National Preventive Mechanism Eleventh Annual Report 2019–20 support early interventions which should not depend on the criminal justice system. He also recommended that the MoJ deploy prison-based social workers as part of a multidisciplinary custodial team and make improvements to visiting and the use of communications technology.57 Probation reforms in England and Wales There have been major changes to the controversial Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda in England and Wales, a model introduced in 2013 which overhauled the system for the resettlement of prisoners and handed the management of these contracts to community rehabilitation companies, largely in the private sector, leaving only the most serious offenders to be supervised by the National Probation Service. This decision followed a series of deeply critical reports, including from Dame Glenys Stacey, the then Chief Inspector of Probation, who described TR as ‘irredeemably flawed’. HM Inspectorate of Probation reported in March 2019 that the TR model had led to ‘a deplorable diminution of the probation profession and a widespread move away from good probation practice’.58 In May 2019, the Justice Secretary announced major changes, including that all offender management work would be returned to the National Probation Service. Development of a new model is ongoing. 57 58 59 24 Reviews into prison conditions in Scotland In Scotland, the visit by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in 2018 raised serious concerns about the mental health care and treatment of women in prison in HMP & YOI Cornton Vale. In response, the MWCS conducted an investigation into the number of female prisoners who experienced delays in transfer from prison to hospital for mental health care and treatment. The report of this research will consider what changes are required to improve pathways from prison to mental health care for women across in the Scottish estate. In March 2020, Morrison Construction was announced as the contractor for the £54 million contract to build the replacement prison at Cornton Vale, with a smaller prison planned for around 80 women. This rebuild is part of a move towards community-based custody units for women.59 Lord Farmer, June 2019, The Importance of Strengthening Female Offenders’ Family and other Relationships to Prevent Reoffending and Reduce Intergenerational Crime, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/809467/farmer-review-women.PDF [accessed 24/08/2020] HMI Probation, March 2019, Report of the Chief Inspector of Probation, https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/ hmiprobation/inspections/report-of-the-chief-inspector-of-probation/ [accessed 10/11/2020] BBC, March 2020, Contract awarded for £54m Cornton Vale women’s prison rebuild, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukscotland-tayside-central-51835727 [30/10/2020]

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