National Preventive Mechanism Annual Report 2009–10 Independent Monitoring Boards (Northern Ireland) T he Independent Monitoring Boards in Northern Ireland are statutory bodies whose role is to monitor the treatment of prisoners and the conditions of their imprisonment. Established and governed by the Prison Act Northern Ireland 1953 and the Prison and Young Offender Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, there are three boards in Northern Ireland. Each board is appointed to monitor one of the following establishments: maximum of nine years. There should be around 15 members on each board, although this can vary due to resignations and delays in appointments. At 31 March 2010, there were 12 board members for Maghaberry, 14 for Magilligan and six for Hydebank Wood. The 1953 Act states that any board visiting a women’s prison must contain at least two female members. The work of the boards is supported and administered by a small secretariat. • Maghaberry, a high security prison for adult males, which also provides separated accommodation for paramilitary prisoners from loyalist and republican backgrounds • Magilligan, a medium security prison for adult males, which also offers low security accommodation for prisoners nearing the end of their sentence • Hydebank Wood, a site offering accommodation for young men aged 17 to 21, boys aged 15 to 17 and adult female prisoners. Methodology As indicated by their name, Independent Monitoring Boards are independent of government, the Prison Service and the civil service. Board members are unpaid volunteers drawn from the general public and appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland following an open recruitment process.69 To further guarantee independence, the 1995 Rules prohibit any person interested in any contract for the supply of goods and services to a prison from being a member of the board. Board members are appointed for an initial threeyear term, with current policy allowing appointments to be renewed up to a By law, Independent Monitoring Boards are required to meet at the prison each month and must ensure that at least two members visit the prison between meetings. They must also ensure that all parts of the prison are visited at reasonable intervals. In practice, the boards make unannounced visits at least every week. The board is obliged to monitor: • the treatment of prisoners including provision for their health care and other welfare while in prison • the facilities available to prisoners to allow them to make purposeful use of their time • the cleanliness and adequacy of prison premises. When carrying out their visits, board members also deal with requests or complaints from prisoners. Independent Monitoring Boards have free access at any time to all parts of the prison and to all prisoners. They may interview any prisoner out of the sight and hearing of prison staff. Prison governors are obliged to grant them reasonable access to any records 69 From 12 April 2010, members will be appointed by the Justice Minister for Northern Ireland following the devolution of policing and justice. 54