Judging prisons
Speech by Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, at the Judicial Studies Board Annual Lecture 2006.
01/01/2006
Ann Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, explains the importance of prisons inspection and the significance of cross-referencing inspections against international human rights standards.
"Prisons hold some extremely damaged, as well as damaging, people. Fifty per cent of children in prison have been in care; over 80 per cent of boys have been excluded or have truanted from school.
"It has been estimated that around 80 per cent of the prison population has some form of mental disorder (and the ‘quiet despair’ of many may be lost in the florid psychosis of the few). Over 70 per cent will have substance use problems.
Half the women in our prisons have experienced abuse (a third of which was physical or sexual abuse). And, of course, prisons are holding more prisoners than ever: though there has been a slight lull since the 78,000 peak in November, there are still 17 per cent more prisoners than when I became Chief Inspector, and prisons are expected to operate at 24 per cent ‘safe overcrowding’ levels."
