Coldingley (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Coldingley is a Category C
men's prison
, located in the village of Bisley
, in Surrey
, England
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
.
criticised the jail for its lack of work and training for inmates, and poor prisoner resettlement programmes.
In 2006 Coldingley was criticised again after it emerged that some inmates at the prison were are earning up to £11,000 a year for prison work as well as earning up to £1,300 in working tax credit
s.
In 2005, the Howard League for Penal Reform
set up a graphic design
studio in Coldingley which offers prisoners fully remunerated employment at market rates(now closed).
In July 2011, it was announced that along with several other prisons, Coldingley would be put up for market testing, allowing private companies as well as HM Prison service, to bid for a contract to run the prison.
E Wing cells have in-cell sanitation and a shower. The other wings all operate on an automated night sanitation system, which can cause problems as inmates get held in queues to use sanitation. Showers facilities are communal.
High wages are not on offer at Coldingley anymore, but inmates can still earn up to £33 a week in the various industries locat ed within the Prison. These industries are: Laundry, Sign Shop and Engineering.
Coldingley also operates a Crime Diversion Scheme (CDS), in which inmates are employed. This scheme involves young first time offenders visiting the prison to hear real inmates tell them the harsh realities of the loss of liberty in the hope that this may prevent them from embarking further towards the possibility of reoffending.
There is a brand new Education block which is slowly reaching its potential, but teaching recruiting is proving a problem, so it may be some time until it reaches its full capacity. The facilities in the education block are of a high standard. The Education department offers numerous courses, such as: Numeracy, literacy, Bookkeeping, Business Enterprise, Art, IT courses (CLAIT), preparation for work and several others.
A brand new gym was completed and opened to inmates in January 2009. The new equipment has already began to inspire inmates and Prison officers to improve their fitness & health. The gym contains a variety of cardiovascular and weight training machines. 5 treadmills, 4 ergometers, 4 cross trainers, 2 bikes & 2 recumbent bikes (Life Fitness). Inmates are offered 7 gym sessions every fortnight.
Coldingley has a small library, which has a reasonable selection of books.
Prison security categories in the United Kingdom
There are four prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom used to classify every adult prisoner for the purposes of assigning them to a prison. The categories are based upon the severity of the crime and the risk posed should the person escape....
men's prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, located in the village of Bisley
Bisley, Surrey
Bisley is a large village in Surrey, England, which is notable for rifle shooting. Bisley's immediate neighbours are West End, Chobham and Knaphill.- History :...
, in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
.
History
In 1991 Coldingley was hailed as a flagship prison in England. However a 2004 report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of PrisonsHer Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales...
criticised the jail for its lack of work and training for inmates, and poor prisoner resettlement programmes.
In 2006 Coldingley was criticised again after it emerged that some inmates at the prison were are earning up to £11,000 a year for prison work as well as earning up to £1,300 in working tax credit
Working tax credit
The Working Tax Credit is a state benefit in the United Kingdom made to people who work on a low income. It is a part of the current system of refundable tax credits introduced in April 2003 and is a means-tested social security benefit...
s.
In 2005, the Howard League for Penal Reform
Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
set up a graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
studio in Coldingley which offers prisoners fully remunerated employment at market rates(now closed).
In July 2011, it was announced that along with several other prisons, Coldingley would be put up for market testing, allowing private companies as well as HM Prison service, to bid for a contract to run the prison.
The prison today
Coldingley consists of 5 wings: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta & the new Echo Wing (Oct 2008). Wings A-D consist of 87 single cells and 3 doubles. Echo Wing also has single cells with a small number of doubles. E Wing houses kitchen Workers, Orderlies & inmates enrolled in the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt) course.E Wing cells have in-cell sanitation and a shower. The other wings all operate on an automated night sanitation system, which can cause problems as inmates get held in queues to use sanitation. Showers facilities are communal.
High wages are not on offer at Coldingley anymore, but inmates can still earn up to £33 a week in the various industries locat ed within the Prison. These industries are: Laundry, Sign Shop and Engineering.
Coldingley also operates a Crime Diversion Scheme (CDS), in which inmates are employed. This scheme involves young first time offenders visiting the prison to hear real inmates tell them the harsh realities of the loss of liberty in the hope that this may prevent them from embarking further towards the possibility of reoffending.
There is a brand new Education block which is slowly reaching its potential, but teaching recruiting is proving a problem, so it may be some time until it reaches its full capacity. The facilities in the education block are of a high standard. The Education department offers numerous courses, such as: Numeracy, literacy, Bookkeeping, Business Enterprise, Art, IT courses (CLAIT), preparation for work and several others.
A brand new gym was completed and opened to inmates in January 2009. The new equipment has already began to inspire inmates and Prison officers to improve their fitness & health. The gym contains a variety of cardiovascular and weight training machines. 5 treadmills, 4 ergometers, 4 cross trainers, 2 bikes & 2 recumbent bikes (Life Fitness). Inmates are offered 7 gym sessions every fortnight.
Coldingley has a small library, which has a reasonable selection of books.