Woodhill (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Woodhill is a Category A
men's prison
and Young Offenders Institution, located in Milton Keynes
, Buckinghamshire
, England
. Woodhill Prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
.
criticised conditions in the Close Supervision Centre, stating that inmates being held there were being deprived of mental stimulation and human contact.
A further inspection report in February 2003, stated that there were too few prison staff at Woodhill. The report also highlighted the prisons suicide monitoring as an area that needed improvement. However the staff at the gaol were praised for maintaining a positive attitude.
In February 2006, another inspection report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised Woodhill Prison for poorly supporting at-risk prisoners and failing to bring in anti-bullying measures. The report also stated that staff in charge of youths held in the prison had not been trained or vetted to work with them.
prisoners for local magistrate
courts along with Foreign National Prisoners awaiting deportation.
The regime at Woodhill includes full-time and part-time classes. Other features include a Job Club, and Listener schemes. Woodhill also has a multi-faith full-time Chaplaincy. There is a Visitor's Centre at the prison, run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust
.
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...
and Young Offenders Institution, located in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, 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...
. Woodhill 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
Woodhill Prison opened in 1992, with a further unit added to the complex in 1996. In 1998, one wing of the prison was re-designated as a very high security 'Close Supervision Centre' for prisoners who are among the most difficult and disruptive in the prison system. Two years later, an inspection report from 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 conditions in the Close Supervision Centre, stating that inmates being held there were being deprived of mental stimulation and human contact.
A further inspection report in February 2003, stated that there were too few prison staff at Woodhill. The report also highlighted the prisons suicide monitoring as an area that needed improvement. However the staff at the gaol were praised for maintaining a positive attitude.
In February 2006, another inspection report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised Woodhill Prison for poorly supporting at-risk prisoners and failing to bring in anti-bullying measures. The report also stated that staff in charge of youths held in the prison had not been trained or vetted to work with them.
The prison today
Woodhill is a Category A prison for male adults and young offenders. The prison holds sentenced prisoners, and also holds remandDetention 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...
prisoners for local magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
courts along with Foreign National Prisoners awaiting deportation.
The regime at Woodhill includes full-time and part-time classes. Other features include a Job Club, and Listener schemes. Woodhill also has a multi-faith full-time Chaplaincy. There is a Visitor's Centre at the prison, run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust
Prison Advice and Care Trust
The Prison Advice and Care Trust is an independent UK charity that provides practical services for prisoners and prisoners' families. First established as the Catholic Prisoners Aid Society in 1898, pact works at several prisons across England....
.