HM Prison Hewell

HMP Hewell

Category B and C buildings
from Hewell Grange Farm
Location Tardebigge, Worcestershire
Security class Adult Male, Categories B, C and D
Population 1431 (as of June 2008)
Opened 2008 (1946)
Former name HMPs Blakenhurst, Brockhill and Hewell Grange
Managed by HM Prison Services
Governor Nigel Atkinson
Website Hewell at justice.gov.uk

HM Prison Hewell is a multiple security category men's prison in the village of Tardebigge in Worcestershire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.

History

Hewell Prison is on the site of the Hewell Grange country house and estate, the former seat of the Earls of Plymouth and has open days for its park and garden.[1] The estate was sold to the government c.1945 and in 1946 the main house was used as a Borstal.

Over the years two other purpose-built prisons were built and opened on the estate: HMP Blakenhurst and HMP Brockhill, to hold other categories of prisoner, with enlargements. The Borstal itself was reclassified in 1991 to a Category D open prison, and renamed HMP Hewell Grange. The new 650-bed prison was operated by UK Detention Services, a partnership between Mowlem, Sir Robert McAlpine and Corrections Corporation of America.[2]

In January 2008, the Prison Service announced that the three prisons would merge to be managed by a single team.[3] Its provisional name for public consultation was 'HMP Redditch', however local residents objected and in March 2008 it was decided to rename the site HMP Hewell.[4] HMP Hewell was formally created on 25 June 2008, and is the first in an efficiency drive involving the creation of new Titan prisons in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Justice closed the Brockhill part of the prison in September 2011. The closure formed part of wide-ranging cost saving, with one other prison shut in 2011.[5]

In July 2017 Tornado squads were brought in from outside to deal with a prison riot in the 'B' section.[6]

The prison today

One of the Category D site buildings

Hewell is a multiple security category prison for adult males. Category B, Category C and Category D prisoners are housed in different sites. The prison primarily serves the Worcestershire, West Midlands and Warwickshire catchment area. Accommodation at the prison is divided into 8 house blocks, 7 of which have single or double occupancy cells, and 1 house block which has dormitory accommodation.

Category B & C prisoners are employed in workshops providing Construction Industry Training, double glazing manufacture, industrial cleaning, waste management, laundry and contract services. Education offered includes ICT courses, ESOL, basic literacy and numeracy, art and cookery classes.

Category D prisoners also have access to external college courses, Open University distant learning, as well as a range of ICT, literacy and numeracy courses. Employment is provided throughout the estate including:

In January 2017 an inspection report described Hewell as “a prison with many challenges and areas of serious concern”. Prison inspector, Peter Clarke said, the “main concerns at the closed site were regarding issues of safety and respect”. Clarke said levels of violence were “far too high”, he described communal areas as “dirty” and claimed many cells were over-crowded, with some, “filthy”. 60% said getting drugs was easy, a quarter of prisoners felt unsafe, and self harm had increased.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hewell Grange Park and Garden - Grade II* - Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1000886)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  2. ↑ McDonald, Douglas C. (1994). "PUBLIC IMPRISONMENT BY PRIVATE MEANS: The Re-emergence of Private Prisons and Jails in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia". The British Journal of Criminology. 34: 29–48. JSTOR 23638186. (Registration required (help)).
  3. ↑ "Prisons merge to create new jail". bbc.co.uk. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  4. ↑ "Title change for 'super' prison". bbc.co.uk. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  5. ↑ "Two prisons to shut in efficiency bid, MoJ says". BBC News. 13 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 HMP Hewell unrest brought under control by prison riot squads The Guardian

Coordinates: 52°19′17″N 1°59′35″W / 52.3214°N 1.9931°W / 52.3214; -1.9931

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