.9 Guest Inspectors continue to attend most formal inspections, with it being acknowledged that even a relatively short secondment is excellent management training. Additionally, parent establishments are better able to prepare for their own inspections as a result of the insight gained by the Guest Inspector. 13.10 Further part time posts have been created and now include security, medical, nursing, educational and addictions advisers. Further details are at Annex 3, which also includes a list of independent observers who have attended and commented on inspections. Working Practices 13.11 The format for intermediate inspections has been further amended and these visits may now last for between two and four days. They also culminate in a written General Assessment and it is our intention further to extend this practice into 1998-99 and beyond. The aim of all these changes is to close the gaps in assessment which have previously occurred over the 3-4 years which exist between formal inspections. 13.12 The Scottish Consumers Council published a paper on the use of lay inspectors in July 1997. This included a number of recommendations for the Prisons Inspectorate which are shown at Appendix 1. 13.13 Contact with other UK Inspectorates has been maintained via the Heads of Inspectorates meetings in London. Finance 13.14 The Inspectorate’s budget for 1997-98 was cash limited as follows: Pay and pension costs for part-time Chief Inspector and three full time staff Ł154,900 Pay for four part time advisers, training, travel and subsistence for all Team members and other running costs. Ł31,600 Total Ł186,500 13.15 The 1998-99 budget total is Ł188,000 which includes: Pay and pension costs for one part-time Chief Inspector and three full-time staff. Pay for five advisers, training, travel and subsistence for all Team members and other running costs. Acknowledgements 13.16 We are grateful to a large number of individuals and organisations for their assistance in the publication of this Report.