Section one Context Police and court custody The Police Service of Northern Ireland recorded 26,284 detained persons through custody in the 2019–20. During this time, NIPBICVS reported that Independent Custody Visitors (ICV) in Northern Ireland were able to complete 503 custody visits, 49 of which were to the Serious Crime Suite to visit detainees arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000. At the time of the visits a total of 1,139 detainees were in custody and ICVs interviewed 42% of them. Visitors also inspected 814 (72%) custody records to check on the rights, health and well-being of detainees and conditions of detention. After initial increases following the establishment of self-introduction (where ICVs are visible and introduce themselves to detainees) by ICVs in 2018, NIPBICVS reported a downward trend in the uptake of interviews by detainees in the Serious Crime Suite, with a refusal rate of 27%. It plans to do more work to improve this issue, including with the IRTL and its human rights team. ICVs report that in 90% of visits to custody the conditions for detainees were satisfactory, with the 10% of unsatisfactory visits recorded for a range of reasons, including most often the detainee requiring an appropriate adult or interpreter, or medical attention.179 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, police in Northern Ireland have introduced ‘spit and bite guards’ (an item designed to reduce the risk of diseases and injuries associated with spitting and biting), which NIPBICVS continues to monitor. In Scotland, in over 1,308 unannounced visits, ICVS reported no significant issues regarding care or ill-treatment. The material conditions of the custody estate were found to vary across Scotland and monitors sometimes found poor quality cells. For example, ICVs reported that not all cells had hand washing facilities in them and individuals were unable to wash their hands unless they requested to and were escorted out of cell. Throughout the custody estate, ICVs were concerned at the length of time it took police authorities to address issues associated with material repairs once raised by ICVs. This was echoed by HMIPS inspectors who, in their inspections of court custody units, found similar variations in conditions, with some units having offensive graffiti.180 HMICS focused on the strategic arrangements for the delivery of police custody across Scotland in 2019–20.181 It found many positive developments including: the recruitment of 150 custody staff; benefits arising from remodelling suites; extensive efforts made to involve statutory and voluntary sector partners in promoting better outcomes for detainees and communities; and a reduction in custody-related complaints. However, a lack of capital investment in the custody estate continued to impede efforts to deliver as efficient and effective custody service as possible, and there was an ongoing lack of publicly available information about custody. HMICS also found that the ongoing introduction of constable-led custody centres needed further work on safeguards. During the inspection period, HMICS was able to close 11 outstanding recommendations and 18 improvement actions on custody in 179 NIPB, July 2020, Annual Custody Visitors Annual Report April 2019 - March 2020, https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/ publication/annual-custody-visitors-annual-report-april-2019-march-2020 [accessed 24/08/2020] 180 HMIPS, February 2020, Report on the inspection of Court Custody Provision at Glasgow Sheriff Court, 24 February 2020, https://www.prisonsinspectoratescotland.gov.uk/publications/report-inspection-court-custody-provision-glasgow-sheriffcourt-24-february-2020 [accessed 30/10/2020] 181 HMICS, June 2019, Inspection of the strategic arrangements for the delivery of police custody. https://www.hmics.scot/ sites/default/files/publications/HMICS20190606PUB.pdf [accessed 22/10/2020] 57