Justice and Human Rights

• INQUEST submission (November 2023)

• INQUEST submission (November 2023)

• INQUEST submission (October 2023)

Evidence to support the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on systemic racism and violations of international human rights law against Africans and people of African descent by law enforcement agencies. The report will be presented to the fifty-fourth session of the Human Rights Council.

• INQUEST submission (April 2023)

A consultation by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on the investigation, documentation and prevention of deaths in custody in the criminal justice context. 

• INQUEST submission (March 2023)

A consultation by the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent to gather information on racism experienced by people of African descent in the United Kingdom in advance of their country visit in January 2023.

• INQUEST submission (November 2022)

A consultation by the United Nations Independent International Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the context of Law Enforcement to understand the collection, analysis, use, and publication of policing data disaggregated by race or ethnic origin. 

• INQUEST submission (May 2022)

A Justice Select Committee inquiry to understand why the number of people on remand has increased since COVID-19, whether remand to custody is fit for purpose and being appropriately applied, and what effect custodial remand has on the prison population.

• INQUEST submission (April 2022)

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services opened a consultation on their proposed programme of policing inspections commencing April 2022.

• INQUEST submission (March 2022)

Human Rights Act Reform

A Government consultation on proposals to reform the Human Rights Act 1998.

• INQUEST and Inquest Lawyers Group response (March 2022)

Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences

A Justice Select Committee inquiry examine policy issues surrounding IPP sentences, with the aim of identifying possible legislative and policy solutions.

• INQUEST submission (November 2021)

Prisons Strategy White Paper

A consultation on the Government's 10 year vision for the prison system. 

• INQUEST submission (February 2022)

Mental Health in Prison

A Justice Select Committee inquiry which seeks to understand the current scale of mental health need in prisons, and to identify what support exists and whether there are any gaps in provision.

• INQUEST submission (June 2021)

• INQUEST submission (June 2021)

Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities: Ethnic disparities and inequality in the UK review

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities were asked by the government to review ethnic disparities and inequality in the UK, focusing on the following four areas:

• Education
• Employment and enterprise
• Health
• Crime and policing

• INQUEST submission (March 2021)

OHCHR report on systemic racism against people of African descent by law enforcement agencies

Evidence to support the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on systemic racism, violations of international human rights law against Africans and people of African descent by law enforcement agencies. This report will inform the UN Human Rights Council, at their upcoming forty-seventh session in June 2021. Read our news piece on this for more information. 

• INQUEST Evidence (December 2020)

Police conduct and complaints inquiry

A Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry examining the role and remit of the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to the police conduct and discipline system. The inquiry is also considering what reforms are required to secure public confidence in the police conduct and disciplinary system.

• INQUEST written evidence (January 2021)

• INQUEST oral evidence (January 2021)

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• INQUEST supplementary written evidence (March 2021)

Independent Human Rights Act Review

A UK Government inquiry purporting to consider how the Human Rights Act is working in practice and whether any change is needed. 

• INQUEST submission (March 2021)

Strengthening the Independent Scrutiny Bodies through Legislation

A Ministry of Justice consultation seeking views on a number of options to strengthen the Arm’s Length Bodies’ ability to scrutinise and improve accountability within the Criminal Justice System.

• INQUEST submission (September 2020)

Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry on The government’s response to COVID-19: human rights implications

The Committee is examining the Government’s actions in response to COVID-19 to ensure that its approach is compliant with human rights – not least the right to life (Article 2 ECHR). 

• INQUEST submission (July 2020)

INQUEST briefing on COVID-19: Protecting people in places of custody and detention

In this briefing we outline immediate areas of concern in relation to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and our areas of expertise. 

• INQUEST Briefing (March 2020)
  

Prison governance inquiry

• INQUEST Submission (March 2019)

Immigration detention inquiry

Joint Committee on Human Rights examines whether current legal and policy frameworks are sufficient in preventing people being detained wrongfully and whether current practices in the detention system protect human rights.

• INQUEST Submission (September 2018)

Inquiry into the sentencing of women

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is conducting an inquiry into the sentencing of women. The aims of this inquiry are two-fold: to reveal the issues around sentencing that inhibit the use of non-custodial solutions and to encourage and enable the magistracy to avoid sending women to prison.

• INQUEST Submission (May 2018)

Prison healthcare inquiry

The Health and Social Care committee considers the effectiveness of prisons and prison healthcare services in meeting the physical and mental health, and social care, needs of prisoners.

