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.
Two new justice jobs with The Wise Group on the board:
www.russellwebster.com/jobs-2/
www.russellwebster.com/jobs-2/
Drugs and Crime Job Vacancies
If you're looking for work in the drugs & crime sector, you've come to the right place...jobs board
www.russellwebster.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Two new justice jobs with The Wise Group on the board:
www.russellwebster.com/jobs-2/
www.russellwebster.com/jobs-2/
There are 86,958 people in prison today, an increase of 70 on last week.
November 10, 2025 at 11:38 AM
There are 86,958 people in prison today, an increase of 70 on last week.
HMP Liverpool inspection
Multiple problems (drugs, self-harm, living conditions) but positive initiatives too
Via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Multiple problems (drugs, self-harm, living conditions) but positive initiatives too
Via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:35 AM
HMP Liverpool inspection
Multiple problems (drugs, self-harm, living conditions) but positive initiatives too
Via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
Multiple problems (drugs, self-harm, living conditions) but positive initiatives too
Via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
More Questions than Answers on Fire Safety in Prisons
@robroballen.bsky.social reveals that the 116 prisons in England saw 534 fire related injuries in the last financial year with most fires started by vapes.
reformingprisons.blogspot.com/2025/11/more...
@robroballen.bsky.social reveals that the 116 prisons in England saw 534 fire related injuries in the last financial year with most fires started by vapes.
reformingprisons.blogspot.com/2025/11/more...
More Questions than Answers on Fire Safety in Prisons
Prison fires and subsequent injuries remain of serious concern according to the recently published 2024-25 Annual Report of the Crown Prem...
reformingprisons.blogspot.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:32 AM
More Questions than Answers on Fire Safety in Prisons
@robroballen.bsky.social reveals that the 116 prisons in England saw 534 fire related injuries in the last financial year with most fires started by vapes.
reformingprisons.blogspot.com/2025/11/more...
@robroballen.bsky.social reveals that the 116 prisons in England saw 534 fire related injuries in the last financial year with most fires started by vapes.
reformingprisons.blogspot.com/2025/11/more...
Ben Jennings on the prison overcrowding crisis in England and Wales – cartoon | Ben Jennings | The Guardian www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Ben Jennings on the prison overcrowding crisis in England and Wales – cartoon
The number of prisoners released by mistake has more than doubled in one year, official figures show
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Ben Jennings on the prison overcrowding crisis in England and Wales – cartoon | Ben Jennings | The Guardian www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Unpaid work stats for quarter to 30 June 2025 show more pressure on probation:
1,664,320 hours UPW sentenced UP 5.9%
1,140,910 hours UPW credited DOWN 0.9%
So a deficit of >500,000 hours
www.gov.uk/government/p...
1,664,320 hours UPW sentenced UP 5.9%
1,140,910 hours UPW credited DOWN 0.9%
So a deficit of >500,000 hours
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Unpaid work management information - Summary
www.gov.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Unpaid work stats for quarter to 30 June 2025 show more pressure on probation:
1,664,320 hours UPW sentenced UP 5.9%
1,140,910 hours UPW credited DOWN 0.9%
So a deficit of >500,000 hours
www.gov.uk/government/p...
1,664,320 hours UPW sentenced UP 5.9%
1,140,910 hours UPW credited DOWN 0.9%
So a deficit of >500,000 hours
www.gov.uk/government/p...
ACMD report on carisoprodol concludes that this muscle relaxant is increasingly available on the illegal market and should be added to Class C of Misuse of Drugs Act
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
ACMD report – a review of the evidence on the use and harms of carisoprodol (accessible)
www.gov.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
ACMD report on carisoprodol concludes that this muscle relaxant is increasingly available on the illegal market and should be added to Class C of Misuse of Drugs Act
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Everything you need to know about the health of people in prison and on probation
New landmark report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate.
www.russellwebster.com/everything-y...
New landmark report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate.
www.russellwebster.com/everything-y...
Everything you need to know about the health of people in prison and on probation
Landmark report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate.
www.russellwebster.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Everything you need to know about the health of people in prison and on probation
New landmark report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate.
www.russellwebster.com/everything-y...
New landmark report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate.
www.russellwebster.com/everything-y...
Paying For Justice: How Our Court Fines System Tips The Scales
@CJInnovation webinar
Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Tickets 🔽
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paying-for...
@CJInnovation webinar
Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Tickets 🔽
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paying-for...
Paying For Justice: How Our Court Fines System Tips The Scales
Join the Centre for Justice Innovation for the launch of two new reports on criminal court fines.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Paying For Justice: How Our Court Fines System Tips The Scales
@CJInnovation webinar
Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Tickets 🔽
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paying-for...
@CJInnovation webinar
Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Tickets 🔽
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paying-for...
