HM Prison Wetherby

HMP/YOI Wetherby

HM Prison Wetherby and prison houses adjacent
Location Wetherby, West Yorkshire
Security class Juvenile Males
Population 272 (as of February 2016[1])
Opened 1958
Managed by HM Prison Services
Governor Marcella Goligher[2]
Website Wetherby at justice.gov.uk

HMP/YOI Wetherby is a male juveniles prison, located in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.

History

A former Naval Base, Wetherby was introduced into the Prison System in 1958 as a Borstal.[3][4] Since that time there have been many changes in its role from an open Youth Custody Centre, to a closed Youth Custody Centre, to its current role as a dedicated Male Juvenile Prison housing inmates aged between 15 and 17 years.[5]

It houses offenders who are from Humberside, North, South and West Yorkshire and parts of Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Its functional capacity is 276 detainees,[2] however, the Ministry of Justice list the operational capacity as being 336 detainees.[6]

The prison today

All living accommodation in the prison is in single occupancy cells. The living accommodation is split into 6 living units (Anson, Benbow, Clarke, Collingwood, Drake, Exmouth & Frobisher)[4] housing 60 trainees in each.[6] There are two brick-built units that were built in the 1970s and 4 “quick-build” ready-to-use units that were erected in 1997. An additional self-contained unit for vulnerable boys in custody has officially opened in 2009 by the Youth Justice Board, the Keppel Unit holds up to 48 boys aged 15–17, offering enhanced support including individual care plans.[3]

Wetherby's Education Programme (offered on a half-time basis) is provided by The Manchester College. Courses are provided in a variety of subjects and individual timetables are developed to meet the trainees’ needs in conjunction with the sentence planning process. The establishment has a Chaplaincy Team for both staff and trainees. There are weekly services, an Eccumenical Service for Church of England and other Free Churches, a Roman Catholic service as well as Muslim prayers. A team of three full-time chaplains, as well as part-time and sessional chaplains meet the needs of trainees and staff. The prison has a small Health Care Centre which is run by nursing staff who provide 24-hour medical cover. A doctor attends the establishment in the mornings.[7]

Refreshments are available to visitors and prisoners in the visits room during visiting hours and vending machines are also available.[8]

2016 lockdown

In February 2016, it was revealed that all of the detainees were on lockdown due to rising levels of violence against staff and other detainees.[9] The unrest continued for two months and culminated in a Prison Officer being stabbed.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Wetherby Young Offender Institution has "deteriorated" report says". BBC News. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 "HMYOI Wetherby". doingtime.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 Hill, Amelia (6 April 2012). "Inside Keppel: finding freedom in a children's prison". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 "General Details, HMYOI Wetherby". dointime.org.uk. Doing Time. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Hardwick, Nick (June 2015). "Report on an unannounced inspection of HMYOI Wetherby by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons" (PDF). justiceinspectorates.co.uk. Justice Inspectorates. p. 7. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Wetherby Prison information". justice.gov.uk. Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  7. ↑ Hardwick, Nick (June 2015). "Report on an unannounced inspection of HMYOI Wetherby by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons" (PDF). justiceinspectorates.co.uk. Justice Inspectorates. pp. 14–41. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Visits and getting there, HMYOI Wetherby". doingtime.org.uk. Doing Time. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  9. ↑ Holliday, John (17 October 2016). "Young offenders confined to cells in prison officers' protest". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Officer stabbed at Wetherby Young Offenders Institute". BBC News. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.

Coordinates: 53°56′08″N 1°22′05″W / 53.9356°N 1.3681°W / 53.9356; -1.3681

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