• INQUEST Submission (May 2018)

• INQUEST Oral Evidence by Rebecca Roberts, Head of Policy (July 2018)

INQUEST report of the Family Listening Day for the Independent Police Complaints Commission

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), now the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), asked INQUEST to facilitate a family listening day to gather evidence to inform its on-going process of gathering feedback from those who have been involved in an investigation following a death, in March 2017.

• INQUEST Family Listening Day Report (March 2018)

Prison Provision in Wales 

The Welsh Affairs Committee considers; provision for women prisoners and young offenders in Wales; Welsh language provision in prison; Cross border issues, including the placement of prisoners from Wales in English prisons; and the potential for new prisons in Wales.

• INQUEST Submission (March 2018)

Transforming Rehabilitation

Justice Select Committee inquiry examines how current Government measures are effectively addressing the challenges facing the probation services and what more needs to be done in the short-term to improve the probation system.

• INQUEST Submission (February 2018)

Prison Population 2022: planning for the future inquiry 2018

The Justice Select Committee considers: Who is in prison and who is expected to be imprisoned over the next 5 years? The reasons prisoners are there, why they stay there and why they return. Whether the Ministry of Justice and prison services currently have a credible approach to accommodating the changes anticipated.

• INQUEST Submission (January 2018)

Justice Select Committee on HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Liverpool

Independent Review into Deaths and Serious Incidents in Police Custody 2017

Chaired by Dame Elish Angiolini, this is the first and only review of policing practices and related processes following police related deaths. It makes over 100 evidence based recommendations such as non-means tested legal representation for bereaved families and stronger systems of accountability for the police.

• INQUEST Briefing (October 2017)

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• INQUEST Family Listening Day Report (October 2017)

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• INQUEST Response to Consultation (Summary) (June 2016)

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Bishop's Review of Hillsborough Families' Experience 2017

Chaired by Right Reverend James Jones, this report provides an insight into what the bereaved Hillsborough families experienced over 28 years. It makes a number of strong recommendations on the response of public bodies to state related deaths, and the involvement of bereaved families in these processes.  

• INQUEST Submission (April 2017)

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• INQUEST Family Listening Day Report (April 2017)

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Mental Health and Deaths in Prison Inquiry 2017

This Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry evaluates the impact of prison on vulnerable offenders with mental health conditions and/or learning difficulties and discusses how to ensure that lessons about preventing deaths in custody are effectively practiced.

• INQUEST Written Evidence (March 2017)

• INQUEST Oral Evidence by Director Deborah Coles (March 2017)

• Oral Evidence by Families of Dean Saunders and Diane Waplington, Supported by INQUEST (March 2017)

Expectations for Police Custody 2016

HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report which sets out the framework and criteria used by the inspectorates to assess police custody arrangements and the outcomes for those detained.

• INQUEST Response to the Consultation (December 2016)

Young Adult Offenders Inquiry 2015

Justice Select Committee review into the treatment of young adults in the criminal justice system covering the Ministry of Justice, National Offender Management Service, Youth Justice Board, youth offending teams, providers of prison and probation services, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Sentencing Council.

• INQUEST Submission (September 2015)

Lord Lamming Review into Keeping Children in Care out of Trouble 2015

Prison Reform Trust review examining the reasons for, and how best to tackle, the over representation of children in care, or with experience of care, in the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

• INQUEST Submission (August 2015)

The Harris Review: Self-Inflicted Deaths in Custody 2015

Independent review into self-inflicted deaths in custody of 18 to 24 year olds from 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2013. Chaired by Lord Toby Harris, the review examines self-inflicted deaths, whether appropriate lessons have been learned from those deaths and if not, what actions should be taken to prevent further deaths.

• INQUEST Submission (September 2014)

• INQUEST Family Listening Day (October 2014)

Plans for Secure College Rules Consultation 2014

Ministry of Justice Review intending 'to set out the core parameters within which Secure Colleges will be required to operate to ensure that young people are detained safely and securely, and that their educational and rehabilitative needs are addressed'.

• INQUEST Submission (November 2014)

Policing and Mental Health 2014

Home Affairs Committee inquiry investigates what can be done to improve the use of police and mental healthcare resources, and reduce the number of people with mental health problems who find themselves in a police cell when they should be in a hospital.

• INQUEST Submission (May 2014)

Preventing the Deaths of Women in Prison 2014

This report by INQUEST highlights the failure of the government to ensure fundamental changes to policy and practice following the Corston review and the inability of the prison estate to learn from previous investigations and inquests. 

• INQUEST Report (January 2014)

The Deaths of Children and Young People in Custody: The Need for an Independent Review 2014 

This INQUEST report asks for an independent review of deaths of children and young people in custody to ensure transparent scrutiny on the issue following the continuing high number of deaths. 

• INQUEST Report (January 2014)

Transforming Management of Young Adults in Custody 2013

Ministry of Justice consultation proposing that all young adults will be accommodated in mixed institutions, where resources are targeted on their risks and rehabilitation and resettlement needs.

• INQUEST Response (December 2013)

Police Procedures in Dealing with Mental Health Issues 2013

Backbench Business Committee Briefing for debate in Westminster Hall on 28 November 2013.

• INQUEST Briefing (November 2013)

Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing 2013

Chaired by Lord Victor Adebowale CBE, the aim of this commission is review the work of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) with regard to people who have died or been seriously injured following police contact or in police custody and to make recommendations to inform MPS conduct, response and actions where mental health is, or is perceived to be, a key issue.

• INQUEST Briefing (April 2013)

Casale Review

An independent external review of the IPCC investigation into the death of Sean Rigg.

• INQUEST Briefing (February 2013)

Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses 2012

This consultation, led by the Ministry of Justice, seeks responses on a set of reforms proposing to deliver 'a more intelligent and coherent service for victims of crime'. 

• INQUEST Submission (April 2012)

Inquiry into Youth Justice 2012-2013

This Justice Select Committee Inquiry into the youth justice system in England and Wales examines wide-ranging issues including; the role of the youth justice system in diverting at-risk young people away from first time offending; governance of the youth justice system; and the extent to which the system is able to meet the needs of all offenders.

• INQUEST Submission (April 2012)

Justice and Security Green Paper 2012

The Justice and Security Green paper contains the Government's proposals to change the way in which "sensitive information" (which includes but is not confined to intelligence information) is treated in civil proceedings.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry explores its compatibility with the common law rights to a fair hearing and to open justice and with the UK's international human rights obligations.

• INQUEST and INQUEST Lawyers Additional Evidence (March 2012)

• INQUEST and INQUEST Lawyers Submission (January 2012)

• INQUEST and INQUEST Lawyers Response (January 2012)

Briefing on the death of Jimmy Mubenga

The restraint-related death of Jimmy Mubenga during deportation by a private security firm: the call for a parliamentary inquiry and scrutiny by human rights mechanisms

• INQUEST Briefing (April 2011)

Independent Police Complaints Commission Stock Take Consultation 'Building on Experiences' 2008

The report checks how well the system is delivering against the original aspirations, whether those aspirations are still appropriate in the current environment and to continue to improve the system based on evidence and learning from the last four years operation.

• INQUEST Response (October 2008)

Review of Restraint in Secure Training Centres Inquiry 2007

This Independent review is chaired by Peter Smallridge and Andrew Williamson for the Ministry of Justice & Department for Children, Schools and Families. It examines and makes recommendations on the use of restraint in juvenile settings.

• INQUEST Submission (December 2007)

The Use of Restraint in Secure Training Centres Inquiry 2007

The Joint Committee on Human Right considers the compatibility of The Secure Training Centre (Amendment) Rules with the UK’s human rights obligations. The rules widened the scope for restraint against detained children and young people in Secure Training Centres and came into force in July 2007 without parliamentary debate.

• INQUEST Evidence (October 2007)

Statutory Instrument (SI 2007, No 1709) Use of Force within Secure Training Centres 2007

Ministry of Justice proposal to broaden the circumstances in which children can be forcibly restrained by amending the rules governing the use of force within Secure Training Centres (STCs).

• INQUEST Briefing (June 2007)

Death in police custody, report on the death of Christopher Alder

• INQUEST Briefing (2004)

Stephen Lawrence Inquiry 1998

This inquiry focuses on the deaths of black and minority ethnic people in custody. INQUEST's submission examines the main issues around Stephen's death and looks at the investigative process, policy development and racially-motivated crimes.

• INQUEST Submission (1998)

Prison Inspectorate's Thematic Review on Suicides and Self-Harm in Prison 1999

This thematic review, by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales, explores how to best assist and support; prisoners who may be at risk of self-harm and suicide; the next of kin of prisoners who appear to have committed suicide; and staff and prisoners affected by the above.

• INQUEST Submission (1998)

The restraint related death of David ‘Rocky’ Bennett

• INQUEST Briefing (2004)