HMPPS Awareness Project for new prison staff

“We wondered how we could reach more staff and this encouraged us to go back to basics.”   My name is Lisa, and I am an Assistant Ombudsman in the Fatal Incident Investigations team. I oversee fatal incident investigations and… Read More

Why do women complain less than men?

This article previously featured in Women in Prison’s spring/summer 22 magazine. The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman (PPO) are trying to understand why women in prison file less complaints than men. Assistant Ombudsman Mike talks about what they are doing to… Read More

Complaints handling in prisons

“Focus group responses showed there was a considerable lack of trust in the whole complaints process.”   The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has set out to examine how prisoners experienced the complaints system (both the internal HMPPS and PPO… Read More

Substance testing in Approved Premises

  The PPO’s Learning Lessons Bulletin, Approved Premises – Substance Misuse published in November 2017, highlighted the risks posed by psychoactive substances (PS) in Approved Premises (APs). The PPO has previously recommended that APs develop mechanisms to test for PS… Read More

Fatal Incident investigation reports

As well as investigating complaints from those in custody, the PPO carries out independent investigations into the deaths of prisoners or detained individuals in: Prisons Young Offenders Institutions and Secure Training Centres Secure Children’s Homes Immigration Removal Centres Probation Approved… Read More

The Sanctions Protocol – Working together

“It’s about assuring prisoners and detainees that you (or someone close to you) can talk or write to any of us about anything, no matter how sensitive or potentially serious, without fear of negative consequences.”   We hope that you… Read More