Welcome to the PPO

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) carries out independent investigations into complaints and deaths in custody. The detailed roles and responsibilities of the PPO are set out in our office’s Terms of Reference. The PPO has three main duties:

  • to investigate complaints made by prisoners, young people in detention (prisons and secure training centres), offenders under probation supervision and individuals detained under immigration powers (detained individuals)
  • to investigate deaths of prisoners, young people in detention, approved premises’ residents and detained individuals due to any cause
  • to investigate deaths of recently released prisoners that occur within 14 days of release from prison (except homicide)

The purpose of these investigations is to understand what happened, to correct injustices and to identify learning for the organisations whose actions we oversee so that the PPO makes a significant contribution to safer, fairer custody and offender supervision.

Click here to read our 2021/22 Annual Report

Latest news

  • Update on fatal incident report summary tiles

    From 30 May 2023, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will now include the name of the deceased (if over 18) on our fatal incident report summary tiles for reports published after this date. We will also include the date the… Read More

  • X-ray scanning: Complaint upheld

    This article previously featured in Inside Time’s April edition. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) was first established to investigate complaints made by prisoners. Now, we also investigate complaints made by young people in detention, offenders under probation supervision and… Read More

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