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

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Latest news

  • Helping you to complain

    This article previously featured in Inside Time in February: https://insidetime.org/helping-you-to-complain/ My name is Miriam, and I am the new Complaints Deputy Ombudsman at the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). I joined in January 2023 and my team are responsible for… Read More

  • PPO share learning from 12-month post-release death investigations pilot

    After a 12-month pilot into the investigations of those who die within 14 days of release from prison, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) have released a bulletin summarising their learning and an evaluation of the pilot.   Between 6… Read More

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