Morton Hall (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Morton Hall is a women's semi-open prison
, located in the village of Morton Hall
(near Lincoln
) in Lincolnshire
, England
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
.
s.
In January 2004, Morton became the first prison in England (along with HMP Kirkham
) to trial the Intermittent Custody Scheme. The scheme saw some inmates held at Morton Hall from Monday to Friday (released at weekends), while another set of prisoners were held on Saturdays and Sundays (released during the week). The scheme was designed to allow prisoners on short sentences to remain in employment, independent housing and maintain family ties during their jail terms. The scheme was subsequently abandoned in November 2006.
In May 2004, a report from the Prison Reform Trust
called for more facilities and support for foreign prisoners held at Morton Hall. The Trust noted improvements at the jail, but stated that more resources and staff training were needed to improve the regime at Morton Hall.
The education department at the prison provides courses in areas such as Business Studies
, ICT
, ESOL, Hairdressing, Art and Design Catering
, Hospitality
, Leisure
and Tourism
. Most courses can lead to NVQ qualifications in related fields.
HMP Morton Hall will be re-rolled from May 2011 as an Immigration Removal Centre for men awaiting deportation, this will be inconjunction with UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency).
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 Morton Hall
Morton Hall
Morton Hall is a small village, located in the parish of Swinderby in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated to the southwest of Lincoln, and is near to the larger villages of Swinderby, Thorpe on the Hill, and Eagle Barnsdale. Morton Hall is served by Swinderby...
(near Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
) in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, 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
Morton Hall was originally the site of an RAF base, which was converted into a prison and opened in 1985. It was expanded in 1996, and refitted to become a semi-open women's prison in 2001. Two ready to use units were opened in 2002, increasing overall capacity. From that time Morton Hall has been developing as a prison holding a high percentage of foreign nationalForeign 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 January 2004, Morton became the first prison in England (along with HMP Kirkham
Kirkham (HM Prison)
HM Prison Kirkham is a Category D men's prison, located southwest of Kirkham in Lancashire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-RAF Kirkham:...
) to trial the Intermittent Custody Scheme. The scheme saw some inmates held at Morton Hall from Monday to Friday (released at weekends), while another set of prisoners were held on Saturdays and Sundays (released during the week). The scheme was designed to allow prisoners on short sentences to remain in employment, independent housing and maintain family ties during their jail terms. The scheme was subsequently abandoned in November 2006.
In May 2004, a report from the Prison Reform Trust
Prison Reform Trust
The Prison Reform Trust was founded in 1981 in London, England by a small group of prison reform campaigners who were unhappy with the direction in which the Howard League for Penal Reform was heading, concentrating more on community punishments than on traditional prison reform issues...
called for more facilities and support for foreign prisoners held at Morton Hall. The Trust noted improvements at the jail, but stated that more resources and staff training were needed to improve the regime at Morton Hall.
The prison today
Morton Hall is a women's semi-open prison, holding a high percentage of foreign nationals. In addition the prison has a resettlement unit for prisoners coming to the end of their sentence, who are settling in the UK. Accommodation at the prison comprises units with single occupancy rooms.The education department at the prison provides courses in areas such as Business Studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
, ICT
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
, ESOL, Hairdressing, Art and Design 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...
, Hospitality
Hospitality
Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers...
, Leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
and Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Most courses can lead to NVQ qualifications in related fields.
HMP Morton Hall will be re-rolled from May 2011 as an Immigration Removal Centre for men awaiting deportation, this will be inconjunction with UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency).