An outdated prison log system still in use throughout the United Kingdom is contributing to accidental releases, as per recent claims.
Earlier today, the Metropolitan Police verified that Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian sex offender mistakenly set free from HMP Wandsworth last week, has been apprehended in Islington, North London. The prison authorities took five days to notify Scotland Yard of his erroneous release before a significant manhunt was initiated on Tuesday.
Yesterday, convicted fraudster Billy Smith, aged 35, who was also mistakenly released from the same prison on Monday, voluntarily surrendered himself back – kissing a woman believed to be his girlfriend and smoking a cigarette before being escorted inside by guards.
This incident is part of a series of alarming prisoner releases that started last month when Epping attacker Hadush Kebatu, aged 38, was erroneously let go from HMP Chelmsford instead of being deported. Just four weeks earlier, he had been convicted for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Essex.
Government data for the 12 months leading up to March this year reveals a troubling pattern of accidental prisoner releases. A total of 262 inmates were released in error, marking a significant 128% surge from the previous year’s 115 cases.
Insiders from the HM Prison and Probation Service suggest that an outdated electronic prison log system known as NOMIS is responsible for these blunders.
The NOMIS system, introduced in May 2010 after development in the 2000s, has faced criticism for being antiquated, intricate, and difficult to maintain. Its inability to integrate with other systems often necessitates physical print-outs for information transfer.
A more contemporary alternative called the Digital Prison Services (DPS) started appearing in select prisons in England and Wales in 2021. However, the complete replacement of the old system isn’t anticipated until 2029, leading to prison guards being burdened with software deemed inadequate for its intended use – a situation that mirrors broader neglect of the prison service and its personnel, as highlighted by a union leader.
Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), conveyed to the Mirror, “All IT systems within HMPPS are outdated and unsuitable for use. We feel neglected, relying on minimal resources to function.”
He added, “These erroneous releases underscore years of insufficient investment in technology and staff. Without a comprehensive overhaul of processes and substantial investment in personnel, frontline workers will continue to face unbearable pressure.”
Even inmates have pointed out the system as the root cause of errors. Proinsias O’Doherty, aged 28, speaking to the Mirror after leaving HMP Belmarsh, stated, “It’s the NOMIS system, not the prison staff. They can only operate based on the system’s capabilities. Even my release process was challenging due to system complexities.”
The government acknowledges that a heavy reliance on manual methods is culpable for the mistaken releases and has pledged to deploy specialized teams of technologists to introduce state-of-the-art technology in more prisons to prevent future errors.
Additionally, Governor oversight of all releases will be mandated following Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy’s implementation of new checks post the Kebatu case last month.
Addressing the impact of 14 years of austerity on the British justice system, Mr. Lammy expressed dismay over the rate of erroneous releases, stating, “We inherited a prison system in crisis, and I’m shocked by the frequency of these errors.”
He continued, “Rectifying this issue will be a formidable task, necessitating new stringent release checks, an independent inquiry into systemic shortcomings, and the modernization of outdated paper-based systems still in use in some prisons.”
