Section one Context of immigration detainees. Among his many recommendations, Stephen Shaw recommended that the presumption against detention should be extended to victims of rape and sexual or gender-based violence, those with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, transsexual people and those with learning difficulties. He called for an absolute exclusion on the detention of pregnant women. He also recommended improvements in the provision of health and mental health care in immigration detention and to the processes for carrying out detention reviews. Stephen Shaw also called for the closure or change of use of The Cedars, a pre-departure unit for families on the grounds that it was a ‘misdirection of public money that could be better used for other purposes’. Also in January 2016, the report of an independent investigation into the overall culture and practices at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, and the impact of these on the wellbeing and welfare of its residents, was published. This report was commissioned by Serco, which runs Yarl’s Wood, after a series of allegations and concerns had been raised, including in the reports of NPM members.26 The report found there was no endemic culture of abuse at Yarl’s Wood but did identify a range of serious concerns relating to staffing arrangements, including capacity, training and the proportion of female officers. It also identified concerns with the physical environment, the availability of meaningful activities, weaknesses in safeguarding and inconsistent policies and underdeveloped practice in relation to raising concerns and whistle-blowing, which echoed NPM members’ findings in the previous year. Significant proposals for prison reform in England and Wales emerged during the year. Soon after taking office, the then Secretary of State for Justice Michael Gove announced reviews of provision of prison education,27 Islamist extremism in prisons, probation and youth justice.28 He appointed people to lead these reviews in September 2015. The interim report of the review of the youth justice system was published in February 2016. This called for a ‘fundamental change to the current youth custody system’.29 To do this, the report recommended that policy-makers reconceive youth prisons as ‘secure schools’, with greater autonomy and flexibility for head teachers to commission services. The review also called for greater devolution of responsibility and delivery of youth justice to local areas. Following a period of consultation, in June 2015 the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in Scotland announced the development of a new national prison for women with 80 places on the current site of HMP Cornton Vale, alongside five smaller communitybased custodial units, each accommodating up to 20 women. A Policing and Crime Bill was introduced to Parliament in February 2016, and this contained provisions that will preclude police 26. http://www.verita.net/case-study/independent-investigation-concerns-yarls-wood-immigration-removal-centre/ [accessed 01/11/16]. 27. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/education-in-prison [accessed 01/11/16]. 28. A summary of the final report of this review was published in August 2016, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/islamist-extremism-in-prisons-probation-and-youth-justice [accessed 01/11/16]. 29. Ministry of Justice (9 February 2016) Review of the Youth Justice System: An interim report of emerging findings, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498736/youth-justice-review.pdf [accessed 01/11/16]. 19