London, NA, United Kingdom permanent full time
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 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 HMI 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.
HMI 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.
About The Role
These posts offer a unique opportunity to develop practical social research skills as part of a close-knit team working in a fast-paced environment. 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 Research Officers, the postholders will also help to maintain HMIP’s databases, 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 - on average one or two nights per fortnight.
Responsibilities
1. Organising and attending visits to custodial establishments on a regular basis to conduct detainee surveys
2. Processing and analysing survey data
3. Checking survey findings for publication in inspection reports
4. Collating and presenting data to inform inspections and other projects
5. Updating and maintaining HMIP databases and providing analysis for governance meetings and annual reports
Knowledge, Experience and Skills
Essential
1. An Honours degree or post-graduate qualification in a relevant social or statistical science (e.g. Sociology, Statistics, Psychology, Criminology or similar) with a substantial social research methods component.
2. Candidates successful at the application stage will be invited to complete an exercise which will test analytical skills and knowledge of research methodologies relevant to the role.
Desirable
1. Experience of using IBM SPSS or other statistical analysis package
2. Experience of using MS Office applications, specifically Word, Excel, OneNote and Outlook
3. Interest in the criminal justice system
4. Commitment to the values of HM Inspectorate of Prisons
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