Trisha Shetty (Editor)

HM Prison High Down

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Location
  
Banstead, Surrey

Opened
  
1990s

Phone
  
+44 20 7147 6300

Population
  
996 (as of July 2016)

Managed by
  
HM Prison Services

HM Prison High Down

Website
  
High Down at justice.gov.uk

Address
  
High Down Ln, Sutton SM2 5PJ, UK

Security class
  
Prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom

HM Prison High Down is a Category B men's local prison. High Down is located on the outskirts of Banstead in Surrey, England (overlooking Banstead Downs), and is immediately adjacent to the southern boundary of Belmont in Greater London. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is situated in proximity to Downview Prison for women.

Contents

History

High Down Prison was built in the 1990s on the site previously occupied by Banstead Lunatic Asylum. Banstead Asylum was built in 1877, and held psychiatric patients until its demolition in 1989.

In November 2010 the prison football team played a friendly match against League Two side Wycombe Wanderers, losing 8-0.

The prison today

High Down Prison accepts prisoners (both convicted and on remand) from Croydon and Guildford Crown Courts and surrounding Magistrates' Courts. There is a visitors centre at the prison with facilities including Baby changing facilities and a Crèche. Conditions for prisoners deteriorated badly following staff cuts.

Accommodation and facilities

  • Showers on each landing
  • Pinphone system in use
  • Sentence Planning
  • Drug Counseling
  • Detox unit
  • First Night in Prison scheme
  • Bail Information Scheme
  • Prisoners can wear own clothes

    • Healthcare

  • In-patient capacity of 23 beds in single cells
  • Day Centre facility within in-patient area for both in-patients and outpatients
  • Dental service x 3 times a week
  • Optician fortnightly
  • Chiropody weekly
  • Asthma weekly
  • Sexual health service weekly
  • Integrated Substance Misuse service
  • Associate Specialist Psychiatrist daily x5 days and Consultant Psychiatrist x 3 sessions per week
  • GP and out of hours service

    • Food

  • Civilian caterers employed by the Prison Service
  • NVQ Levels 2 & 3 in Food Prep & Cooking and Royal Society for the Promotion of Health Foundation Food Hygiene course
  • BICS Cleaning course and the Manager is an Internal Verifier
  • Up to 24 prisoners at a time are employed and all are involved in vocational training
  • Prospective employers are invited to specially arranged lunches 3 times a year, to encourage the employment of ex-offenders into the hospitality industry
  • The Clink restaurant

    • References

    HM Prison High Down Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA