Welcome to De Profundis (Advisory)
A Unique Advisory service to the Private and Public Criminal Justice Sector
Targeting Zero Self-Harm in Custodial Settings
What we do
Subject Matter Experts in the prevention of Suicide and Self-Harm in Custodial Settings
We work in all classifcations of custodial settings from both Public & privately managed Prisons to Immigration Removal Centres
Consultations
You can be assured that a consultation with us will allow you an insight into your prison never seen before.
We regularly consult with Prison Governors and Directors on issues outside the Early Days Process as we are able to break down barriers between staff and residents.
Prior to the arrival of the Inspectorate, De Profundis has been asked to carry out a "pre-inspection" and be part of a quality assurance team.
We have also been engaged by prisons to act as a mediator when violence/volatility/illegal substances have become an issue in a jail.
We advise regularly to those who volunteer in the criminal justice system.
Public Work
We have undertaken contracts from various Community Rehabilitation companies to assist them in reaching out to the Magistracy and Judiciary to discuss the reasoning behind sentencing individuals to short term sentences.
This resulted in the magistrates wanting to become more closely linked to the Probation Service to ensure that by dealing with a proper alternate route to custody, reoffending levels are lowered, the public are kept safer and society is better served as a whole.
We undertook an engagement from the National Probation Service, Southwest Region to ascertain the experiences of prison leavers whilst on licence.
Early Days In Custody
One in ten self-inflicted deaths in prison occur within two days of arrival. Around a fifth occur in the first week and almost 40 per cent within a month.
Each death has a huge impact on the people left behind - in the person’s family and the prison. We work with prisons, police and the courts to improve the way people are received into custody. Our programme involves supporting people not only on their first night but for sometime thereafter – to support them into prison life.
We believe that more emphasis must be placed on the settlement of that individual into prison life.
After inspecting new processes we developed for one prison, His Majesty’s Inspector of Prison found:
“The new induction programme was comprehensive and well delivered by the Insiders. An excellent tracking system included follow-ups from the Insiders at both seven and 21 days, to offer continued support”
- HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
The Use of Technology in Saving Lives
We have been integral in developing programs that use the data already in prisons to help identify those who may be at risk of going into a crisis.
We work with the UK's largest supplier of prisoner technology in developing programs / harvesting of data that, when analysed correctly, have a proven result of reducing self-harm in the custodial estate.
One of the products in which we were involved with the development has recently been recognised by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) as best practice (the highest recommendation).
We train staff on the use of technology in custodial settings and how this can, and does, reduce levels of self-harm for those in custody.
Training
We offer training to prison peer mentors and staff to deliver a range of support and specialist services inside. We believe that prisoners who support a safe, decent and humane regime play a powerful role inside.
This requires specialist training to make them a success. This improves the outcomes for the people they support and increases their own self-esteem and self-worth.
We have trained staff during their induction course, in the use oof peer mentors in prison, safer custody and the prevention of self-harm.
We regularly attend full staff briefings
Public Speaking
In addition to staff training and speaking within prisons to both prisoners and staff. Michael has spoken at numerous events, both nation and international on various subjects :
https://www.clinks.org/ - The state of prisons - annual conference - London
https://www.butlertrust.org.uk/ - What makes a good prison officer - Summer School - Keeble College - Oxford
https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/ - Debating on Prisons - London
https://www.modernising-justice.co.uk/ - The use of Technology in saving lives - London
https://icpa.org/ -The Use of Technology in Saving lives in Prisons - Antwerp
https://www.bmlsinfo.org/ - The State of Prisons - Birmingham
https://icpa.org/ - The Use of Technology in Prisons - Istanbul
http://www.inter-change.eu - Implementing New practices into Prisons - Lisbon
We were also asked to speak that the recent Digital Leaders forum for 2024 on the implementation of the use of technology as it pertains to prisons.
De Profundis has also attended several "town hall" debates on the state of the criminal Justice system.
Recommendations
Our work has featured in over 20 Inspection reports by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) as good / best practice. No prison where our work is implemented has scored less than a 3 in Respect / Safety.
Our work is featured in the latest "Sharing Positive Practice" document issued by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
Our work in developing technology to assist staff in identifying those under their care who are at risk of being vulnerable has been recognised by HMIP and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman in their recent reports.
Our work is also recommended in HMIP's Expectations for Early Days in Custody.
For an extensive list of the HMIP reports that recognised our work, please to send us an email by clicking mailto:Info@DeProfundisAdvisory.co.uk
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