The prisons in Wales are run by His Majesty's Prison Service, which is in turn a part of HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) which is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales. The objectives of prison confinement in Wales is threefold: to "hold prisoners securely", to "reduce the risk of prisoners re-offending" and to "provide safe and well-ordered establishments in which we treat prisoners humanely, decently and lawfully".[1]
Although the concept of incarceration as a punishment for wrongdoing did not exist in Wales, as in the rest of Britain, during the medieval period, from Tudor times onwards correction houses began appearing throughout the country. In the 18th century several buildings began taking on the function of modern prisons, and in 1878 Welsh prisons came under centralised government control. Today there are five prisons in Wales; three are run directly by the government with Parc Prison in Bridgend being Wales' only privatised gaol.
History of prisons in Wales
The concept of incarcerating individuals as a punishment for crimes did not exist in Wales before or during the medieval period.[2] The early castles of the Welsh rulers and marcher-lords did possess dungeons, but the purpose of these facilities were for the confinement of hostages and political prisoners, people who may have committed no crime. Up to the 17th century the most common punishments for criminal offences were fines, corporal punishment and executions.[2] The earliest forms of prisons, which began appearing in the early modern period, were created for the purposes of holding those awaiting trial and to house debtors.[2] From the Tudor period magistrates were given powers by the state to establish correction houses for the punishment of those committing petty crimes and a way to amend the ways of vagrants.
From the 18th century the institutions that would begin to have the function of modern prisons began to appear in Aberystwyth, Bangor and Beaumaris.[2] These buildings were used to house criminals for a set period of time after being sentenced by a court. The condition of early prisons in Wales was rudimentary and with few amenities for the imprisoned. In his 1777 work State of the Prisons prison reformer John Howard mentions two Welsh gaols, Caernarfon county gaol and Swansea town gaol. Caernarfon is described as having neither drainage or fresh water and the inmates housed in tiny windowless cells.[2][3]
Prisons in Wales were often of very poor build, many of which were not built for the purpose of housing prisoners, and were often the sites of existing buildings. Haverfordwest prison was originally built in the inner ward of a ruined castle in 1778.[3] It was considered unfit for prisoners in 1819, while Cardiff Gaol was deemed insufficient in 1814. Some prisons were built for purpose, including Beaumaris Gaol (1829) in Anglesey.[4]
In 1878 the prison system in Wales was nationalised and came under centralised government control.[3] This led to better conditions and fewer, larger prisons.[3] The smaller prisons and gaols across the country were closed and the location of the prisons centralised.
Until 2017 there was no provision for prisoners in northern Wales, with prisoners sent to prisons in Liverpool and further afield. In 2009 a site was discussed for a new prison in Caernarfon to address the issue of Welsh prisoners who are housed in England,[5] but this fell through.[6] In 2013 the government announced the construction of a new £250 million 'super prison' in Wrexham.[7] Work on the new prison, named HMP Berwyn, commenced in 2014 and it became partially operational in February 2017.[8]
Current prisons in Wales
There are five prisons in Wales,
Berwyn (2017) a Category C men's prison, located in Wrexham is the UK's largest prison with a capacity of 2,106. Berwyn is the Prison Service's flagship prison.
Usk (1844) a Category C men's prison which also includes a satellite site
↑ HM Prison Service (21 September 2000). "Female Prisoners". hmprisonservice.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
Bridgend is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, 20 miles (32 km) west of Cardiff and 20 miles (32 km) east of Swansea. The town is named after the medieval bridge over the River Ogmore. The River Ewenny also flows through the town.
His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is a part of HM Prison and Probation Service, which is the part of His Majesty's Government charged with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales.
Beaumaris is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, of which it is the former county town of Anglesey. It is located at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from the coast of North Wales. At the 2011 census, its population was 1,938. The community includes Llanfaes.
The Long Bay Correctional Complex, commonly called Long Bay, is a correctional facility comprising a heritage-listed maximum and minimum security prison for males and females and a hospital to treat prisoners, psychiatric cases and remandees, located in Malabar, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The complex is located approximately 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of the Sydney CBD and is contained within a 32-hectare (79-acre) site. The facility is operated by Corrective Services New South Wales, a department administered by the Government of New South Wales.
HM Prison Parc is a Category B men's private prison and Young Offenders Institution in Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. Parc Prison is operated by G4S, and is the only privately operated prison in Wales.
Transport in Wales is heavily influenced by the country's geography. Wales is predominantly hilly or mountainous, and the main settlements lie on the coasts of north and south Wales, while mid Wales and west Wales are lightly populated. The main transport corridors are east–west routes, many continuing eastwards into England.
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors typically number 6,000 or more, and overall attendance generally exceeds 150,000 visitors. The 2018 Eisteddfod was held in Cardiff Bay with a fence-free 'Maes'. In 2020, the event was held virtually under the name AmGen; events were held over a one-week period.
HM Prison Usk is a Category C men's prison, located in Maryport Street in Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and jointly managed with the nearby HMP Prescoed.
In the United Kingdom, prisoners are divided into four categories of security. Each adult is assigned a category, depending on the crime committed, the sentence, the risk of escape, and violent tendencies. The categories are single letters, in alphabetical order, with 'A' as the most secure, and 'D' the least.
HM Prison Cardiff is a Category B men's prison, located in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff, Wales. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
An open prison is any jail in which the prisoners are trusted to complete sentences with minimal supervision and perimeter security and are often not locked up in their prison cells. Prisoners may be permitted to take up employment while serving their sentence.
Beaumaris Gaol is a disused gaol located in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales. Although no longer in use it remains largely unaltered and is now a museum open to visitors, with around 30,000 visiting each year.
HM Prison Prescoed is a Category D men's open prison, located in Coed-y-paen, three miles from Usk in Monmouthshire, Wales. Prescoed is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and acts as a satellite prison of the nearby HMP Usk.
Punishment in Australia arises when an individual has been accused or convicted of breaking the law through the Australian criminal justice system. Australia uses prisons, as well as community corrections, When awaiting trial, prisoners may be kept in specialised remand centres or within other prisons.
Golf is a popular sport in Wales. Although the sport of golf in Great Britain is most associated with Scotland, where it was established and developed, Wales can record its first courses back to the 1880s, and today has over 200 clubs. The first amateur golf competition was held in 1895 and the first professional championship was in 1904. Wales has produced several players of note, including one player, Ian Woosnam, who has won one of the Men's major golf championships and Wales has twice won the men's World Cup, in 1987 and 2005, respectively. Wales also hosted the Ryder Cup, when it was held at Newport's Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.
HM Prison Berwyn is a £250 million Category C adult male prison in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It is the largest prison in the UK, opened in 2017, and is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
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