Her Majesty's Prison Service
Encyclopedia
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service
of the Government of the United Kingdom
tasked with managing most of the prison
s within England and Wales
. (Scotland
and Northern Ireland
have their own prison services: the Scottish Prison Service
and the Northern Ireland Prison Service
, respectively).
The Director-General
of the National Offender Management Service, currently Michael Spurr, is the administrator of the prison service. The Director-General reports to the Secretary of State for Justice and also works closely with the Prisons Minister, a junior ministerial post within the Ministry of Justice
.
It has its head office in the Clive House. It had its head office in Cleland House in the City of Westminster
, London
.
The Service's statement of purpose states "Her Majesty's Prison Service serves the public by keeping in custody those committed by the courts. Our duty is to look after them with humanity and help them lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release." The Ministry of Justice's objective for prisons seeks "Effective execution of the sentences of the courts so as to reduce re-offending and protect the public".
Population statistics for the Service are published weekly. Statistics available for 3 September 2010 showed the service housed 84,955 prisoners: 80,722 males and 4,233 females.
later in the year.
Rationalisation of the prison management system is currently underway with the advent of the Titan Prison concept.
" whilst acting as such.
Although the system is flexible in operation, most Prison Officers work in small teams, either assigned to a specific duty, or
providing one shift of staff for the supervision of a particular wing within a prison. Each such team is led by a Senior Prison Officer. Where several teams work together, such as the different staff shifts on an individual prison wing, there will be an overall supervisor with the new position of Prison Service Manager (previously the rank of Principal Prison Officer closed in 2010).
All uniformed prison staff were formerly under the supervision of a small number of very senior and experienced officers who
held one of three Chief Officer ranks; however, reorganisation in the 1980s termed 'Fresh Start' saw these Chief Officer ranks abolished, and their role taken by junior grade prison Governors. During the recent restructure of 2010 Principal Officers were offered employment as Developing Prison Service Managers (non-uniformed) those that declined this offer remain as Principal Officers however recruitment to this rank has closed.
and Peterborough (HM Prison)
, have recently been opened. Private prisons are subject to scrutiny by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
in a similar manner to prisons run by the public Prison Service.
announced that the government was to introduce legislation to remove the right for Prison Officers in England and Wales
to take strike action
.
(IMB), formerly known as a Board of Visitors. Members of the IMB, who are volunteers, are appointed by the Home Secretary and act as 'watchdogs' for both the Minister of Prisons and the general public, to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained.
announced that the Prison Service, together with the National Probation Service
, is to be integrated into a new National Offender Management Service
. The Service, Blunkett said, will be "a new body to provide end-to-end management of all offenders".
On 1 April 2008, NOMS was reorganised as part of a shake-up in the Ministry of Justice. The headquarters and regional structures of NOMS and HMPS were merged into a single HQ structure with Phil Wheatly as Director General of NOMS. This brings HMPS and the National Probation Service
under a single headquarters structure for the first time ever.
National Offender Management Service
The National Offender Management Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales...
of the Government of the United Kingdom
Government of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
tasked with managing most of the prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
s within England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
. (Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
have their own prison services: the Scottish Prison Service
Scottish Prison Service
The Scottish Prison Service is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons in Scotland...
and the Northern Ireland Prison Service
Northern Ireland Prison Service
The Northern Ireland Prison Service is an executive agency of the Department of Justice, the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast....
, respectively).
The Director-General
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
of the National Offender Management Service, currently Michael Spurr, is the administrator of the prison service. The Director-General reports to the Secretary of State for Justice and also works closely with the Prisons Minister, a junior ministerial post within the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
.
It has its head office in the Clive House. It had its head office in Cleland House in the City of Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Operation
In 2004, the Prison Service was responsible for 130 prisons and employed around 44,000 staff. As of 2009 the amount of prisons had decreased to 131, including 11 privately owned prisons.The Service's statement of purpose states "Her Majesty's Prison Service serves the public by keeping in custody those committed by the courts. Our duty is to look after them with humanity and help them lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release." The Ministry of Justice's objective for prisons seeks "Effective execution of the sentences of the courts so as to reduce re-offending and protect the public".
Population statistics for the Service are published weekly. Statistics available for 3 September 2010 showed the service housed 84,955 prisoners: 80,722 males and 4,233 females.
Reform
Early in 2004, it was announced that the Prison Service would be integrated into a new National Offender Management ServiceNational Offender Management Service
The National Offender Management Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales...
later in the year.
Rationalisation of the prison management system is currently underway with the advent of the Titan Prison concept.
Powers
Public sector Prison officers have "all the powers, authority, protection and privileges of a constableConstable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
" whilst acting as such.
Although the system is flexible in operation, most Prison Officers work in small teams, either assigned to a specific duty, or
providing one shift of staff for the supervision of a particular wing within a prison. Each such team is led by a Senior Prison Officer. Where several teams work together, such as the different staff shifts on an individual prison wing, there will be an overall supervisor with the new position of Prison Service Manager (previously the rank of Principal Prison Officer closed in 2010).