Prison sentencing reforms will lead to up to 6% rise in crime, police chiefs say
Government plans include more short sentences being suspended and earlier releases from jail
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Government plans include more short sentences being suspended and earlier releases from jail
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Prison sentencing reforms will lead to up to 6% rise in crime, police chiefs say
Government plans include more short sentences being suspended and earlier releases from jail
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Prison sentencing reforms will lead to up to 6% rise in crime, police chiefs say
Government plans include more short sentences being suspended and earlier releases from jail
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Government plans include more short sentences being suspended and earlier releases from jail
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
How well are the courts performing?
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up court performance in the second of her series of performance tracker guest posts. www.russellwebster.com/how-well-are...
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up court performance in the second of her series of performance tracker guest posts. www.russellwebster.com/how-well-are...
How well are the courts performing?
Cassia Rowland from the Institute for Government sums up court performance in the second of her series of performance tracker guest posts.
www.russellwebster.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:42 AM
How well are the courts performing?
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up court performance in the second of her series of performance tracker guest posts. www.russellwebster.com/how-well-are...
@cassiarowland.bsky.social from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sums up court performance in the second of her series of performance tracker guest posts. www.russellwebster.com/how-well-are...
Appointment of Dame Lynne Owens as independent reviewer
Announcing the appointment of Dame Lynne Owens to lead the Independent Review into Releases in Error.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Announcing the appointment of Dame Lynne Owens to lead the Independent Review into Releases in Error.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Appointment of Dame Lynne Owens as independent reviewer
Announcing the appointment of Dame Lynne Owens to lead the Independent Review into Releases in Error.
www.gov.uk
November 5, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Appointment of Dame Lynne Owens as independent reviewer
Announcing the appointment of Dame Lynne Owens to lead the Independent Review into Releases in Error.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Announcing the appointment of Dame Lynne Owens to lead the Independent Review into Releases in Error.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Vapers overtake smokers for first time in Great Britain
Some 5.4 million adults use vapes daily or occasionally, compared with 4.9 million using cigarettes, an ONS survey for 2024 suggests, external.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Some 5.4 million adults use vapes daily or occasionally, compared with 4.9 million using cigarettes, an ONS survey for 2024 suggests, external.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Vapers overtake smokers for first time in Great Britain
Some 5.4 million adults use vapes daily or occasionally compared with 4.9 million using cigarettes, figures show.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Vapers overtake smokers for first time in Great Britain
Some 5.4 million adults use vapes daily or occasionally, compared with 4.9 million using cigarettes, an ONS survey for 2024 suggests, external.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Some 5.4 million adults use vapes daily or occasionally, compared with 4.9 million using cigarettes, an ONS survey for 2024 suggests, external.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
How "earned progression" could backfire
@thehowardleague.bsky.social explains how the Government's earned progression plan could inadvertently result in increasing the numbers of people in prison.
www.russellwebster.com/how-earned-p...
@thehowardleague.bsky.social explains how the Government's earned progression plan could inadvertently result in increasing the numbers of people in prison.
www.russellwebster.com/how-earned-p...
How “earned progression” could backfire
The Howard League explains how the Government's earned progression plan could inadvertently result in increasing the numbers of people in prison.
www.russellwebster.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:36 AM
How "earned progression" could backfire
@thehowardleague.bsky.social explains how the Government's earned progression plan could inadvertently result in increasing the numbers of people in prison.
www.russellwebster.com/how-earned-p...
@thehowardleague.bsky.social explains how the Government's earned progression plan could inadvertently result in increasing the numbers of people in prison.
www.russellwebster.com/how-earned-p...
Tech challenge launched to counter drone threats in prisons
A new MoJ innovation challenge aimed at combatting the growing threat of drones to prisons has been launched through His Majesty's Government Communications Centre Co-Creation.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
A new MoJ innovation challenge aimed at combatting the growing threat of drones to prisons has been launched through His Majesty's Government Communications Centre Co-Creation.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Tech challenge launched to counter drone threats in prisons
A new innovation challenge aimed at combatting the growing threat of drones to prisons has been launched by the Ministry of Justice through His Majesty's Government Communications Centre Co-Creation.
www.gov.uk
November 4, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Tech challenge launched to counter drone threats in prisons
A new MoJ innovation challenge aimed at combatting the growing threat of drones to prisons has been launched through His Majesty's Government Communications Centre Co-Creation.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
A new MoJ innovation challenge aimed at combatting the growing threat of drones to prisons has been launched through His Majesty's Government Communications Centre Co-Creation.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
A Systematic Review of Substance Misuse Treatment in UK prisons by Kim Barnett & colleagues recommends individuals should be more actively involved in shaping their treatment pathways & highlights importance of constructive activities inside & on release
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
A Systematic Review of Substance Misuse Treatment Processes and Outcomes as Implemented in Prisons for Men in the UK
Background
With a rising prison population, a substantial portion of whom are identified as substance misusers, it is important to understand the availability of treatment pathways, their successes .....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:26 AM
A Systematic Review of Substance Misuse Treatment in UK prisons by Kim Barnett & colleagues recommends individuals should be more actively involved in shaping their treatment pathways & highlights importance of constructive activities inside & on release
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Mark Gilman provides an unflinching look at what daily life dependent on drugs looks like for many people in the new edition of @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
DDN November 2025 DDN November 2025 | Page 22
GAMBLING AND SUICIDE
The reasons for suicide by a young person can be very hard to understand, with many factors coming into play. In this month’s issue we consider how the evidence speaks for itself ...
