The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) is independent.
We have guidelines that explain what, when, where and how we carry out our work. This information is contained in our terms of reference.
Investigating complaints
We carry out independent investigations into complaints to make sure that those establishments where people are being held and probation services are safe and complaints are dealt with fairly.
Complaints from prisoners are handled by the Independent Prisoner Complaints Investigations (IPCI) team within PPO. All other complaints are dealt with by the PPO.
Complaints have to be sent to us directly by the person with the issue. Staff are not allowed to read the complaints form when it is posted to us. We’ll tell the person who raised the complaint if we can look into their problem within 10 working days.
Find out how we investigate complaints.
There are different ways to raise complaints for prisoners in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Investigating deaths
Our investigations help ensure that lessons are learned when someone dies in custody. We investigate the deaths of:
- prisoners in England and Wales
- young people in Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres and Secure Children’s Homes in England and Wales
- individuals detained in immigration removal centres, pre-departure accommodation and short-term holding facilities in the United Kingdom
- residents of approved premises in England and Wales
We also investigate if anyone dies:
- in court cells
- while being transferred to prison
- while under UK immigration escort anywhere in the world
- within 14 days of being released from prison (except in murder cases)
We also investigate any neonatal deaths and stillbirths that happen in prison or during prison transfer.
Find out how we investigate deaths.
Improving outcomes through research
One of the most important aspects of our work is to identify trends and share insights based on our investigations. We publish a wide range of reports, documents and articles based on what we discover.
Read our Learnings and research publications.