Governing Prisons: An Analysis of Who is Governing Prisons and the Competencies Which They Require to Govern Effectively

Prison Governors have received little attention from researchers. This article begins to correct that balance by exploring the characteristics of prison Governors as a group and by identifying the competencies which Governors require to govern effectively. The response to a questionnaire sent to all Governors reveals that the typical Governor is a white male, aged 50, who has been a Governor for the last six years of his 24 years Prison Service career and joined the Prison Service as a second career without a degree. The article goes on to argue that, to be effective, Governors need to be competent in four areas: general management, incident management, public sector management and prison management. In addition, they must demonstrate certain behaviours which are identified in the Prison Service Core Competency Framework.