(HM Inspectorate of Prisons)

at  Ministry of Justice

Salary
£37,174 - £40,403
Number of jobs available
2
Detail of reserve list
12 Months
Region
London
City/Town
London
Building/Site

HEO

Post Type
Permanent
Working Pattern
Full Time
Role Type
Analytical, Social Research / Market Research
Will the successful applicant have line manager responsibilities?
Yes
Job description
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMI Prisons) for England and Wales is an independent inspectorate which reports on the treatment of, and conditions for, those in prison, young offender institutions and court custody suites in England and Wales, and immigration detention facilities in the United Kingdom. HMI Prisons also inspects Border Force customs custody (jointly with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) and secure training centres (jointly with Ofsted). By invitation, HMI Prisons inspects some military detention facilities, as well as prisons in Northern Ireland and in other jurisdictions with links to the UK, such as the Isle of Man.
The role of HM Inspectorate of Prisons is to provide independent scrutiny of the conditions for and treatment of prisoners and other detainees, promoting the concept of ‘healthy establishments’ in which staff work effectively to achieve positive outcomes for those detained and for the public.
The Inspectorate’s work constitutes an important part of the United Kingdom’s obligations under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment. This Protocol requires signatory states to have in place regular independent inspection of places of detention.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an Arm’s Length Body (ALB) of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The Chief Inspector of Prisons is a Crown Appointee, while the staff of the Inspectorate are civil servants employed by the MoJ. The established values of the Inspectorate are:

• Independence, impartiality and integrity are the foundations of our work.
• The experience of the detainee is at the heart of our inspections.
• Respect for human rights underpins our Expectations.
• We embrace diversity and are committed to pursuing equality of outcomes for all.
• We believe in the capacity of both individuals and organisations to change and improve, and that we have a part to play in initiating and encouraging change.

Please note if we receive a large volume of applications, we will sift using the lead behaviour, experience and a technical skill.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This post offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to utilise their existing research and analytical expertise and develop and put into practice their people and project management skills. Much of the day-to-day work of the 12-strong Research, Data & Thematics (RDT) team involves conducting surveys in places of detention and analysing the results for use by inspectors. Reporting to one of our Senior Research Officers, the post holder will also help to maintain HMIP’s databases, conduct fieldwork and provide analysis for thematic and other reports, and act as an ambassador for the Inspectorate while on inspections. The job involves regular travel and time away from home carrying out surveys in places of detention (including transporting questionnaires) - on average one or two nights per fortnight.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organising and attending visits to custodial establishments on a regular basis to conduct detainee surveys.
• Processing and analysing survey data, including from detainee and staff
• Checking survey findings for publication in inspection
• Contributing research expertise to thematic reviews and other HMIP publications. This could involve conducting literature reviews, developing research methodology (including cognitive testing), carrying out fieldwork, data analysis and contributing to the drafting of published reports.
• Acting as research lead for a specific policy This includes keeping up to date with relevant research, statistics and policy developments and providing ad hoc support to inspection and policy colleagues.
• Managing and supporting research assistants and research
• Updating and maintaining HMIP databases and providing analysis for governance meetings and annual reports.
• Supporting the work of the team in ensuring data and our research findings are utilised and presented in the most impactful and inclusive way.