Are our prisons safe and humane?

The role of the Independent Monitoring Boards in UK prisons.

Every prison, Young Offender Institution (YOI) and Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in the UK has an Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) whose statutory role is to independently monitor whether prisoners are treated fairly and humanely.  Each IMB is staffed by volunteers who are appointed by the Minister of Justice.

Drawing on several years’ experience at HMP Bristol, Joe Willson will present an overview of the role of IMBs within the justice system, together with his personal perspective on being an IMB volunteer and the reality of life in a prison.

Dr Joe Willson, BRLSI