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His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
is the head of
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
and the senior inspector of
prisons
, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in
England
and
Wales
. The current chief inspector is Charlie Taylor.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is appointed by the
Justice Secretary
from outside the prison service for a period of five years. The post was created by
royal sign-manual
on 1 January 1981 and established by the
Criminal Justice Act 1982
on the recommendation of a committee of inquiry into the UK prison service under Justice May.
The chief inspector provides independent scrutiny of detention in England and Wales through carrying out announced and unannounced inspections of detention facilities. Their remit includes prisons, young offenders institutions, police cells and immigration service detention centres. They are also called upon to inspect prison facilities in Commonwealth dependencies and to assist with the monitoring of
Northern Ireland
prison facilities.
The chief inspector is not operationally part of
His Majesty's Prison Service
or the
Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
, and both have been criticised at times in the reports issued by the chief inspector after prison visits, or in their annual report, delivered to the
Justice Secretary
and presented to
Parliament
. The inspectorate's independence has been interpreted differently by the different holders of the post. From the inspectorate of
Stephen Tumim
onwards, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has been more willing to speak critically in public of government penal policy.
There is also a separate post of
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland
, and a
HM Inspectorate of Probation
.
United Kingdom legislation
Prisons Act 1835
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Long title
| An Act for effecting greater Uniformity of Practice in the Government of the several Prisons in England and Wales; and for appointing Inspectors of Prisons in Great Britain.
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Citation
| 5 & 6 Will. 4
. c. 38
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Royal assent
| 25 August 1835
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The
Prisons Act 1835
[1]
(
5 & 6 Will. 4
. c. 38) was an
act
of the
Parliament
of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
that introduced five paid prison inspectors.
HM Chief Inspectors of Prisons
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External links
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See also
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Notes
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