Recommendation 1
Is the minister satisfied that there are sufficient secure hospital places to cope promptly with the demand?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Leicester
AI-generated report summary HMP Leicester is well-led, maintaining a relatively safe environment with reduced self-harm and assaults on staff, and improved reception facilities. Despite generally good physical and mental healthcare, significant concerns persist regarding long delays for mentally ill prisoners awaiting transfer, which can result in inhumane segregation. Staffing shortages have severely impacted key working and the regime on weekends, while aging infrastructure requires substantial capital investment, particularly for the gym. Resettlement efforts are hindered by a high proportion of men released without accommodation and underdeveloped substance misuse services.
Year: 2023
Published: 28 Jun 2023
Type: Prison · Cat local
Recommendations: 9
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 0 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 226 | 272 |
| ACCT cases opened | 195 | 254 |
| Prisoner assaults | 49 | 49 |
| Assaults on staff | 38 | 63 |
| Use of force | 315 | 365 |
| Drug finds | 62 | 39 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryHMP Leicester is well-led, and leadership of safety is strong, leading to a downward trend in self-harm and assaults on staff. Prisoners are generally treated with fairness and respect, with good staff-prisoner relationships and improving reception facilities. Healthcare, particularly physical and mental health provision, is generally good, and resettlement planning is developing strongly with an increasing range of vocational courses. The Board commends the supportive teamwork, resilience of staff, and the proper scrutiny and action taken on safety and equality data.
Key concerns
The Board has again to report that some prisoners experienced very long waits for transfer to secure hospital accommodation (6.3.1). Although there were fewer prisoners in the gatekeeping system in 2022 than 2021, the average waiting time for transfer to specialist units increased significantly.
The Board is again concerned about the growing numbers of men waiting too long for court hearings. The number of men who have exceeded the custody time limit on remand has increased from 12 in October 2021 to 66 in January 2023 (7.3).
In 2022, 40% of men were released from HMP Leicester without accommodation to go to (7.5).
The gym is one of the most important and popular resources in this ageing prison, which has limited other opportunities for men to engage in constructive activity. Its continued viability is threatened by a leaking roof and bowing floor, and much of the equipment is old and requires replacement. (6.5.2)
The Board was advised last year that provision would be made in 2022 for finance, benefit and debt services as part of prisoners’ resettlement through a commissioned rehabilitative services contract, however this is still not in place (7.5).
The Board has noted that the programme to address the very poor condition of many cells, which need redecoration and refurbishment, has ceased due to pressure on accommodation (5.1.1).
The Board notes that the induction process has been inconsistent, particularly for vulnerable prisoners (4.1.2).
Therapeutic services for substance misusers are underdeveloped and the ‘my recovery unit’ is not operating as intended (6.6).
The amount of key working undertaken with prisoners has been significantly reduced due to staff shortages (5.3.3).
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Is the minister able to work with colleagues in the criminal justice system to address this situation?
Recommendation 3
What plans does the minister have to commission short-term accommodation services for prisoners released in the East Midlands?
Recommendation 4
Can funds be found for repair of the fabric of the building and replacement of equipment?
Recommendation 5
When will a finance, benefit and debt service be available in HMP Leicester?
Recommendation 6
Can the Prison Service free up one or two cells at a time for this programme to recommence?
Recommendation 7
How will the governor ensure that the induction of new prisoners is of a consistently high quality?
Recommendation 8
What plans does the governor have for working with the healthcare provider to ensure a full range of services are available for those who wish to reduce or cease their substance misuse?
Recommendation 9
How will the governor ensure that high quality key working will be restored as the prison returns to full staffing levels?
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Discipline (Adjudications/Segregation) | 14 | 12 |
| Discrimination/Racism (DIRF) | 10 | 5 |
| Medical | 16 | 12 |
| Other | 20 | 15 |
| Property (including clothing, mail) | 17 | 10 |
| Sentence management | 24 | 18 |
| Staff behaviour/Attitudes | 21 | 18 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 2
· Respect 3
· Activity 1
· Release 3
Safety 3
· Respect 3
· Activity 2
· Release 3
Milburn, Ross · Other non-natural
Herbert, Adam · Other non-natural
Individual at Leicester · Self-inflicted
Michael Williams · State Custody related deaths; Suicide (from 2015)
Other reports for Leicester
Population 325
· Self-harm 314
· Concerns
Population 290
· Self-harm 379
· Concerns
· Self-harm 563
· Concerns
· Self-harm 272
· Concerns
Population 300
· Self-harm 455
· Concerns
Population 340
· Self-harm 471
· Concerns