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See other news storiesReport issued on prisoners awaiting deportation
22 March 2007
A report issued today identified problems in the way some prisoners are detained.
The report by Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons, called for changes in the way prisoners awaiting deportation are handled.
Among other things, her report called for better communication between prisons officials and those working closely with the prisoners themselves, to ensure that information is conveyed about how long they're likely to be detained before they are deported.
This report is a follow-up to a review issued in 2006, which identified a number of areas for improvement.
Complex issue leads to diverse problems
The catalyst for most of the problems prisons now face, the new report found, was that a fairly large numbers of foreign prisoners were plunged into a system with limited space and manpower, creating some problems that have not yet been resolved.
These included:
- inaccurate information and lack of communication among those working with the prisoners
- prisons having problems obtaining information from immigration officials
- some crowding in removal centres
- some families are not being kept together in detention
Research conducted last autumn
The report was based on research conducted in August and September 2006. In recent months, new systems have been put into place by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in an effort to address the problems.
An action plan was produced this week in direct response to these issues, many of which were identified in a similar report issued last year.
Anne Owers acknowledged the work being done, saying 'there are recent indications that some of the concerns in this and our previous report' are being responded to.
'New arrangements have been put in place to recognise the special position of Irish nationals, earlier decisions on deportation are promised, and immigration officers are being deployed in some prisons,' she said.
Lin Homer, the Director General of the Immigration and Nationality, said she was pleased to see that the report mentioned improvements made in recent months to address the problems identified in 2006.
'Public protection must be our first priority. That means foreign national prisoners are not released without consideration of deportation,' she explained. 'While the system is being rebuilt, there have been some delays to individual cases, and we have continued to hold people in detention where necessary.'
She added, 'The speed of deportation is often very largely dependent upon the cooperation of the individuals. In many cases that is not, and frankly will not be, forthcoming.'
Much work to be done
Today's report identified a number of areas on which immigration officials need to concentrate in order to ameliorate the situation. Communicating more effectively to the prisoners, for example, could lessen many of the problems. As could speeding up the deportation processes.
Finally, the report said immigration officials must pay more attention to the issue of foreign national prisoners so that they do not lose sight of the emotional burden that long-term imprisonment places on them.
