Prisons & Probation – Latest News:
- Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:45:02 +0000: Probation Service failing to assess thousands who pose risk to women, watchdog says - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Exclusive: Chief inspector of probation says it is inevitable there will be more murders and rapes without an improvement
The Probation Service in England and Wales is failing to monitor and assess tens of thousands of offenders who pose a serious risk to women and girls, a watchdog has told the Guardian.
Martin Jones, HM chief inspector of probation, launching a six-month inquiry into failings in public protection, said it was inevitable there would be more murders, rapes and serious sexual offences without an improvement.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
Continue reading... - Tue, 16 Sep 2025 16:22:54 +0000: Equalising effect of philosophy in prisons | Letters - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Mary Margaret McCabe says philosophy can be done just by conversation, to include those with high levels of education and those who have little
Jay Miller’s account of teaching philosophy in prison is powerful and welcome (‘You want to talk about a world of lies?’ Teaching philosophy in prison, 9 September). This kind of “public philosophy”, which includes the excluded, is of profound value, he argues. Remarkably, philosophy in prisons is “A kaleidoscopic assortment of jokes, stories, anecdotes and philosophical insights …” This picture is familiar for the UK charity Philosophy in Prison.
The puzzle of Trigger’s broom, for example, can generate a joyous discussion of identity, time, the rights of work, relativism, freedom and responsibility, and happiness – where the whole room is focused and participating.
Continue reading... - Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:00:36 +0000: Prisons in England and Wales to cut spending on education courses by up to 50% - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Move comes despite election manifesto promises from Keir Starmer to improve ‘access to learning’
Prisons across England and Wales are set to slash frontline spending on education courses by up to 50%, despite promises from Keir Starmer to improve “access to learning” in last year’s general election manifesto.
The budget for classroom courses at HMP Leicester will be cut by 46.5%, another men’s prison is cutting spending by 25%, while a women’s prison is cutting its provision in education by 26%, sources have confirmed.
Continue reading... - Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:33:08 +0000: Hundreds of prison officers may have to leave UK after Labour’s visa rule change - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Prison Officers’ Association says change in eligibility for skilled work visas is ‘disgraceful’ and ‘pandering to Reform’
Hundreds of foreign prison officers will lose their jobs and could be forced to return to their home countries at short notice because of a change in visa rules introduced by Labour, governors and a union have warned.
More than 1,000 staff, mainly from African countries, have been sponsored by prisons across England and Wales allowing them to come to the UK on skilled worker visas.
Continue reading... - Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:00:05 +0000: ‘You want to talk about a world of lies?’ Teaching philosophy in prison | Jay Miller - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
My class of college students and inmates can get loud and rowdy, with everyone engaged. This is what philosophy should look like
• This essay was originally published as Socrates Would Be Pleased on Aeon.co
At 8.30am sharp, a white van pulls up to the North Carolina college campus where the Outsiders are huddled in their black shirts, sleepy-faced but in good spirits. They pile in quickly, knowing there is a tight schedule to stick to. A 10-minute drive from campus, then the van pulls up under the arch of a large metal gate crowned with razor wire.
By 8.45am, the Outsiders are standing in line, placing their possessions in plastic bins and waiting for the no-nonsense guards to pat them down and rifle through their things. They’re checking: are all cellphones securely locked in the van? Has the driver checked in their keys at the front desk? The Outsiders know the drill. They know that their clothing should be neutral and moderate. They know that IDs and visitor cards should be out and ready, bags open for inspection. Every beep of the metal detector makes everyone go tense, and slows things down. The Outsiders know that everything needs to go smoothly so that at 9am sharp we can make it to Room 209 of the main building where another no-nonsense guard is waiting impatiently to let us in. With him is a group of women in uniforms of various shades of blue. We know them as the Insiders. In here, they are known as the “offenders”.
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