National Preventive Mechanism Second Annual Report 2010–11 Northern Ireland There are three prisons in Northern Ireland: Maghaberry and Magilligan hold adult male prisoners, and Hydebank Wood holds adult female prisoners, young men up to the age of 21 (although, in some cases, a prisoner may remain at Hydebank Wood until the day before his 24th birthday), and boys under the age of 18. Each prison is inspected jointly by Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) and HMIP. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) contributes to these inspections by assessing the health care provided to prisoners, while education provision is assessed by the Education and Training Inspectorate.19 CJINI also undertakes its own inspections of specific issues in relation to prisons. For example, in 2010, it published reports on the corporate governance of the Northern Ireland Prison Service and on mistaken prisoner releases.20 Each prison in Northern Ireland also has its own IMB. The boards operate in much the same way as those in England and Wales, making regular, unannounced visits to the prisons and monitoring the treatment of and conditions for prisoners. In 2010–11, CJINI, HMIP and RQIA inspected Magilligan and found that outcomes for prisoners were reasonably good across all four healthy prison tests. The inspection found that safety had improved, with few reported incidents of violence and most prisoners reporting that they felt safe. Security were more proportionate but further improvements were required, including a need to combat drug use more effectively. While improvements to the fabric of the prison had been made since the previous inspection, the physical environment remained marred by oppressive fencing and the continued use of accommodation which was difficult to supervise and had poor sanitary facilities. Relationships between staff and prisoners were generally positive. Health services at the prison were good, although there was insufficient primary mental health provision to meet the needs of prisoners. At the time of the inspection, industrial action by the Northern Ireland Prison Officers’ Association was seriously limiting prisoners’ time out of cell and access to purposeful activity. Records suggested, however, that provision was usually reasonable. Resettlement work was found to need better strategic direction, to ensure that some impressive constituent parts were welded into a more integrated whole. To sustain the progress made at Magilligan, CJINI and HMIP noted that there needs to be solid support from Northern Ireland Prison Service headquarters, not least to deal with the poor industrial relations. In addition to its regular prison inspection programme, CJINI and the RQIA made unannounced visits to Maghaberry during a dirty protest by separated republican prisoners. The visits were carried out in response to concerns about hygiene and the impact of the dirty protest on prisoners’ health. A report of the visits was submitted to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health and included recommendations for action. The IMBs for the three prisons in Northern Ireland noted that progress had been made in 2010–11 but key issues remain 19 The Education and Training Inspectorate is not a member of the NPM. 20 CJINI, Northern Ireland Prison Service Corporate Governance Arrangements (December 2010); CJINI, Northern Ireland Prison Service Mistaken Prisoner Releases (November 2010). 24