The Northern Ireland Prison Service

1
The Northern Ireland Prison Service

• Robin Masefield
• Max Murray
• Brian Ingram
• to
• The Judicial Studies Board
• 13 February

2
Vision

• Statement of purpose
• "The Northern Ireland Prison Service, through
  our staff, serves the community by keeping in
  secure, safe and humane custody those committed
  by the courts by working with prisoners and with
  organisations, seeks to reduce the risk of
  re-offending and in so doing aims to protect the
  public and to contribute to peace and stability
  in Northern Ireland."
• Our vision
• "To be recognised as a model of good practice in
  dealing with prisoners and to be valued and
  respected for our service to the community."
• Our values
• Recognising that the Service requires the
  commitment of all of us
• Leading well and behaving with integrity
• Upholding prisoners' human rights and working
  with them as individuals to become law-abiding
• Ensuring that we each have the required skills
  and competencies
• Accepting responsibility and accountability
• Managing resources, including our time, cost
  effectively
• Showing an innovative approach to our work
• Team-working and acting in partnership with other
  organisations

3
The Northern Ireland Prison Service
Max Murray Head of Operations - NIPS The
Judicial Studies Board 13 February
4
The Prison Estate
Prisoner Assessment Unit
Magilligan Prison
Prison Service Headquarters
Prison Service College
Hydebank Wood YOC and Prison
Maghaberry Prison
5
Maghaberry Prison

• Prisoner population 798
• (13th Feb 07)
• Main committal prison for Northern Ireland
• Holds all adult remand prisoners, life
  sentence/SOSP male prisoners, separated
  prisoners, prisoners requiring special
  protection, male prisoners who are subject to a
  hospital order or who require psychiatric
  assessment, along with fine defaulters/civil
  prisoners
• Prisoner Assessment Unit (PAU) at Crumlin Road

6
Magilligan Prison

• Prisoner population - 420
• (13th Feb 2007)
• Accommodates low and medium risk prisoners
  serving less than 6 years
• Accommodation comprises 3 H-Blocks, dormitory
  accommodation and a low security complex called
  Foyleview where prisoners have an opportunity for
  work placement in the community.
• ¼ of population are sex offenders.
• Focus is on resettlement and preparation for
  release.

7
Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre

• Male prisoner population - 195
• (13th Feb 2007)
• The Centre accommodates all young male offenders
  aged between 16 and 21 years on conviction. It
  contains a separate Juvenile Unit for under 18s.
  Current pop. 16 under 18s.
• Hydebank Wood provides an environment in which
  the inmate has a firm, disciplined yet
  stimulating regime focusing on
• Risk reduction through addressing criminogenic
  behaviours and lifestyle such as car crime and
  drug use.
• Creating stability and restoring family ties.
• Education in particular targeting key skills in
  literacy numeracy.

8
Hydebank Wood Female Prison

• Female prisoner population - 31
• (13th Feb 2007)
• Currently developing gender specific policies
  strategies for the management of female
  prisoners.
• Focus on
• Mental Health harm reduction
• Multi disciplinary approach involving
  Knockbracken Healthcare, Probation, NIACRO
• Charity work has raised 12,500 but limited scope
  for outworking.

9
Key facts

• Average sentence length 21 months
• On remand for greater than 9 months 63 (28th
  December 2006)
• Fine defaulters 31 of all receptions (2006)
• 47 foreign national prisoners representing 18
  separate nationalities

10
Prisoner Population
Figures as of 13th February 2007

• Prisoner population projected to grow by 6
  (2005-2009) and 5 (2010-2020)
• Future prisoner growth will take the Prison
  Service well beyond the current number of cells
  available by summer 2008 if not before.

11
Population by type of offence
Total receptions - 2005
12
Length of sentence
Average pop. - 2005
13
Length of sentence
Total receptions - 2005
14
Age profile - sentenced
Average pop. - 2005
15
Drug use on committal
16
The Northern Ireland Prison Service
Brian Ingram Head of Resettlement Branch -
NIPS The Judicial Studies Board 13 February
17
What is resettlement?

• Resettlement is a systematic and evidence-based
  process by which actions are taken to work with
  the offender in custody and on release to ensure
  that communities are better protected from harm
  and re-offending is significantly reduced.

18
What we already know about offenders

• 50 of prisoners will experience problems within
  their community because of their offending
  (manifested in punishment beatings, sectarian
  attacks, intimidation)
• 50 of prisoners will have accommodation concerns
  on release
• 70 Adult male offenders have numeracy/literacy
  deficiencies
• 51 are unemployed on committal
• 34 were in care as a child

19
What we already know about offenders

• 60 have substance misuse problems 90 for
  females
• 60 of prisoners diagnosed as suffering from
  mental health problems
• 45 of all offenders are reconvicted within 2 yrs
  of release
• 49 have financial difficulties
• In 2006 the cost of the NI criminal justice
  system was 1.4 billion

20
Factors which help offenders desist from criminal
activity when released

• Offenders with jobs up to 50 less likely to
  re-offend
• Offenders with accommodation, at least 20 less
  likely to re-offend
• Offenders with family support up to 50 less
  likely to re-offend
• Offenders without essential skills, education or
  training three times more likely to re-offend
• Offences by drug dependent offenders cut by 70
  while in community-based treatment

21
Resettlement Pathways