HMP Hull

Reports

• HMIP14 Apr 2025

  1.1 HMP Hull is a large, inner-city reception prison serving local courts. It also holds a significant number of prisoners convicted of or charged with sexual offences. The prison was built in the late 19th century and two of the current wings are from that era, with two new wings added mid-20th century and five new wings and a gym added in the early part of the 21st century. There are two specialist commissioned units: the PIPE (see Glossary) and well-being units. 1.2 This review visit followed up on the concerns we raised at our last inspection of HMP Hull in 2024. What we found at our last inspection 1.3 At our previous inspections of HMP Hull in 2021 and 2024, we made the following judgements about outcomes for prisoners. Figure 1: HMP Hull healthy prison outcomes in 2021 and 2024 Note: rehabilitation and release planning became ‘preparation for release’ in October 2023. 1.4 At the last inspection of Hull we found that standards had improved in

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• HMIP30 Sept 2024

  Hull is an unusually constituted prison; it serves mainly as a remand jail, but also holds a longer-term population of prisoners convicted of sexual offences. Since we last inspected in 2021, because of the effects of the population crisis, the balance of the prison had changed, with 48% of prisoners on remand or unsentenced arriving from across the North of England. Despite this change, which had greatly increased the churn of prisoners, we found a prison that had improved to reasonably good in our safety, respect and preparation for release tests. Disappointingly however, the provision of purposeful activity had declined and was rated as poor. While there was not the level of drugs ingress that we see in many prisons, in recent months random testing had shown an increase in positive results and, in our survey, 40% of prisoners told us it was easy to get drugs in the jail. Repeated bids from the governor for better gate security and grilles on the outward-facing windows had not led to more funding. Levels of violence remained relatively low, despite the increase in a more volatile remand population, but in our survey more prisoners than at our last inspection told us they felt unsafe. Despite these challenges, the governor, who had been at the prison for three years along with some experienced senior leaders, had maintained an excellent grip of the progress made in many of the areas we were critical about at our last inspection. The oversight of the segregation unit, use of force, preparation for release and the quality of health care were all better. His priorities were effectively communicated to staff and the self-assessment showed he knew his prison well. There was not, however, the measures in place to monitor progress in achieving the prison’s priorities effectively. In general, while lots of data was collected, it was not being used to plan effectively to reduce violence or self- harm, or make sure that different groups of prisoners were treated fairly. The governor had also taken steps to address negative aspects of the culture with the aim of making Hull a better place to work for female staff. There were many experienced and effective officers who supported the generally good relationships we saw with the prisoners, and there was good support in place for newer staff. It was disappointing that the regime remained so poor, with many men locked up for up to 22.5 hours a day in particularly cramped shared cells. Prisoners told inspectors they were bored and there was little access to any on-wing activities. Pool tables and table tennis had been removed during the pandemic and never replaced. Despite having so little to do, prisoners’ attendance at education was poor, partly because some of the teaching was not good enough, and it was disappointing to see workshops closed because there were no staff available. The governor was trying to improve the performance of the education provider, but progress had been much too slow. The PIPE and well-being units were staffed by capable and well-trained officers who had a very good knowledge of the prisoners in their care and worked closely with health and psychological services to support some of the most troubled prisoners in the system. Prisoners were receiving better support and oversight from offender managers and there was more key work taking place than we usually see in reception prisons. The management of riskier prisoners going back into the community was also better than at our last inspection. However, many prisoners continued to leave prison homeless, including many on the 70-day early release scheme, who were therefore very likely to be recalled. I left Hull feeling optimistic that the good progress we have seen will continue under an effective governor and senior team. Despite the changes to population and a much larger number of men passing through the prison, staff had coped

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• HMIP14 Mar 2022

  1.1 HMP Hull is a large, inner-city prison of two halves. The older wings, built in the 19th century, receive remanded or newly convicted men from the local community, while the newer wings largely hold vulnerable prisoners, many of whom are convicted of sexual offences. At the time of this review visit, the prison had a reduced capacity of around 900 prisoners while a wing was closed for fire improvement works. 1.2 At our previous inspections of HMP Hull in 2018 and 2021, we made the following judgements about outcomes for prisoners. Figure 1: HMP Hull healthy prison outcomes in 2018 and 2021 Good Reasonably good Not sufficiently good Poor

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• HMIP26 Jul 2021

  HMP Hull is a large, inner-city male establishment holding just under 1,000 prisoners. A prison of two halves, the four older wings date from the late 19th century, with the remainder built in the early part of the 21st century. The older wings act as a local or reception establishment, receiving remanded or newly convicted men from the local community, while the newer wings largely hold vulnerable prisoners, many of whom are convicted of sexual offences. A complex, interesting and challenging institution, Hull is a prison about which we have been able to report positively at recent inspections. At our last visit in 2018, for example, we found that outcomes for prisoners were reasonably good against all four tests of a healthy prison. Findings at this inspection have been more disappointing, with evidence of significant shortcomings and deterioration in all four of our assessments. The prison had been impacted quite significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced more than one outbreak, although it had responded quickly and effectively to these difficulties. It was also undergoing a period of transition with the recent arrival of a new governor, as well as other changes to the senior management team. Despite this the prison seemed to have retained some core strengths and generally remained a capable institution. Staff were experienced and prisoners appeared to have considerable confidence in them. Staff culture was quite traditional, which was mostly a strength, but there was clearly a need for effective oversight, supervision and regulation to ensure relationships remained constructive and legitimate. Our sense was that this was a time of potential and opportunity for the prison. Hull was beginning to work towards recovery as it emerged from the restrictions of the pandemic and the governor was in the process of refining his priorities. We were told this included better meeting the needs of short sentence prisoners, staff training, operational grip and safety. As priorities they were reasonable, but there was a need for more substance and clarity in the establishment’s plans that detailed how improvements would be made, by whom and when. It was clear to us that current oversight arrangements and structures lacked rigour and accountability and we identified the need for improvement in several specific areas of delivery, including segregation arrangements, safer custody and the use of force. Other priorities included offender management and public protection procedures, both of which required improvement; greater ambition in improving access to activity and time out of cell; and getting a much better hold on the delivery of decent health care, an area that was failing badly. Standards and outcomes have slipped at Hull. The situation however, seems eminently retrievable, subject to some meaningful planning which focuses on improved outcomes and is supported by rigorous oversight to ensure delivery, compliance and accountability. We have made recommendations which we hope will support that process and believe a relatively early return visit by the Inspectorate may be beneficial. Charlie Taylor HM Chief Inspector of Prisons July 2021

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