Between February and August 2022, Cordis Bright worked with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to conduct an evaluation of HMICFRS’s joint custody inspection programme.

The joint inspection team carries out the custody inspection programme and comprises colleagues from HMICFRS, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Care Quality Commission. We delivered a mixed methods evaluation, including a rapid literature review, force-level case studies with individual police forces, and interviews with the joint inspection team and wider national stakeholders.

The evaluation found that the joint custody inspection programme has led to improvements in the welfare and dignity of detainees, provides a valuable independent source of evidence for changes in custody provision, and has influenced changes to legislation and guidance at a national level.

The evaluation report also presents a series of evidence-led recommendations for the inspection programme, including in areas such as the make-up of the joint inspection team, the inspection methodology, and the dissemination of inspection findings. We worked closely with HMICFRS and other joint inspection team colleagues to ensure these recommendations are focused on supporting them to make improvements which will increase the impact of the custody inspection programme.

For more information, please contact Matt Irani.