The Prison Inspectors

In this episode of The Prison Inspectors Podcast , we explore the rise of drugs and disorder in the long-term high secure estate. Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, is joined by Deputy Chief Inspector of Prisons, Martin Lomas, to unpack what’s going wrong inside some of the most secure prisons in England and Wales - and why rising drug use, violence and frustration are becoming harder to...

Trigger warning: this episode contains references to self-harm and suicide, which some individuals may find distressing. In this episode of The Prison Inspectors Podcast , we explore the growing crisis of mental illness in prisons. Guest host Elizabeth Barker is joined by Kellie Reeve, Inspector, and Shaun Thomson, Health and Social Care Inspector, to discuss the findings from The Long Wait report...

In Part 2 of 'Family contact in prisons', we move from policy to practice, as Inspection Team Leader Hindpal Singh Bhui is joined by fellow inspectors Chelsey Pattison and Alice Oddy to discuss the findings of our recent thematic review on the untapped potential of family contact in prisons. Together, they examine how a lack of basic provision affects prisoners and families, highlight the prisons...

In Part 1 of 'Family contact in prisons', HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, explores why family contact matters with Lord Farmer, author of three landmark reviews on family ties. Lord Farmer discusses why the reviews were commissioned, what they found, and what has – and hasn’t – changed, including since Covid.

In this episode of The Prison Inspectors , HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor and Inspection Team Leader Hindpal Singh Bhui take listeners behind the scenes of how His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons carries out its work. They explore the purpose of independent inspection, how inspections are planned and delivered, and the challenges of offering frank feedback, reaching fair judgements...

In this episode of The Prison Inspectors , HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor is joined by inspectors Sandra Fieldhouse and Donna Ward to discuss the findings of our 'Time to care' thematic report a year on from its publication. They explore why so many women struggle to cope in jail, the impact of rising self‑harm, and the daily frustrations that make prison life difficult. Drawing on t...

In the first episode of The Prison Inspectors , HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, sits down with education expert and associate inspector Louise Johns-Shepherd to explore a transformative yet often overlooked force in prison life: reading. Drawing on insights from HMI Prisons' new Reading for Rehabilitation thematic review, published 13 January 2026, they unpack how limited reading sk...