HM Prison Lowdham Grange is a
Category B men's
private prison
A private prison, or for-profit prison, is a place where people are imprisoned by a third party that is contracted by a government agency. Private prison companies typically enter into contractual agreements with governments that commit pr ...
, located in the village of
Lowdham
Lowdham is a village and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire between Nottingham and Southwell. At the 2001 census it had a population of 2,832, increasing to 3,334 at the 2011 Census. Two main roads slicing thro ...
(near
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
) in
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
, England. The prison is currently operated by
Serco
Serco Group plc is a British company with headquarters based in Hook, Hampshire, England. Serco primarily derives income as a contractor for the provision of government services, most prominently in the sectors of health, transport, justice, i ...
. In August 2022, it was announced that following competitive tendering, from February 16th 2023, the prison will be operated by Sodexo.
History
Built on the site of the former Lowdham Grange Borstal which closed in 1982, Lowdham Grange Prison was opened as a privately financed, constructed and managed prison in 1998. Soon after the jail opened, it emerged that one of Lowdham Grange's new prisoner custody officers had previously been employed as a security guard for the gangster
Reggie Kray
Ronald Kray (24 October 193317 March 1995) and Reginald Kray (24 October 19331 October 2000) were identical twin brothers, gangsters and convicted criminals. They were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in the East End of London, Engl ...
. The officer subsequently resigned from his post at the prison.
In 2004, the
National Audit Office praised the prison as one of seven prisons providing exceptionally good value. However,
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales. The current chief insp ...
carried out an inspection of Lowdham Grange in March 2004 and reported that though the prison was well managed, "100 prisoners on average were not busy enough" in employment or education.
Low staffing levels were also identified as a problem at the jail, though inspectors stated that the prison did have control of its prisoners.
In August 2005 Lowdham Grange's
Board of Visitors
In the United States, a board often governs institutions of higher education, including private universities, state universities, and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual col ...
reported an increase in violent behaviour amongst inmates. There was also an increase in drugs found at the prison. However the Board claimed that Lowdham Grange was "doing better overall than the Prison Service strictly requires."
In June 2006 a prisoner serving 10 years for burglary escaped from Lowdham Grange by hiding in a shipment of
chef hats, which are manufactured in the prison's workshop.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons carried out an un-announced inspection of Lowdham Grange in 2008. The Inspectorate noted that the prison had much improved, and was well managed. However the prison was also told to do more to improve work opportunities for inmates, improve resettlement services for prisoners leaving custody, and set up an accredited drug treatment programme for inmates.
In May 2008 it was announced that the Lowdham Grange Prison was to be expanded by more than a third. The £52 million project, expected to be complete by 2010, would create 260 more cells, a two-storey activities building, as well as expanding and refurbishing existing buildings.
In September 2009, Lowdham Grange Prison was awarded Level Four status by the
National Offender Management Service
His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales. It was created in 2004 as the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) by combin ...
for exceptional delivery.
The prison today
Lowdham Grange is a Category B closed training prison for adult males serving both determinate and non-determinate sentences (IPP). Accommodation at the prison consists mainly of single occupancy cells, with some double cells. Some cells have en-suite shower facilities.
The prison offers workshops, education and training for inmates in areas such as
bricklaying
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar. Typically, rows of bricks called '' courses'' are laid on top of one another to build up a structure such as a brick wall.
Bricks may be differentiated from blocks by si ...
,
plumbing
Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery ...
,
electronics
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
,
painting and decorating
A house painter and decorator is a tradesman responsible for the painting and decorating of buildings, and is also known as a decorator or house painter.''The Modern Painter and Decorator'' volume 1 1921 Caxton The purpose of painting is to imp ...
and industrial
cleaning
Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment. Cleaning is often performed for aesthetic, hygienic, functional, environmental, or safety purposes. Cl ...
. All work and training programmes can lead to
NVQ
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are practical work-based awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are achieved through assessment and training. The regulatory framework supporting NVQs was withdrawn in 2015 and replaced by the ...
qualifications in related fields.
