What is an open prison?
THE majority of crimes in the UK will see an individual sentenced to time in jail.
However, not all these institutions are the same as some give inmates freedoms by means of an open prison. Here we explain all.
What is an open prison?
An open prison - also known as a category D jail – refers to any institution in which the prisoners are trusted to complete their sentences with minimal supervision and perimeter security.
Unlike high security units, prisoner is an open jail are often not locked up in their cells for the majority of their day.
They are also permitted to take up employment, while serving their sentence.
The general idea of open prisons is to rehabilitate prisoners rather than to punish them.
What crimes see you sent to an open prison?
Previous Ministry of Justice figures have found that inmates in open prisons can still be serving time for some of the most heinous crimes.
These can include those serving life imprisonment – given for offences including murder, rape and robbery.
However, if a parole board finds that they are not a danger to the public or other inmates or likely to abscond then they can be eligible to be moved to an open prison.
In many cases, the move is permitted by a board just before an individual’s release from prison – with rules allowing an inmate’s release on temporary license.
However, the idea of an open prison is often criticized by members of the public and politicians given that criminals with a violent past are allowed to roam outside unsupervised.
This was the case in 2017 when Colin Pitchfork - a double child killer who raped and murdered two 15-year-old girls - was spotted in the streets of Bristol after being let out from Leyhill Prison on day release.
Four years later, on September 1, 2021, he walked free from prison.
Notable prisons in the UK and Ireland:
- HM Prison Prescoed, Monmouthshire, South Wales
- HM Prison Ford, Ford, West Sussex, England
- HM Prison Blantyre House, Goudhurst, Kent, England
- HM Prison Askham Grange, York, England
- HM Prison Leyhill, South Gloucestershire, England
- HM Prison Castle Huntly, Longforgan, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
- Loughan House, Blacklion, County Cavan, Ireland
- Shelton Abbey Prison, Arklow, County Wicklow, Ireland