Russell Webster
@russellwebster.com
Researcher, evaluator, consultant & writer in drugs, alcohol & criminal justice. My blog keeps you up-to-date on the latest policy, practice and research.
Experts warn of ‘global crisis’ as number of women in prison nears one million
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Experts warn of ‘global crisis’ as number of women in prison nears one million
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Experts warn of ‘global crisis’ as number of women in prison nears one million
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Police protection: best evidence and practice
@cjinnovation.bsky.social Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used
www.russellwebster.com/police-prote...
@cjinnovation.bsky.social Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used
www.russellwebster.com/police-prote...
Police protection: best evidence and practice
Centre for Justice Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used
www.russellwebster.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Police protection: best evidence and practice
@cjinnovation.bsky.social Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used
www.russellwebster.com/police-prote...
@cjinnovation.bsky.social Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used
www.russellwebster.com/police-prote...
Bid to let drug users smoke cocaine in Glasgow consumption room
Officials say a smoking space for taking cocaine is "critical in order to realise the full benefit" of the facility.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Officials say a smoking space for taking cocaine is "critical in order to realise the full benefit" of the facility.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Bid to let drug users smoke cocaine in Glasgow consumption room
The Thistle currently lets people inject heroin or cocaine while under medical supervision without being prosecuted, but does not have a smoking room.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Bid to let drug users smoke cocaine in Glasgow consumption room
Officials say a smoking space for taking cocaine is "critical in order to realise the full benefit" of the facility.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Officials say a smoking space for taking cocaine is "critical in order to realise the full benefit" of the facility.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Children on remand: "A production line of pointlessness"
@childrenscomm.bsky.social says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support.
www.russellwebster.com/children-on-...
@childrenscomm.bsky.social says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support.
www.russellwebster.com/children-on-...
Children on remand: “A production line of pointlessness”
Children's Commissioner says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support.
www.russellwebster.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Children on remand: "A production line of pointlessness"
@childrenscomm.bsky.social says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support.
www.russellwebster.com/children-on-...
@childrenscomm.bsky.social says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support.
www.russellwebster.com/children-on-...
Victims protected through domestic abuse orders - Over 1000 issued in the pilot sites - Greater Manchester, 3 London boroughs (Croydon, Bromley and Sutton), Cleveland and North Wales - in the last 12 months
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Victims protected through game changing domestic abuse orders
More than 1,000 victims have been protected through first-of-its-kind domestic abuse protection orders since their roll out in November 2024.
www.gov.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Victims protected through domestic abuse orders - Over 1000 issued in the pilot sites - Greater Manchester, 3 London boroughs (Croydon, Bromley and Sutton), Cleveland and North Wales - in the last 12 months
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Concern about epilepsy deaths in prison
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison
www.russellwebster.com/concern-abou...
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison
www.russellwebster.com/concern-abou...
Concern about epilepsy deaths in prison
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison
www.russellwebster.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Concern about epilepsy deaths in prison
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison
www.russellwebster.com/concern-abou...
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison
www.russellwebster.com/concern-abou...
There are 87,332 people in prison today, an increase of 153 on last week and 374 over the last fortnight.
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
There are 87,332 people in prison today, an increase of 153 on last week and 374 over the last fortnight.
HMP Ranby inspection by @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
Good progress overall but investment needed in houseblocks & drone prevention
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Good progress overall but investment needed in houseblocks & drone prevention
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:18 AM
HMP Ranby inspection by @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
Good progress overall but investment needed in houseblocks & drone prevention
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Good progress overall but investment needed in houseblocks & drone prevention
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Join Coaching Inside and Out’s interactive lunchtime workshop for simple practical ways to boost energy and free up time.
It's 10:00 - 11:30 on 25 November and free. Book here🔽
www.tickettailor.com/events/hmpps...
It's 10:00 - 11:30 on 25 November and free. Book here🔽
www.tickettailor.com/events/hmpps...