There is a Visitor Centre outside the main gate at Lowdham Grange. There are limited refreshment facilities available in the Visits Hall inside the prison. Both the Visitor Centre and Visits Hall have full access for disabled visitors.
There have been allegations that prison officers committed serious assaults against prisoners including throwing a handcuffed prisoner down stairs.
Serco
Serco Group plc is a British company with headquarters based in Hook, Hampshire, England. Serco primarily derives income as a contractor for the provision of government services, most prominently in the sectors of health, transport, justice, i ...
, that runs the prison denies the allegations. Violence has been rising at Lowdham Grange assaults have risen yearly since 2009. There were 318 assaults in 2017 and 237 in 2016, the 2017 number was over twice the number of assaults in 2014. Roughly two thirds of assaults were prisoners assaulting other prisoners, one third involved prisoners assaulting staff. There were 162 cases of self harm in the first three months of 2018, there were 402 self harm cases in 2017 and 288 in 2016. Two prisoners died in 2017 and one died up to August in 2018. Serco refused to tell the BBC how many prison officers were based at Lowdam Grange. The most recent inspection, in 2015 decided staff use of force "was very high" and not invariably "fully justified or warranted".
The last inspection by
HM Inspector of Prisons
His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales. The current chief insp ...
found violence against staff and prisoners had increased since a 2011 inspection and was much higher than in comparable establishments. The prison had become less safe, there was too much violence against staff and against other prisoners and too much of it was serious. The inspection also concluded "use of force was very high", inspectors were not convinced it "was always fully justified or warranted and not all incidents were de-escalated as quickly as they might have been". Self harm had risen and was higher than in similar prisons, there were, "unacceptable waiting times to see health professionals". Prisoners had "little confidence in the complaints system" and there were more complaints than in similar prisons. Inspectors found cases of complaints that were not properly investigated or answered.
The
Independent Monitoring Board found, "levels of violence between prisoners and, on occasions towards staff were of concern". It said, "Injuries sustained by prisoners were sometimes quite serious and required hospital treatment. Assaults on staff were rarer but still occurred and sometimes required hospital treatment." During the year there were at least 25 times when a, "command suit" was needed to manage "serious incidents". Incidents included prisoners balancing on railings, building barricades, groups of prisoners engaged in "concerted indiscipline" and apparent hostage situations. The board maintained it observed some incidents and was, "impressed by the efficient, calm and humane way in which the incidents were managed". Use of psychoactive substances was, "worryingly high" and was one cause of violence. Low staffing levels made it difficult to manage prisoners and, "the proportion of inexperienced staff contributed to challenging atmospheres on some wings". The report said, "Staffing was seldom at the agreed level during the year." The Monitoring Board was also concerned over how many prisoners with mental health problems were in segregation for long time periods and raised concerns over how many prisoners preferred to stay in their cells during the day. The building where most healthcare took place was unfit for the purpose.
Frances Crook
Frances Crook OBE (born 1952) is the former Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, the oldest penal reform charity in the United Kingdom.
Early life and career
Frances Crook grew up in London, her father was Jewish and had a su ...
of the
Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. It was founded as the Howard Association in 1866 and changed its name in 1921, ...
said, "This has been a long hot summer, and it sounds like Lowdham Grange has problems. Perhaps it is time for the inspectorate to conduct an inspection, as only one report has been published on the prison in the last seven years. This illustrates how prisons can deteriorate very quickly. They also show how important it is for prisons to have robust and imaginative management and careful oversight of staff."
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowdham
Category B prisons in England
Prisons in Nottinghamshire
1998 establishments in England
Private prisons in the United Kingdom
Men's prisons
Serco
HM Prison
His Majesty's Prisons (Her Majesty's Prisons in the case of a female monarch) is the name given to prisons in the United Kingdom, as well as some in Australia and a small number in Canada, Grenada, Jersey, The Bahamas and Barbados. The title make ...