2012 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner
Figure 20 illustrates that 71% of the prisons inspected achieved a good level of compliance
with the Act and Code of Practice. This represents a 14 percentage point increase on the 2011
results which is significant. Although this percentage should be treated with care as the prisons
inspected are not the same every year, the prison inspections generally run in two year cycles
and therefore it is worthy to note that the 2011 inspections also demonstrated a 15 percentage
point improvement on the previous year. In 2012 90% of the prisons achieved either a good or
satisfactory level of compliance, in comparison with 81% in the previous year.
Figure 20 – Comparison of Prison Inspection Results, 2010 to 2012
10%
Poor
19%
20%
19%
Satisfactory
2012
24%
2011
38%
2010
71%
Good
57%
42%
These prisons had implemented the majority of their previous recommendations and as a result
they had either sustained or improved their level of compliance with the rules governing the
interception of prisoners’ communications. My inspectors found examples of good practice
firmly embedded in the systems and processes in a number of the prisons inspected in 2012 and
managers and staff clearly demonstrated a commitment to achieve the best possible standards.
“71% of the prisons inspected achieved a good level of compliance with the
Act and Code of Practice.This represents a 14 percentage point increase on
the 2011 results which is significant.”
Last year serious weaknesses and failings were found in the systems and processes of 15 of the
prison establishments and this pattern had been fairly static since my first reporting year. In last
year’s report I outlined that I hoped to report a reduction in the number of poorly performing
prisons and therefore this year I am pleased to report that the number of poorly performing
prisons has reduced by almost 50 percent. These results are significant and represent a turning
point for the prison service.
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