Many people may have heard the phrases “Independent Custody Visitor” and the “Independent Custody Visiting Scheme” and may be wondering what it is all about. Our role as Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) is based upon checking on the welfare of detainees, who have been arrested by police officers on suspicion of committing a crime, and […]

This LGBTQ+ History Month, ICVA is delighted to be hosting a guest blog from an independent custody visitor from the Sussex scheme. This is, in particular, to celebrate Joanne’s OBE award and her services to transgender equality for detainees, please read on to hear from Joanne herself. FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT AND BEYOND David was […]

I have been doing custody visiting for four years now. I saw the advert on a recruitment site, and after reading what it entailed, sent in my application and was asked to do two days training/induction along with about 30 or 40 others. After an interview, photo taken, I had to wait a few weeks […]

COVID-19 forced the criminal justice system, like all areas of life, to adapt. Police custody could not stop and so had to find ways to adapt working to reduce risk of transmission and keep staff, detainees and visitors as safe as possible. Independent custody visitors (ICVs) continued to monitor custody throughout the pandemic, whether through […]

ICVA Volunteers across the UK given opportunity to influence United Nations anti-torture committee report In 2019, the United Nations Committee responsible for the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in detention visited the UK for the first time in its history. This gave independent custody visitors and me the opportunity to show the UN delegation UK […]