Location Norwich, Norfolk Governor Will Styles Phone +44 1603 708600 | Managed by HM Prison Services Opened 1887 | |
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Population 767 (as of February 2010) Website Norwich at justice.gov.uk Address Knox Cl, Norwich NR1 4LU, UK Security class Prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom Similar Mousehold Heath, Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle, HM Prison Huntercombe, St Peter Mancroft | ||
HM Prison Norwich is a Category B/C multi-functional prison for adult and juvenile males, located on Mousehold Heath in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.
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History
Norwich opened as a prison in 1887, on the site of the Britannia Barracks (the former home of the Royal Norfolk Regiment). The prison has had a variety of roles over the years, but today acts as a prison for Category B & C inmates.
In January 2003 a report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons severely criticised Norwich Prison for factors including poor cleanliness and the failure of its anti-drug and anti-bullying programmes. The report also criticised the lack of work and education opportunities at the jail for inmates.
In November 2004 the Prison Reform Trust criticised levels of overcrowding at Norwich Prison. The trust stated that nearly half of all single cells at the jail here holding two prisoners, and inmates were spending too much time locked up in their cells.
At around this time Norwich became the only prison in England and Wales to have a unit exclusively for elderly male prisoners (mainly serving life sentences). This has meant that a number of high-profile elderly prisoners have been held at HMP Norwich in recent years.
The prison today
The site is divided into various wings and units which house different facilities and categories of prisoners:
Education provision for inmates at Norwich Prison is mainly centred on basic and key skills. Other courses offered include ESOL, Food Hygiene, First Aid, Health and Safety, NVQ Catering, Art and Craft and pre-release work programmes. A number of workshop places are available across the prison for inmates including Printing, Textiles, Contract packing Services and Gardens. Other facilities at the prison include a gym and a multi-faith chaplaincy.
There is also a Prison Visitor Centre which is operated by the Ormiston Children and Families Trust.
On 4 May 2016, ITV broadcast Her Majesty's Prison: Norwich. The documentary records the daily life of the inmates and their families.