Facility Visit Information*
Overview
On Friday 27 October, delegates will have the opportunity to visit a variety of facilities in Greater London to gain a
greater understanding into the delivery of prison and probation services. The programme will include visits to prisons
operated by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, Sodexo and Serco as well as Approved Premises which
provide residential housing to offenders in the community.
Return transportation will be arranged from the venue. Approximate travel times for each location are included and departure times will be confirmed at the Facility Visits Desk. Please be advised that timings vary and whilst every effort will be made to ensure the visit is completed and the transport returns to the venue – at the latest by 15:00, this will be dependent on traffic. Delegates are therefore reminded to take this into consideration when booking onto visits. HMPPS and ICPA take no responsibility for onward travel arrangements.
There are a limited number of delegate spaces on each facility visit. To book, delegates will need to provide their full names, date of birth and passport numbers to at the Facility Visits Desk, situated in the Champagne Suite Foyer. Visitors will be provided with a list of items which are prohibited from entering prisons and will be advised to leave items - including luggage and electronic equipment, in the storage facilities at Hotel Novotel London West.
If you have any disability access requirements, please ensure you communicate this to staff at the Facility Visits Desk.
A detailed agenda for each visit will be available from the Facility Visits Desk. A brief overview of each of the sites is included. Please be aware that some details may be subject to change.
| HMP Brixton |
| HMP Brixton’s is a category C resettlement prison with a capacity of 810. Brixton’s primary role is to prepare offenders for release to the Greater London region by providing activities which reduce their risk, including a range of education and training courses and qualifications. |
| Depart Novotel West: 08:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 13:30 |
| HMP & YOI Bronzefield |
| HMP Bronzefield is a purpose built prison for women in Surrey, which opened in June 2004. It was the first Private Finance Initiative (PFI) prison build specifically for women in the UK and is run by Sodexo Justice Services. HMP Bronzefield performs the function of a local prison, accepting prisoners direct from the courts and holds a diverse population including: young offenders, lifers and a Mother and Baby Unit. |
| Depart Novotel West: 08:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 14:30 |
| HMP/YOI Downview |
| HMP/YOI Downview is a closed female establishment. The prison re-opened in 2016, following a previous closure and can accommodate up to 356 women. Downview operates a number of education and vocational training courses and works with a number of organisations to provide resettlement support. |
| Depart Novotel West: 08:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 13:30 |
| HMP YOI Feltham |
| Feltham accommodates Young People from the age of 15 to 18 deemed as unsuitable for, or not
warranting secure local authority accommodation and Young Adults from the age of 18 to 21 placed in custody by the courts. Young People and Young Adults occupy separate residential units and undertake different regimes. |
| Depart Novotel West: 08:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 13:30 |
| HMP High Down |
| HMP & YOI High Down services courts in Surrey and can hold up to 1203 prisoners on remand and post sentence. The accommodation consists of 6 houseblocks for approximately 200 prisoners in single and double cells. The regime includes provision of classroom education and vocational training, laundry, textile workshop and catering. |
| Depart Novotel West: 08:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 13:30 |
| HMP Thameside |
| HMP Thameside is London’s only private prison. It is a Local Resettlement Category B establishment that can hold up to 1232 convicted and remand male prisoners, where the average length of stay is less than a year. The prison was first opened in 2012 and Serco has run the contract from the outset. |
| Depart Novotel West: 07:30 |
| Return to Novotel West: 14:30 |
| HMP Wormwood Scrubs |
| Wormwood Scrubs is a Victorian-built category B prison, which can hold up to 1279 males over the age of 18 in the early stages of custody remanded from local Magistrates and Crown Courts. The establishment has five main wings plus a number of smaller dedicated units. |
| Depart Novotel West: 09:00 |
| Return to Novotel West: 13:00 |
| Approved Premises |
| Locations to be announced… |
Approved Premises are premises approved under Section 13 of the Offender Management Act 2007. The term currently applies to 101 premises providing over 2,000 bed spaces managed by either the National Probation Service (NPS) or by independent organisations. Approved Premises offer residential provision in order to provide enhanced levels of protection to the public and reduce the likelihood of further reoffending. They provide enhanced residential supervision by: - Working closely with NPS offender managers |
| Depart Novotel West: 09:00 |
| Return to Novotel West: 12:30 |
* Facility Visits are available only to delegates with full conference registration
