Elmley (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Elmley is a local Category B/C
men's prison
, located close to the village of Eastchurch
on the Isle of Sheppey
, Kent
. The term 'local' means that this prison holds people on remand
to the local courts. Elmley forms part of the Sheppey prisons cluster, which also includes HMP Standford Hill
and HMP Swaleside
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
.
design prisons in England. A new Category C Unit was opened at the prison in 1997, making Elmley the largest of the three prisons within the Sheppey Cluster.
in 2000 it emerged that Elmley Prison had a serious infestation of fleas, affecting both inmates and staff at the prison.
In a 2003 report Elmley Prison was praised for making noticeable improvements, despite being overcrowded. However the report also raised concerns about the number of prisoners who were being held two together in cells designed for one. The report also highlighted the lack of resources for dealing with foreign national
s in the prison.
The problem of overcrowding at Elmley Prison was highlighted again in 2004 in a report from the Independent Monitoring Board
. The report also criticised Emley for its staff shortages which meant that prisoners had less time out of their cells.
Overcrowding was identified as a key concern again in a report in 2007 on Elmley Prison. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
report stated support for prisoners in the early days of custody in Elmley was "seriously compromised" because of "acute population pressures"
Education at the prison concentrates on improving key and basic skills as well as Information Technology
, Art
, ESOL and Employment skills courses. The PE department offers a range of qualifications and in conjunction with Charlton Athletic F.C.
, offers a range of football qualifications. In addition the prison works with the local Primary Care Trust to offer Health trainer Qualifications and Social Care NVQ.
Daily employment is also available at Elmley in horticulture
, environmental services and recycling
, production workshops, laundry
, industrial cleaning and catering
. Vocational training qualifications are offered in virtually all work areas.
There is a staffed visitors centre at Elmley Prison. Facilities include an unsupervised children's play area and a canteen. Canteen facilities also available in visits room.
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 close to the village of Eastchurch
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :...
on the Isle of Sheppey
Isle of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The term 'local' means that this prison holds people on remand
Detention of suspects
The detention of suspects is the process of keeping a person who has been arrested in a police-cell, remand prison or other detention centre before trial or sentencing. One criticism of pretrial detention is that eventual acquittal can be a somewhat hollow victory, in that there is no way to...
to the local courts. Elmley forms part of the Sheppey prisons cluster, which also includes HMP Standford Hill
Standford Hill (HM Prison)
HM Prison Standford Hill is a Category D men's prison, located close to the village of Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Standford Hill forms part of the Sheppey prisons cluster, which also includes HMP Elmley and HMP Swaleside...
and HMP Swaleside
Swaleside (HM Prison)
HM Prison Swaleside is a Category B men's prison, located close to the village of Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Swaleside forms part of the Sheppey prisons cluster, which also includes HMP Elmley and HMP Standford Hill. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:In...
. 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
Elmley is a purpose built prison opened in 1992, and is one of six BullingdonBullingdon (HM Prison)
HMP Bullingdon is a Category B/C men's prison, located in the village of Arncott in Oxfordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service...
design prisons in England. A new Category C Unit was opened at the prison in 1997, making Elmley the largest of the three prisons within the Sheppey Cluster.
in 2000 it emerged that Elmley Prison had a serious infestation of fleas, affecting both inmates and staff at the prison.
In a 2003 report Elmley Prison was praised for making noticeable improvements, despite being overcrowded. However the report also raised concerns about the number of prisoners who were being held two together in cells designed for one. The report also highlighted the lack of resources for dealing with foreign national
Foreign national
Foreign national is a term used to describe a person who is not a citizen of the host country in which he or she is residing or temporarily sojourning. In Canada, a foreign national is defined as someone who is not a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident of Canada...
s in the prison.
The problem of overcrowding at Elmley Prison was highlighted again in 2004 in a report from the Independent Monitoring Board
Independent Monitoring Board
Independent Monitoring Boards are statutory bodies established by the Prison Act 1952 to monitor the welfare of prisoners in the UK to ensure that they are properly cared for within Prison and Immigration Centre rules, whilst in custody and detention...
. The report also criticised Emley for its staff shortages which meant that prisoners had less time out of their cells.
Overcrowding was identified as a key concern again in a report in 2007 on Elmley Prison. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her 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...
report stated support for prisoners in the early days of custody in Elmley was "seriously compromised" because of "acute population pressures"
The prison today
Elmley Prison holds unsentenced and sentenced adult men and unsentenced male young offenders from all of the courts in the county of Kent. Accommodation at the prison comprises five House Blocks holding between 183 and 240 prisoners each in single, double and treble cells. A sixth House Block with single and double cell accommodation is currently under construction.Education at the prison concentrates on improving key and basic skills as well as Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, Art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, ESOL and Employment skills courses. The PE department offers a range of qualifications and in conjunction with Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, offers a range of football qualifications. In addition the prison works with the local Primary Care Trust to offer Health trainer Qualifications and Social Care NVQ.
Daily employment is also available at Elmley in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, environmental services and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, production workshops, laundry
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
, industrial cleaning and catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
. Vocational training qualifications are offered in virtually all work areas.
There is a staffed visitors centre at Elmley Prison. Facilities include an unsupervised children's play area and a canteen. Canteen facilities also available in visits room.