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Former Chief Inspector of Prisons to receive honorary degree
Nick held the role of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons from 2010 until January this year, taking responsibility for providing independent scrutiny of detention in England and Wales through carrying out announced and unannounced inspections of detention facilities, including prisons, young offenders’ institutions, police cells and immigration detention.
Throughout his tenure as Chief Inspector, Nick was an outspoken critic of the conditions he found in prisons, being described by former Chief Inspector, David Ramsbothem, as a ‘fearless reporter of the facts’.
Nick will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws at 5pm on Wednesday 27 July, for his contribution to law.
Speaking ahead of his award, Nick said: “I am delighted to receive this honour from Leeds Beckett University particularly because of their innovative and inclusive approach to research in prisons which is helping us understand – and change - what happens behind the walls.”
Nick began his career in the voluntary sector, working with young offenders for NACRO, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, and leading Centrepoint, a charity and housing association for young homeless people, from 1986 to 1995.
In 1992, he was seconded to the Department of Environment where he worked as a special adviser to the then-Housing Minister, Sir George Young, before becoming Chief Executive of the Refugee Council in 1995.
Nick progressed to become the first Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2003 and was awarded a CBE for his work in 2010. He was Chair of the Housing Ombudsman Service between 2010 and 2013.
Alongside his appointments, Nick has been involved in many voluntary organisations concerned with young people, offenders and refugees. He is currently Chair of the New Horizon Youth Centre, a day centre which works with young people who are vulnerable, homeless or at risk, helping them to create positive futures.
Nick is also a trustee of Prisoners Abroad, a human rights organisation which cares for the welfare of all British citizens held in foreign prisons, and he has served on the boards of many other charities concerned with homelessness, refugees and prisons.
He is now Professor of Criminal Justice at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Chair of the Parole Board, an independent body carrying out risk assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released into the community.
Leeds Beckett University Chancellor, Sir Bob Murray CBE, said: “Nick has been a great supporter of our University’s Prison Research Network since its launch in April 2015, where Nick presented the keynote lecture. We welcomed him once again to Leeds Beckett later in the year to speak at the Prisoner Learning Alliance second annual conference, sharing his vision of an aspirational prison.
“We are delighted to recognise Nick’s contribution to law with this Honorary Doctorate and are very much looking forward to hearing him share his wealth of knowledge with our students at graduation.”
The full list of honorary degrees to be awarded by Leeds Beckett University can be found here.