Recurring concern
Inadequate pre-release risk assessment for people leaving custody
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correctionFirst reported 3 Mar 2016•Latest report 12 Aug 2024
What this concern includes
Includes failures in pre-release risk assessments for people leaving custody, including missing or incomplete assessment, failure to ask or meaningfully consider wellbeing and suicide or self-harm risks, and failure to use relevant answers or information to inform release safeguards.
Not included
- Excludes general custody risk assessments or ongoing in-custody assessments where the release decision or pre-release period is not materially involved.
- Excludes generic staff training, communication or documentation deficiencies unless they directly impair the pre-release risk-assessment process.
- Excludes post-release supervision, accommodation or healthcare failures where the pre-release risk assessment was not itself deficient.
- Excludes general release-planning or high-risk-offender management failures that do not concern assessment of the person's immediate wellbeing and safety risks before release.
- Reports
- 7
- Individual concerns
- 9
- Date range
- 2016–2024
- Stated actions
- 8
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure of hospital and police custody risk assessments to identify suicide or self-harm risk before release
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Action
Audit pre-release risk assessments monthly to monitor and improve their quality.
Stated by West Midlands Police
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
Mental-health input for people in police custody is provided through the locally organised Liaison and Diversion Service between police and mental-health services.
Stated by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
-
Concerns raised2
Failure to properly complete the pre-release risk assessment
Failure to understand the importance of the release wellbeing question in the pre-release risk assessment
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Review the wording of Pre-Release Risk Assessment questions, including whether terms such as “appear” appropriately identify non-visible mental health issues.
Stated by South Yorkshire Police -
Action
Use the contrasting risk assessments and investigation lessons learned in continuing Custody Sergeant training and CPD on Pre-Release Risk Assessments.
Stated by South Yorkshire Police
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to assess the risk of suicide or self-harm upon release
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Implement a Health and Justice risk-assessment procedure covering suicide and self-harm assessment, information sharing, Police IT recording, verbal-feedback documentation, and recording declined assessments.
Stated by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Deliver mandatory three-level suicide-mitigation training to Health and Justice clinical staff through e-learning and taught sessions.
Stated by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure of the Home Detention Curfew Policy to require assessment of prisoners’ risk of harm to others
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Amend the HDC Policy Framework to require assessment of overall risks and confirmation that an adequate release risk-management plan is in place before HDC release.
Stated by Ministry of Justice -
Action
Provide communications and training to embed the revised HDC risk-assessment and release-planning requirements.
Stated by Ministry of Justice
-
Concerns raised2
Failure to consider the ramifications of bail conditions for vulnerable individuals
Failure to ensure custody access to and review of CJLDT assessments before bail conditions and release of vulnerable individuals
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to formulate care plans that identify the need for pre-release health care assessment
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to raise suicide and self-harm risks with the prosecutor before bail decisions
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Action
Include in mandatory custody-sergeant training the requirement to highlight known risks and concerns to the officer in charge when considering an MG7 remand application.
Stated by West Mercia Police
Data last updated 7 September 2026