1.

Basic Prison Information England and Wales

 Number of prisons across England and Wales: 120 (as of July 2023)
 HMPSS runs 105 prisons, while Serco, G4S and Sodexo run 15 prisons altogether.
 There has been private sector involvement in the prison system in England and Wales since 1992.
HMP Altcourse was the first designed, constructed, managed, and financed private prison in the
UK, opening its doors to prisoners on 1st December 1997 (source:
https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/private-prisons/). In May 1992, HMP Wolds, the UK’s first
privately run prison was opened
(https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Prisons%20briefing
%20final.pdf)

Serco runs the following 5 prisons:

Name of the Prison Location Opened Capacity Security Class
S.N.
1. HMP Ashfield Pucklechurch 1999 412 Male adults, Category C
2. HMP Doncaster Doncaster 1994 1145 Male adults, young
offenders and sex offenders,
Category B.
3. HMP Dovegate Uttoxeter 2001 1060 Male adults training prison,
Category B.
4. HMP Fosse Way Leicester 2023 1930 Male adults, Category C.
5. HMP Thameside Thamesmead, 2012 1232 Male adults, Category B
London

G4S runs the following 4 prisons:

S.N. Name of the Prison Location Opened Capacity Security Class
1. HMP Five Wells Wellingborough 2022 1680 Male adults, Category C.
2. HMP Oakwood Wolverhampton 2012 1605 Male adults, Category C.
3. HMP Rye Hill Barby 2001 Male adults, Category B.
Primarily for sex-offender as
it has a separate house for
such offenders.
4. HMP Parc Bridgend 1997 1800 Male adults and young
 offenders, Category B.

1.2. Sodexo runs the following 6 prisons:

S.N. Name of the Location Opened Capacity Security Class
Prison
1. HMP Bronzefield Surry 2004 527 Adult Female/Juvenile
2 HMP Forest Bank City of Salford 2000 1460 Adult male, category B
3 HMP Peterborough 2005 840 (480 Adults and Young offenders,
Peterborough male and Category B
360
female)
4 HMP Northumberlan 2011 1348 Male adults, Category C
Northumberland d
5. HMP Altcourse Liverpool 1997 1324 Male adults and young
offenders, Category B
6. HMP Lowdham Lowdham 1998 920 Male adults, Category B
Grange

 Prisons for Male Adults: The adult male prison estate under HMPPS is organized into three
primary functions: Reception, Training, and Resettlement. Each prison can fulfil more than one
function.
 Reception prisons, also known as local prisons, primarily receive inmates from local courts
who are either on remand awaiting trial or have been convicted and await sentencing.
 Training prisons are categorized as either B or C and are specifically designed to house
offenders based on their corresponding category.
 Resettlement prisons can be categorized as C or D (open) prisons and focus on preparing
prisoners for their eventual release. In open prisons, some inmates may be allowed to leave
for work, training, or family visits.
 High-security prisons can serve all three functions and accommodate category A prisoners or
those serving longer sentences.
 Prisons for Women: There are 12 prisons in England and Wales that accommodate adult female
offenders. Two of the twelve operate as open prisons (Askham Grange and East Sutton Park).
 Prisons for Young Offenders: Young offenders are placed in three different types of institutions:
Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), Secure Training Centres, and Secure Children's Homes. The
decision on the type of institution in which a young offender will be held is made by the Youth
Custody Service, which is part of the Ministry of Justice.
 YOIs are responsible for housing young male offenders in two separate age groups: 15-17 and 18-
20 years old. There is currently only one Secure Training Centre, which caters to children up to
the age of 17. Secure Children's Homes, on the other hand, are managed by local authorities and
accommodate children aged 10-14. Although these homes are not part of the HMPPS (Her
Majesty's Prison and Probation Service) estate, the Youth Custody Service commissions places in
them.
 Prison Population Projection