viewer.joomag.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Mark Gilman provides an unflinching look at what daily life dependent on drugs looks like for many people in the new edition of @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
New edition of @ddnmagazine.bsky.social has a series of important articles on why we must fight to keep resi rehab as an integral part of an effective treatment system
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
DDN November 2025 DDN November 2025 | Page 18
GAMBLING AND SUICIDE
The reasons for suicide by a young person can be very hard to understand, with many factors coming into play. In this month’s issue we consider how the evidence speaks for itself ...
viewer.joomag.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:57 AM
New edition of @ddnmagazine.bsky.social has a series of important articles on why we must fight to keep resi rehab as an integral part of an effective treatment system
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
Alcohol use amongst people transitioning from military to civilian use needs more understanding from treatment services
via @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
via @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
DDN November 2025 DDN November 2025 | Page 14
GAMBLING AND SUICIDE
The reasons for suicide by a young person can be very hard to understand, with many factors coming into play. In this month’s issue we consider how the evidence speaks for itself ...
viewer.joomag.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Alcohol use amongst people transitioning from military to civilian use needs more understanding from treatment services
via @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
via @ddnmagazine.bsky.social
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
Great to see November's @ddnmagazine.bsky.social leading on the still under-addressed issue of problem gambling (pp6-7)
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
DDN November 2025 DDN November 2025 | Page 6
GAMBLING AND SUICIDE
The reasons for suicide by a young person can be very hard to understand, with many factors coming into play. In this month’s issue we consider how the evidence speaks for itself ...
viewer.joomag.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Great to see November's @ddnmagazine.bsky.social leading on the still under-addressed issue of problem gambling (pp6-7)
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
viewer.joomag.com/ddn-november...
Advance your career with a PhD
SSA is offering fully-funded PhD studentships and fellowships through the Addiction Healthcare Goals flagship research leadership programme.
Applications close at 17:00 GMT on 15 January 2026.
www.addiction-ssa.org/news/advance...
SSA is offering fully-funded PhD studentships and fellowships through the Addiction Healthcare Goals flagship research leadership programme.
Applications close at 17:00 GMT on 15 January 2026.
www.addiction-ssa.org/news/advance...
Advance your career with a PhD studentship or fellowship
The SSA is offering fully-funded PhD studentships and fellowships through [...]
www.addiction-ssa.org
November 4, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Advance your career with a PhD
SSA is offering fully-funded PhD studentships and fellowships through the Addiction Healthcare Goals flagship research leadership programme.
Applications close at 17:00 GMT on 15 January 2026.
www.addiction-ssa.org/news/advance...
SSA is offering fully-funded PhD studentships and fellowships through the Addiction Healthcare Goals flagship research leadership programme.
Applications close at 17:00 GMT on 15 January 2026.
www.addiction-ssa.org/news/advance...
Pornography depicting strangulation to become criminal offence in the UK
Legal requirement to be placed on tech platforms to prevent users from seeing such ‘choking’ material
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Legal requirement to be placed on tech platforms to prevent users from seeing such ‘choking’ material
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Pornography depicting strangulation to become criminal offence in the UK
Legal requirement to be placed on tech platforms to prevent users from seeing such ‘choking’ material
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Pornography depicting strangulation to become criminal offence in the UK
Legal requirement to be placed on tech platforms to prevent users from seeing such ‘choking’ material
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Legal requirement to be placed on tech platforms to prevent users from seeing such ‘choking’ material
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Drug use in prisons "endemic"
Justice Committee highlights endemic drug use in prisons and says dangerous culture of acceptance must be broken.
www.russellwebster.com/drug-use-in-...
Justice Committee highlights endemic drug use in prisons and says dangerous culture of acceptance must be broken.
www.russellwebster.com/drug-use-in-...
Drug use in prisons “endemic”
Justice Committee highlights endemic drug use in prisons and says dangerous culture of acceptance must be broken.
www.russellwebster.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Drug use in prisons "endemic"
Justice Committee highlights endemic drug use in prisons and says dangerous culture of acceptance must be broken.
www.russellwebster.com/drug-use-in-...
Justice Committee highlights endemic drug use in prisons and says dangerous culture of acceptance must be broken.
www.russellwebster.com/drug-use-in-...
There are 86,888 people in prison today, a significant drop of 525 on last week owing to another batch of early releases.
November 3, 2025 at 11:45 AM
There are 86,888 people in prison today, a significant drop of 525 on last week owing to another batch of early releases.
HMP and YOI Bronzefield inspection report
This prison was making mixed progress but "was doing reasonably well in many areas".
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
This prison was making mixed progress but "was doing reasonably well in many areas".
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:32 AM
HMP and YOI Bronzefield inspection report
This prison was making mixed progress but "was doing reasonably well in many areas".
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
This prison was making mixed progress but "was doing reasonably well in many areas".
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...