ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we continue our discussion of accountability with an analysis of the operation of the Prisons Inspectorate. We give an account of its origins, its brief and its structure and describe its main activities. We analyse the content of inspection reports, thematic reviews, incident reports and the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report and evaluate how well the Inspectorate performs its different functions. The performance of the Inspectorate is analysed in terms of discourse and power and makes repeated references to the discourse matrix outlined in Chapter 2 above.
