Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems

The government states that guidance to CRCs was issued through Exceptional Delivery Models and Cabinet Office Public Procurement Notices, and HMPPS is monitoring delivery via a comprehensive recovery dashboard, a National Recovery Board, 12 regional recovery boards, and specific recovery workstreams.

HMPPS has developed a programme to capture and share learning from the Covid-19 response, integrating data, staff and service-user perspectives, and international practice, with a focus on remote supervision, alternative delivery models, and staff wellbeing. The government commits to updating the Committee on the progress …

The government accepts the recommendation, committing to increase recruitment with a minimum of 1000 new probation officers in training by January 2021. It details a Covid-19 Staff Wellbeing Plan, a forthcoming wellbeing toolkit, and a comprehensive wellbeing action plan in the Probation Workforce Strategy, including …

The government details several measures put in place for prison leavers during Covid-19, including providing phones, discharge packs, requiring Through the Gate providers to focus on resettlement needs, and establishing Homelessness Prevention Taskforces.

The government states that Annex 1 provides the detailed timeline for the probation service transition and outlines ongoing oversight by an independent challenge panel and the IPA, with a further IPA review in late September 2020.

HMPPS states they have restarted elements of the regime and are supporting mental health by implementing new training, reviewing healthcare, rolling out a revised ACCT framework, and implementing the OMiC model to support prisoners at risk of self-harm.

The government details a range of existing products, guidance, and regime mitigations, including a self-help tool and family contact support, that have been implemented to support prisoners' mental health throughout the pandemic and will remain in place until Spring 2021.

HMPPS fully recognises the importance of family contact and has continued to roll out video calling to over 110 prisons, with facilities expected in every establishment by the end of the year, in addition to providing extra PIN telephone credit and mobile PIN phones.

The government confirms that 100% of prisons have fully implemented cohorting strategies, including compartmentalisation, and credits these existing measures with preventing explosive outbreaks and protecting lives.

The government provides a detailed explanation for the number of temporary releases, citing the need for case-by-case risk assessments for public protection, some prisoners' unwillingness or ineligibility, and the requirement for safe accommodation and support post-release. It states 54 prisoners had been released by the …

The government accepted the recommendation, publishing updated prison population projections on November 26, 2020, which factored in increased police numbers. They also outlined ongoing assessments, investment plans, and measures to manage potential prison population influxes resulting from increased court activity.

The government states its National Framework is flexible for the youth estate and the Youth Custody Service has developed specific Exceptional Delivery Models, prioritised education, and commissioned research with workshops scheduled to implement learning from COVID-19 experiences into future regimes.

The government acknowledged the committee's conclusion, detailing its innovative adaptations including the national rollout of Cloud Video Platform (CVP) and providing guidance for remote hearings. They stated a commitment to continue improving court technology and monitoring the impact of video and audio use, alongside increasing …

The government agreed with the committee's observation, stating it secured £5.4 million in emergency grant funding for not-for-profit legal providers and is working with partners to deliver new national-level services, with a further £2 million to be awarded to smaller organizations this autumn.

The government acknowledged the committee's observation by detailing various measures introduced by the Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency to support legal aid providers during the pandemic, including expanding hardship payments, pausing debt pursuit, suspending sanctions, and injecting up to £51 million into criminal …

The government acknowledged the committee's conclusion by detailing existing financial support measures available to the legal sector, such as SEISS, various loan schemes, and VAT deferral. They defended eligibility criteria for some schemes and committed to continuing to monitor the legal aid market to understand …

The government accepted the recommendation, stating it has already secured £5.4 million in emergency grant funding for not-for-profit legal providers and plans to award a further £2 million to smaller organizations this autumn. They also outlined ongoing work with partners to deliver new national-level services.

The government accepted the recommendation, stating it will continue to work closely with the Legal Aid Agency to ensure a flexible and supportive approach, building on existing measures like bi-monthly meetings, revised guidance, and ongoing engagement with representative bodies. They also noted future reviews, including …