HMPPS Insights25
Buy tickets – HMPPS Insights25
www.tickettailor.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Join Coaching Inside and Out’s interactive lunchtime workshop for simple practical ways to boost energy and free up time.
It's 10:00 - 11:30 on 25 November and free. Book here🔽
www.tickettailor.com/events/hmpps...
It's 10:00 - 11:30 on 25 November and free. Book here🔽
www.tickettailor.com/events/hmpps...
Nature for health and wellbeing in prison environments
Interesting webinar 8 December
ciria.org/CIRIA/Naviga...
Interesting webinar 8 December
ciria.org/CIRIA/Naviga...
Event Display
CIRIA Events
ciria.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Nature for health and wellbeing in prison environments
Interesting webinar 8 December
ciria.org/CIRIA/Naviga...
Interesting webinar 8 December
ciria.org/CIRIA/Naviga...
The latest prison and probation staffing figures Winter 2025 HMPPS workforce bulletin shows fewer prison and more probation staff.
www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-p...
www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-p...
The latest prison and probation staffing figures
Winter 2025 HMPPS workforce bulletin shows fewer prison and more probation staff.
www.russellwebster.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:07 AM
The latest prison and probation staffing figures Winter 2025 HMPPS workforce bulletin shows fewer prison and more probation staff.
www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-p...
www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-p...
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Courts minister Sarah Sackman says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
Courts minister Sarah Sackman says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Exclusive: Courts minister says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:08 AM
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Courts minister Sarah Sackman says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
Courts minister Sarah Sackman says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
‘Possibly the most prolific sex offender in British history’: the inside story of the Medomsley scandal | Society via Simon Hattenstone www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
‘Possibly the most prolific sex offender in British history’: the inside story of the Medomsley scandal
At a youth detention centre in north-east England, the paedophile Neville Husband raped and assaulted countless boys. Why was his reign of terror allowed to go on – and why hasn’t there been a public ...
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:41 AM
‘Possibly the most prolific sex offender in British history’: the inside story of the Medomsley scandal | Society via Simon Hattenstone www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
What progress has Labour made on public services?
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up overall government performance in the last of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com/what-progres...
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up overall government performance in the last of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com/what-progres...
What progress has Labour made on public services?
Cassia Rowland from the Institute for Government sums up overall government performance in the last of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:38 AM
What progress has Labour made on public services?
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up overall government performance in the last of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com/what-progres...
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up overall government performance in the last of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com/what-progres...
Lessons from Probation Service Reform
Harry Annison & Daniel Birungi on the impact on staff of repeated probation service reform
www.russellwebster.com/lessons-from...
Harry Annison & Daniel Birungi on the impact on staff of repeated probation service reform
www.russellwebster.com/lessons-from...
Lessons from Probation Service Reform
Harry Annison on the lessons from repeated probation service reform
www.russellwebster.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Lessons from Probation Service Reform
Harry Annison & Daniel Birungi on the impact on staff of repeated probation service reform
www.russellwebster.com/lessons-from...
Harry Annison & Daniel Birungi on the impact on staff of repeated probation service reform
www.russellwebster.com/lessons-from...
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under new review
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under UK review
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under new review
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
More details of UK crime suspects may be released to stop misinformation
Information such as age and nationality will generally not constitute contempt of court under proposed laws
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Information such as age and nationality will generally not constitute contempt of court under proposed laws
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
More details of UK crime suspects may be released to stop misinformation
Information such as age and nationality will generally not constitute contempt of court under proposed laws
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:59 AM
More details of UK crime suspects may be released to stop misinformation
Information such as age and nationality will generally not constitute contempt of court under proposed laws
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Information such as age and nationality will generally not constitute contempt of court under proposed laws
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Good food and Good Lives
Kevin Wong & Julie Parsons guest blog on their new book exploring how food interventions contribute to desistance
www.russellwebster.com/good-food-an...