All uniformed prison staff were formerly under the supervision of a small number of very senior and experienced officers who
held one of three Chief Officer ranks; however, reorganisation in the 1980s termed 'Fresh Start' saw these Chief Officer ranks abolished, and their role taken by junior grade prison Governors. During the recent restructure of 2010 Principal Officers were offered employment as Developing Prison Service Managers (non-uniformed) those that declined this offer remain as Principal Officers however recruitment to this rank has closed.
Private prisons
The Prison Service does not manage all prisons within England and Wales. Currently there are seven prisons that have been designed, constructed, managed and financed (so-called DCMF prisons) privately. There are two further prisons that were built with public money but are managed privately. Two more DCMF prisons, in Bronzefield (HM Prison) at AshfordBronzefield (HM Prison)
HMP Bronzefield is a Category A adult and young offender female's prison located on the outskirts of Ashford in Surrey, England. Bronzefield is the only purpose-built private prison solely for women in the UK, and is the largest female prison in Europe...
and Peterborough (HM Prison)
Peterborough (HM Prison)
HM Prison Peterborough is a Category B private prison for men, and a closed prison for women and female young offenders, located in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England...
, have recently been opened. Private prisons are subject to scrutiny by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales...
in a similar manner to prisons run by the public Prison Service.
Proposed legislation
In January, 2008, the Home SecretaryHome Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
announced that the government was to introduce legislation to remove the right for Prison Officers in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
to take strike action
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
.
Independent Monitoring Board
Every prison and immigration removal centre has an Independent Monitoring BoardIndependent Monitoring Board
Independent Monitoring Boards are statutory bodies established by the Prison Act 1952 to monitor the welfare of prisoners in the UK to ensure that they are properly cared for within Prison and Immigration Centre rules, whilst in custody and detention...
(IMB), formerly known as a Board of Visitors. Members of the IMB, who are volunteers, are appointed by the Home Secretary and act as 'watchdogs' for both the Minister of Prisons and the general public, to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained.
HMPS in the National Offender Management Service
On 6 January 2004, then Home Secretary David BlunkettDavid Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
announced that the Prison Service, together with the National Probation Service
National Probation Service
thumb|right|100px|NPS logoThe National Probation Service for England and Wales is a statutory Criminal Justice Service, mainly responsible for the supervision of offenders in the community and the provision of reports to the criminal courts to assist them in their sentencing duties...
, is to be integrated into a new National Offender Management Service
National Offender Management Service
The National Offender Management Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales...
. The Service, Blunkett said, will be "a new body to provide end-to-end management of all offenders".
On 1 April 2008, NOMS was reorganised as part of a shake-up in the Ministry of Justice. The headquarters and regional structures of NOMS and HMPS were merged into a single HQ structure with Phil Wheatly as Director General of NOMS. This brings HMPS and the National Probation Service
National Probation Service
thumb|right|100px|NPS logoThe National Probation Service for England and Wales is a statutory Criminal Justice Service, mainly responsible for the supervision of offenders in the community and the provision of reports to the criminal courts to assist them in their sentencing duties...
under a single headquarters structure for the first time ever.
See also
- Scottish Prison ServiceScottish Prison ServiceThe Scottish Prison Service is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons in Scotland...
- Northern Ireland Prison ServiceNorthern Ireland Prison ServiceThe Northern Ireland Prison Service is an executive agency of the Department of Justice, the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast....
- Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons
- HM PrisonHM PrisonHer Majesty's Prisons is the name given to prisons in the United Kingdom, Australia, Grenada and Barbados. The title makes up part of the name of individual prisons and is usually abbreviated to HM Prison or HMP....
- Her Majesty's Young Offender InstitutionHer Majesty's Young Offender InstitutionHer Majesty's Young Offenders Institution is a type of British prison intended for offenders aged between 18 and 20, although some prisons cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders...
- United Kingdom prison populationUnited Kingdom prison populationThe United Kingdom has three distinct legal systems with a separate prison system in each—one for both England and Wales, one for Scotland, and one for Northern Ireland...
- List of United Kingdom prisons
- Prison categories in the United Kingdom
- Young offenderYoung offenderA young offender is a young person who has been convicted or cautioned for a criminal offence. Criminal justice systems often deal with young offenders differently from adult offenders, but different countries apply the term 'young offender' to different age groups depending on the age of criminal...
- OASysOASYSOASYS may refer to:* Korg OASYS, a workstation synthesizer released in early 2005* Omgeo OASYS, US financial markets trade confirmation service* OASys , a 100% subsidiary of Webasto...
External links
- HM Prison Service - Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
- Official website (Archive)
- Press release from Home Office about re-organisation
- Prison Officer blog