5th May 2020
HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland has now developed an adapted methodology to inspection and monitoring, resulting in a Remote Monitoring Framework and Liaison Visits Framework, which will allow for the continued safe visitation to prisons and other settings, ensuring human rights are upheld.
23rd April 2020
Global Prison Trends 2020 is the sixth edition in Penal Reform International's (PRI) annual flagship Global Prison Trends series which identifies important developments and challenges in criminal justice, and prison policy and practice. The report documents record levels of people in prison, with 11 million people now in prisons worldwide.
22nd April 2020
The Network on External Prison Oversight and Human Rights has published a special issue newsletter focusing on prison oversight and monitoring during COVID-19. Experts in oversight and monitoring in places of deprivation of liberty have contributed to the issue, to share updates on how oversight roles are shifting during this pandemic.
7th April 2020
The Council of Europe (CoE) has published 'SPACE I' Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations 2019. The report contains a detailed breakdown of penological trends across Europe. See IPRT's summary of key findings from both European and Irish perspectives.
3rd April 2020
This Expert Report was written by Professor Richard Coker and commissioned by the Howard League for Penal Reform and the Prison Reform Trust. It sets out the most up-to-date evidence concerning the nature, spread and transmission of COVID-19 as it applies to prisons.
31st March 2020
The Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) in Australia has published 'Stopping Solitary Confinement', a submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The HRLC writes specifically about the use of solitary confinement during COVID-19.
27th March 2020
Terre des hommes is calling on States to accelerate the release of children in detention in order to protect them from COVID-19.
23rd March 2020
The WHO has published an interim guidance document on preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention. The document aims to assist countries in developing plans in response to the international Covid-19 outbreak.
23rd March 2020
The statement calls on the criminal justice system to act quickly to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the prisons. While there have been some official responses to the potential dangers of COVID-19 within US prisons, this statement contains further recommendations on how to reduce the prison population and safeguard prisoners’ rights.
9th March 2020
Among other findings, the All-Party Parliamentary Group found that the decline in the number of youth centres is linked with growing levels of knife crime.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.