Home > NEWS > CJI News Archive > 2024 > Jan-Mar > More work required to improve outcomes for prisoners More work required to improve outcomes for prisoners 08/02/2024 A new prison inspection process finds that while progress had been made against inspection findings at Maghaberry Prison and Magilligan Prison, there remained much to do to address priority and key concerns identified at recent unannounced inspections to improve outcomes for prisoners. The first Independent Reviews of Progress (IRPs) carried out by Inspectors at Maghaberry Prison and Magilligan Prison have found that while progress had been made, there remained much to do to address priority and key concerns identified at recent unannounced inspections to improve outcomes for prisoners. “When I published the Magilligan and Maghaberry prison inspection reports I said that it was my intention to effectively monitor the steps taken by the Northern Ireland Prison Service and its health care and education and skills partners from the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast Metropolitan College to address the concerns Inspectors had highlighted,” said Jacqui Durkin, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland (CJI). “We expect that leaders within the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast Metropolitan College use inspection findings, recommendations and reported concerns to drive continuous improvements in outcomes for prisoners from when they have considered our draft inspection report rather than increase activity in the mouth of an anticipated unannounced inspection. Given the size of the prison estate in Northern Ireland and the required frequency of prison inspections, the element of surprise in an unannounced inspection is limited,” said Jacqui Durkin and Charlie Taylor, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in England and Wales. “An IRP, therefore, gives some assurance of how seriously prison leaders are gripping concerns and the action taken or which needs to start to address them. This new approach has provided an opportunity to provide swifter assurance that concerns are being addressed and identify areas where a greater focus is needed,” said the Chief Inspectors. At Maghaberry Prison, Inspectors assessed that there was reasonable progress against nine concerns, insufficient progress against two and no meaningful progress in one area. At Magilligan Prison progress was more mixed. Inspectors found there had been either good or reasonable progress made against half of the recommendations being followed up and insufficient progress or no meaningful progress in the remaining seven areas.