HM Prison Berwyn

Reports

• NPM-uk-imb-safety1 Jan 2024

  4.1 Reception and induction Overcrowding across the prison estate, and the continuing imposition of short sentences, bring a high number of arrivals to reception (frequently around 30 per day), often after 5pm. This means that prison and healthcare staff have to work very late so that everyone can be properly processed and assessed by healthcare. As numerous prisoners often arrive at the same time, they can become frustrated. Also, because they come from outside the local area, such as from Manchester and Liverpool, for example, there are problems with locating them away from other gang members. Although HMP Berwyn originally expected to receive remand prisoners from north Wales courts, in practice they are arriving from English courts as well. Berwyn’s turnover in 2025 was 1.5 times (i.e. 3000) the operational capacity of 2000. If prisoners arrive late on Fridays, the pharmacist will not be available until the Monday. This is a major issue, as it means that medication cannot be dispensed over the weekend. There is a Medi Well store of essential medication, but this is not always suitable. The Board has observed arrivals on numerous occasions and notes that men are treated calmly and humanely by staff and orderlies (trusted prisoners who take on work to provide services that contribute to the running of the prison) and by staff. Hot food is available, with options for all diets and religions. There are sandwiches for later at night. Arrivals can request to speak to a [...]

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• NPM-uk-imb-respect1 Jan 2024

  5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food HMP Berwyn reached capacity several times in 2024. There are single and dual occupancy cells, with no dual occupation of single cells. The wings are clean, airy and maintained by Amey. The Board has to constantly monitor dishwashers and clothes washing machines on the wings. They are often broken and Amey is slow to respond. The problems with the heating, raised in previous reports, are now less frequent. Refurbishment of cells was paused, due to pressure on capacity, so some prisoners are living in below-standard accommodation, in the Board’s view. Generally, wings and cells are well equipped, with showers, toilets, televisions and laptops. Appliances are often broken, but this is mainly caused by the prisoners themselves. Prisoners can make phone calls from their cells, provided the number is authorised. They can make appointments on their laptops or order items such as clothing, snacks and toiletries from an approved list. There is a range of food choices at the serveries, catering for all diets and religions. Board members sample the food in serveries to check taste, quantity and temperature, which are generally satisfactory. The Board monitors food thermometers, following complaints that the food was not hot. This was partly due to prisoners stealing the batteries in the thermometers. There are now new thermometers which, in theory, can’t be broken into. The prisoners who Board members spoke to appreciate the dinners provided over [...]

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• NPM-uk-imb-purposeful-activity1 Jan 2024

  Education is provided by Coleg Cambria, in a modern, airy building. There are 37 full-time places: take-up is three on barbering, 14 kitchen trainees and 17 on Street Soccer Academy. A total of 232 part-time places are available, with a take up of 220. Courses, some of which are to degree level, include: • Art (some do NCFE qualification in art and design; others are there for pleasure/mental health support) • Basic cookery • Street Soccer Academy (see 6.7) • Maths and English up to Level 3 • Digital media • Music technology • English for speakers of other languages • Graphic design • Independent living • Peer mentoring The classrooms are well-equipped. The music class has different guitars, keyboards, a drum kit, software and a soundproof booth for recording and producing, plus ten computers with top-of-the range software. Most classes include business management and people skills, in addition to the basic academic curriculum. Participants on the business course were all enthusiastic. The lessons from the course can be applied to life in general, inside and outside the prison. Sometimes, there is the feeling among staff that classes are just keeping prisoners occupied. The Governor would like to see the education department working alongside some of the workshops, e.g. scaffolding, so that the learning is relevant to work. The Board spoke to prisoners on the peer mentoring course, who were enthusiastic and said they wanted to make a difference. In December 2024: • 25.7% of [...]

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• NPM-uk-imb-preparation-for-release1 Jan 2024

  Five new probation officers started during February 2025, who need mentoring and upskilling. There is a full complement of 16 prison offender managers (POMs), each with between 50-60 cases. Prisoners access information about their POM on the Unilink system and POMs appear to visit all the wings regularly to provide support and answer questions. The early release schemes have placed intense and continuing pressure on the offender management unit (OMU). Each change led to significant recalculation of sentences. Licence conditions should arrive four weeks before release but sometimes come 72 hours before. The POMs are resuming work with care-experienced men, with monthly forums from February 2025. These men are supported by officers on the wings, who are specific points of contact (SPOCs). Voices for Care Cymru has secured funding for a full-time post to work in Berwyn, to help with transitional work, especially around accommodation. In 2024, 220 (10%) prisoners were released without accommodation. There are monthly employment fairs, of which construction and warehousing are the most popular. In 2024, Berwyn had the highest number of prisoners in employment on release in its comparator group. All prisoners, except for those who have been segregated in the care and separation unit (CSU), have laptops and phones in their cells and can contact approved friends and family members between 7am and 10pm or, for prisoners on restriction, 9am to 19 9pm (this time frame limit is to [...]

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