News
Staff shortages close nine probation hostels as early releases approach
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that nine of 105 Approved Premises are shut, and that security guards are covering work usually done by probation staff.
Latest
News
Ombudsman finds death of man two days after leaving HMP Lincoln was not preventable
Craig Lamb, 45, died from a heroin and cocaine overdose in September 2025 after receiving appropriate drug support in prison, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found.
News
Ombudsman tells police of falsified welfare check before death at HMP Lindholme
CCTV showed an officer did not carry out an evening check on Stephen Baddeley, despite a record saying it was done. The officer resigned before a disciplinary investigation finished.
News
Prisoners who break rules face losing social visits under new punishments
From 2 September governors can stop or restrict visits from family and friends, and the maximum loss of privileges and added days will double to 84 days.
News
Parole Board release rate falls to 19 per cent as positive coverage rises
The Parole Board released fewer than one in five prisoners whose cases it decided in 2025/26, its annual report shows. It also rated 85 per cent of its media coverage as positive.
News
Lord Timpson resigns as Prisons Minister on the day Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister
James Timpson has left the Government after two years as Prisons Minister, saying he leaves prisons and probation in a healthier state than when he started.
News
HMP Ashfield rated good for safety, respect and release, but education still lags
Inspectors found very low violence and strong staff relationships at the Serco-run prison near Bristol. Purposeful activity improved from poor but remained not sufficiently good.
News
Smuggling into men’s prisons leads to longer sentence, convictions and jail terms
Courts have dealt with three separate cases involving contraband at HMP Five Wells, HMP Lindholme and HMP Lowdham Grange, including two drone deliveries.
News
HMP Moorland administrator jailed for passing on confidential prisoner details
A prison administrator who shared information about a man who later absconded has received 21 months for misconduct in a public office, though the court heard of no evidence it helped him escape.
News
Restorative justice groups urge rethink of rules that exclude whole categories of crime
Practitioners have written to Lord Timpson asking the Ministry of Justice to drop a “presumption of unsuitability” that they say shuts out victims as well as people who caused harm.