Call for effective policy and practice for foreign
national prisoners
A report (Going the
distance - developing effective policy and practice with foreign
national prisoners), published by the Prison Reform Trust on 1
December 2004, highlights the record 9,000 foreign national
prisoners in jails in England and Wales, one in eight of the overall
prison population, following an almost threefold increase in numbers
over the past decade.
Drawing on published
evidence and original research in seven prisons, as well as the
author's extensive first-hand experience of working with foreign
national prisoners, the report highlights a number of areas where
foreign national's needs have been neglected:
- A lack of information
- foreign national prisoners experience particular problems because
of being poorly informed about the legal system and prison rules and
procedures. They struggle to access accurate legal and immigration
advice during their sentence.
- Immigration related
problems - Many foreign nationals remain in jail having completed
their sentence because there is a failure by the authorities to
monitor and then make arrangements for those who have been
recommended for deportation.
- Language barriers -
There has been a failure to provide adequate translation and
interpretation facilities which means prisoners miss out on basic
provisions, such as showers and association because they have not
understood staff instructions or basic questions.
- Isolation and mental
health concerns - Foreign national prisoners experience unnecessary
difficulties trying to maintain family contact, especially
fulfilling their roles as parents. Separation from family in an
alien environment can mean that their mental health needs are often
greater than for other prisoners
- Racism and disrespect
- Foreign national prisoners say that racism and a lack of respect
and understanding from prison staff is not uncommon.
- Preparation for
release - There is a lack of proper procedures in place to prepare
foreign national prisoners for their release and there are
insufficient resettlement programmes specifically for foreign
national prisoners.
Based on the
implementation of a successful foreign national strategy originally
developed in HMP Wandsworth the report puts forward proposals for the
Prison Service to promote effective local and national policy and
practice with foreign national prisoners. It concludes that despite
pockets of good practice there is an absence of strategic direction
and support for foreign national prisoners.
A summary can be viewed
on the
Prison Reform Trust website
