Having spent time in 3 B category prisons run by 3 different providers, I recently received my C category and subsequently transferred here to HMP Stafford. He had the impression, or should be under the illusion, that life in a category C prison was perhaps a little more comfortable than in category B. How wrong he was.
While I fully understand that many of the privileges we have are just that and can be taken away at any time, shouldn’t we have more privileges in category C than in category B? Here in Stafford I have not found a single aspect of the regime that is not worse than a category B prison. We have less community, fewer days a week available for visits, shorter visiting hours, fewer visits available. We have to wear jeans when visiting, we can’t use the courtesy locks on the cell doors, we don’t have a key, the showers are shared, there are no cubicles so no privacy, less access to phones, the TVs are dated with poor picture quality and fewer channels. I could go on.
Notes for Editors
- Read the full reports on HMP Brixton and HMP The Mount (both published 30 June 2022), HMP Rochester (published 1 February 2022) , 2022) and HMP Coldingley (published April 20, 2022).
- Read the press release on category C prisons.
category C
Category C prisons are training and resettlement prisons. These are the most common types of prisons. They give inmates the opportunity to develop their own skills so that after their release they can find work and settle into the community.
Category C prisons are for “those who cannot be trusted in open conditions but are unlikely to attempt an escape”. Examples of category C prisons are HMP Birmingham and HMP Brixton.
Category D prisons are open prisons. These have minimal security and allow prisons to spend a significant portion of their time outside prison walls to work, attend education, or rehabilitate. Inmates must go through a risk assessment process to qualify for open prisons. Placement in a category D prison is a privilege reserved for those prisoners who are presumed not to attempt an escape. If this is your first offense and it is a non-violent or drug-related offence, you may be transferred to a category D prison within one month of the start of your sentence. Examples of category D prisons are HMP Hatfield and HMP Spring Hill. The PSI suggests that prisoners should not be held in open conditions for more than two years.
Applications Now Open
Case managers provide administrative support within the probation service in various settings including courts, prisons and special probation centers.
We currently have vacancies for Case Managers in various areas. If you are interested in learning more about the position and applying, please visit our website and apply now.