Improvements made in treatment of vulnerable prisoners

Yet some encouraging progress has been made and steps have been taken to change the service’s treatment of vulnerable prisoners and this has been welcomed.

 

This is the conclusion of Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland in a follow-up to a report published in December 2009 into the treatment of vulnerable prisoners by the prison service.

 

The 2009 report came six months after the Prisoner Ombudsman’s Report into the death in custody of Colin Bell (and one year after the death of Mr Bell). It also came six months after a joint CJI/Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons unannounced inspection of Maghaberry Prison which raised significant concerns over the safety of prisoners.

 

“Progress has been made in relation to the treatment of vulnerable prisoners and the Northern Ireland Prison Service has taken steps to address the deficiencies identified in previous reports,” said Dr Michael Maguire, chief inspector Criminal Justice Inspection. “In particular the implementation of Supporting Prisoners at Risk arrangements for the monitoring and management of vulnerable prisoners, while mixed in terms of delivery, represents an improvement on previous practice.

 

“In addition the provision of dedicated resources to the management of vulnerable prisoners and the opening of the Donard Centre at Maghaberry Prison are welcome developments.”

 

However he pointed out that improvements in healthcare provision across the prison estate, particularly in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre and Maghaberry Prison were needed but progress was being undermined by the attitudes and behaviours of some staff, which is inconsistent with a therapeutic approach to prisoners in their care.Further progress is unlikely without changes of attitude and behaviour within the prison service.

 

“That’s why we fully endorse the prison service’s Strategic Efficiency and Effectiveness (SEE) programme aimed at changing the culture and skills its staff,” added Dr Maguire. “The inspection shows that the Northern Ireland Prison Service has taken steps to address many of the concerns raised in the previous report and while all of the risks can never be eliminated, our report shows that investment of effort and resources does bear results. Further progress is to be encouraged.”