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Imprisonment for Public Protection: A thematic review by HM Inspectorate of Prisons

Document Cited authorities 1 Cited in Related
Vincent
DOI10.1177/0264550517710873
AuthorSharon Brereton
Published date01 June 2017
Date01 June 2017
Subject MatterResearch & reports
PRB710873 155..160
Research & reports
The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
Probation Journal
Research & reports
2017, Vol. 64(2) 155–160
ª The Author(s) 2017
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DOI: 10.1177/0264550517710873
journals.sagepub.com/home/prb
Imprisonment for Public Protection: A thematic review by
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
This thematic review outlines the ongoing issues of managing and progressing the
significant number of prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment for public pro-
tection (IPP). Implemented in 2005, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced the IPP
and a parallel sentence of detention for public protection (DPP) for children. The
sentences were imposed on those who had committed specified ‘serious violent or
sexual offences’ and who were deemed ‘a significant risk of serious harm’ in the
future, thus identified as ‘dangerous’. Under the IPP/DPP sentence, high-risk indi-
viduals would serve a tariff (a period of time in prison) and during this period
undertake work to reduce their risk. Once this had been achieved, they would be
released by the Parole Board. If at the end of their tariff their risk was not assessed as
sufficiently reduced, they would remain in custody until it was felt they could be
safely managed in the community. The research for this review revealed that sig-
nificant failings in prison, probation and parole systems have contributed to the
number of IPP prisoners still in prison despite their tariff period ending.
The review highlighted three main reasons as to why decisive action should be
taken to improve this situation. Firstly, to provide clear information as to why many
of the IPP prisoners remain in custody past their tariff date and how closed condi-
tions contribute to public protection. This leads to the issues of fairness and justice.
Secondly, it raised the cost of keeping IPP prisoners in custody and, finally, given the
overriding pressures IPPs place on the system seen with risk management, the
demand...

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