Show Notes
In this episode of The Prison Inspectors, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor is joined by inspectors Sandra Fieldhouse and Donna Ward to discuss the findings of our 'Time to care' thematic report a year on from its publication. They explore why so many women struggle to cope in jail, the impact of rising self‑harm, and the daily frustrations that make prison life difficult. Drawing on the experience of women and staff, they highlight the crucial role of skilled, compassionate officers, meaningful family contact, and safe, decent environments. Sandra and Donna share examples of promising practice, from trauma‑informed approaches to better key work and supportive peer networks, and set out the practical steps governors can take to improve care, strengthen staff capability, and create calmer, more supportive prisons for women.
More from The Prison Inspectors
This week, Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor is joined by Russell Underwood, Assistant Chief Inspector for the Office of the Inspectorate in New Zealand, to explore prison inspection on the other side of the world. They discuss what prisons are like in New Zealand, the issues facing the system and where approaches differ from England and Wales. They also explore how the Office of the Inspectorate responds to risk and encourages improvement. Finally, they share the lessons that can be learned from the approaches to inspection in both countries.
This week, Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor is joined by Angus Jones, Team Leader for children's detention, to explore why standards in the youth estate remain so poor. They discuss the challenges for children in custody and staff, including violence, use of force and segregation, weak relationships, limited time out of cell and poor access to education. They also consider family contact, resettlement support and the disruptive impact of short-term remand. Finally, they reflect on what HMP Parc is getting right and what the youth estate should do to drive improvement.
In this episode of The Prison Inspectors Podcast, Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, is joined by former Chief Inspector Nick Hardwick to reflect on how prisons and other places of detention have changed over the last 16 years. Drawing on Nick's experience leading HM Inspectorate of Prisons from 2010 to 2016, they discuss the persistent challenges facing the system, including violence, drugs, overcrowding, staffing problems and resettlement outcomes, as well as areas where progress has been made. Together, they consider what is needed to make prisons safe, decent places of purpose, the strengths and weaknesses of the prison service, and their hopes for positive change.
In this special episode of The Prison Inspectors Podcast, we bring you audio from the launch of HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ 2025–26 Annual Report - Charlie Taylor’s final Annual Report as Chief Inspector of Prisons. At an event held on 7 July, host Russell Webster sat down with Charlie to discuss the key themes emerging from inspections carried out across the prison, youth custody and immigration detention estate over the past year. Together, they explore the challenges facing prisons in England and Wales, including rising drug use, violence and self-harm, poor living conditions, and the continued impact of restricted regimes that leave many prisoners locked in their cells for long periods with little purposeful activity. Russell Webster has worked as an independent consultant, researcher, writer and trainer specialising in substance misuse for more than 30 years and runs a criminal justice blog. *Please note, the above text was updated on 25 August to remove unsubstantiated detail about Russell Webster's blog.
In this episode of The Prison Inspectors Podcast, we explore the rise of drugs and disorder in the long-term high secure estate. Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, is joined by Deputy Chief Inspector of Prisons, Martin Lomas, to unpack what’s going wrong inside some of the most secure prisons in England and Wales - and why rising drug use, violence and frustration are becoming harder to contain. They delve into how drugs are getting in, who is driving the trade, and why the consequences are especially serious in high security settings. Drawing on recent inspections, they discuss the impact on prisoners and staff - from debt and violence to self-harm - and consider what will it take to turn things around.