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The Independent Monitoring Board in England and Wales (IMB) is not a pressure group but a constant presence in a prison, independent of the Governor, staff and prisoners, monitoring that the prison is being run according to the rules.  The IMB consists of a group of lay people living locally to a prison who are appointed by the Minister for Prisons to go into the prison, unannounced, at any time of the day or night and who may go anywhere they like in the prison and speak to prisoners out of  sight (where safe) and hearing of staff.  There is an IMB in every prison in England and Wales consisting of approximately 14 members.

The Independent Monitoring Board in England and Wales (IMB) is not a pressure group but a constant presence in a prison, independent of the Governor, staff and prisoners, monitoring that the prison is being run according to the rules. The IMB consists of a group of lay people living locally to a prison who are appointed by the Minister for Prisons to go into the prison, unannounced, at any time of the day or night and who may go anywhere they like in the prison and speak to prisoners out of sight (where safe) and hearing of staff. There is an IMB in every prison in England and Wales consisting of approximately 14 members.

The legal role of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) is set in the following statement agreed by the Minister for Prisons:

The Board must satisfy itself as to the humane and just treatment of those held in custody within its prison and the range and adequacy of the programmes preparing them for release and inform the Secretary of State, or any official to whom he has delegated authority, where it judges appropriate, any concern it has report annually to the Secretary of State on how well the prison has met the standards and requirements placed on it and what impact these have on those in its custody.

A member of the board may draw keys on entry to the prison, go round the prison unescorted, talking to prisoners and staff and monitoring the conditions in the prison. Every week there will be a visit from members of the board, who must look at the conditions in statutory areas, the kitchens, healthcare and segregation unit and will thereafter go to other areas at will ensuring that all areas of the prison are visited by each member of the board at least once a year. The second role of the board is to take applications from prisoners, in the shape of requests or complaints which staff have either failed to solve or have been unable to provide responses to the satisfaction of the prisoner. These applications can vary from a request for a pair of trainers (shoes) from the property store to an allegation of abuse/bullying from another prisoner or a member of staff. While the prison is funded and resourced to solve all such queries, prisoners have the absolute right to see an IMB member. The IMB is not tasked to set up investigations itself but it is the role of the board to ensure that all investigations are progressed to a conclusion and to ensure that prisoners can appeal, without prejudice, against any finding. All such applications to see a member of the IMB must be recorded by the board member. A member of the IMB may sit in as an observer at meetings and adjudications to ensure that there is no discrimination by race, diversity, age, disability or sexuality and also to be satisfied that prisoners are being treated with respect and fairness and that they are aware of the avenues of appeal. The board monitors all conditions in the prison against principles of decency, respect and humanity. Staff issues, where they impact on prisoners, are also within the remit of the IMB.

Every visit is recorded and this record is seen by the Governor on a weekly basis and the Board holds a monthly meeting to which the Governor is invited. Concerns are raised with the Governor and resolution sought. Failure to resolve serious concerns may be taken outside the prison, ultimately to the Minister. Each Board must publish an annual report, firstly to the Minister and then to the public and the media.

Serious incidents within any prison, such as concerted indiscipline, death in custody or hostage taking, must be monitored by the IMB who have to be informed immediately. This ensures independent evaluation of the management and resolution of such incidents and protects both prisoners and staff against allegations during an incident

To understand the work of the IMB it is important to understand the difference between monitoring, auditing and inspecting. Auditing primarily involves looking at processes, inspections are snap pictures of a day or week in a prison, but monitoring by the IMB is looking at the outcomes and the impact of processes, rules and regimes on the prisoner on a day to day basis.