Kevin Wong & Julie Parsons guest blog on their new book exploring how food interventions contribute to desistance
www.russellwebster.com/good-food-an...
Good food and Good Lives
Good food and good lives: how food interventions contribute to desistance
www.russellwebster.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Good food and Good Lives
Kevin Wong & Julie Parsons guest blog on their new book exploring how food interventions contribute to desistance
www.russellwebster.com/good-food-an...
Kevin Wong & Julie Parsons guest blog on their new book exploring how food interventions contribute to desistance
www.russellwebster.com/good-food-an...
There are 87,179 people in prison today, an increase of 221 on last week.
November 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
There are 87,179 people in prison today, an increase of 221 on last week.
HMP/YOI Deerbolt inspection
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social finds some positive developments on major concerns but staff shortages hampering progress
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social finds some positive developments on major concerns but staff shortages hampering progress
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:58 AM
HMP/YOI Deerbolt inspection
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social finds some positive developments on major concerns but staff shortages hampering progress
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social finds some positive developments on major concerns but staff shortages hampering progress
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
HMP Leicester inspection
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social very concerned about drugs, violence & inconsistent regime
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social very concerned about drugs, violence & inconsistent regime
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:55 AM
HMP Leicester inspection
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social very concerned about drugs, violence & inconsistent regime
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social very concerned about drugs, violence & inconsistent regime
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Crime-cutting jobs plan sees hundreds of firms join hiring drive to get prison leavers into work
Over 300 businesses join efforts to plug labour shortfalls and grow the economy
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Over 300 businesses join efforts to plug labour shortfalls and grow the economy
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Crime-cutting jobs plan sees hundreds of firms join hiring drive
Britain’s biggest businesses have joined the Government’s hiring drive to get prison leavers into work in effort to cut crime as part of the Plan for Change.
www.gov.uk
November 17, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Crime-cutting jobs plan sees hundreds of firms join hiring drive to get prison leavers into work
Over 300 businesses join efforts to plug labour shortfalls and grow the economy
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Over 300 businesses join efforts to plug labour shortfalls and grow the economy
www.gov.uk/government/n...
‘Dire’ prison conditions putting rehabilitation at risk
Justice Committee report says ‘Dire’ prison conditions are putting rehabilitation at risk
www.russellwebster.com/dire-prison-...
Justice Committee report says ‘Dire’ prison conditions are putting rehabilitation at risk
www.russellwebster.com/dire-prison-...
‘Dire’ prison conditions putting rehabilitation at risk
Justice Committee report says ‘Dire’ prison conditions are putting rehabilitation at risk
www.russellwebster.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:47 AM
‘Dire’ prison conditions putting rehabilitation at risk
Justice Committee report says ‘Dire’ prison conditions are putting rehabilitation at risk
www.russellwebster.com/dire-prison-...
Justice Committee report says ‘Dire’ prison conditions are putting rehabilitation at risk
www.russellwebster.com/dire-prison-...
‘There is a gap where Alex should be’: the young woman who lost her life in a neglectful prison system An inquest finds HMP Styal guilty of neglect after Alex Davies, 25, was found dead inside a segregation cell after a lifetime of mental health struggles
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
‘There is a gap where Alex should be’: the young woman who lost her life in a neglectful prison system
An inquest has found a Cheshire prison guilty of neglect after Alex Davies, 25, was found dead inside a segregation cell after a lifetime of mental health struggles
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:19 AM
‘There is a gap where Alex should be’: the young woman who lost her life in a neglectful prison system An inquest finds HMP Styal guilty of neglect after Alex Davies, 25, was found dead inside a segregation cell after a lifetime of mental health struggles
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
She was a prison officer. He was a convicted rapist. How did she fall for him?https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/15/prison-officer-convicted-rapist-relationship
November 16, 2025 at 7:16 AM
She was a prison officer. He was a convicted rapist. How did she fall for him?https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/15/prison-officer-convicted-rapist-relationship