![HMP Cardiff MMB 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Cardiff_Queen_Street_railway_station_MMB_12_HMP_Cardiff.jpg)
The prisons in Wales are run by
His Majesty's Prison Service
His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is a part of HM Prison and Probation Service (formerly the National Offender Management Service), which is the part of His Majesty's Government charged with managing most of the prisons within England and Wale ...
, which is in turn a part of
HM Prison and Probation 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 ...
(HMPPS) which is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in
England and Wales
England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
. The objectives of
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
confinement in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
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".
Although the concept of incarceration as a punishment for wrongdoing did not exist in Wales, as in the rest of
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
, 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.
[Davies (2008), p. 713] 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.
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.
From the
Tudor period
The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in History of England, England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in Englan ...
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
Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
,
Bangor and
Beaumaris
Beaumaris ( ; cy, Biwmares ) 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 ...
.
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
John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the s ...
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.
[Davies (2008), p. 714]
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
Haverfordwest (, ; cy, Hwlffordd ) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire with a population of 14,596 in 2011. It is also a community, being the second most populous community in the county, ...
prison was originally built in the inner ward of a ruined castle in 1778.
It was considered unfit for prisoners in 1819, while
Cardiff Gaol
Cardiff Gaol was a prison located on St. Mary Street, Cardiff, Wales. Prior to its construction, people were imprisoned in Cardiff Castle.
Background
Cardiff's original court and gaol were located within the walls of Cardiff Castle. Whilst th ...
was deemed insufficient in 1814. Some prisons were built for purpose, including
Beaumaris Gaol
Beaumaris Gaol ( ; cy, Biwmares ) 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.
History
The jail was ...
(1829) in
Anglesey
Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
.
In 1878 the prison system in Wales was nationalised and came under centralised government control.
This led to better conditions and fewer, larger prisons.
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, but this fell through. In 2013 the government announced the construction of a new £250 million 'super prison' in Wrexham. Work on the new prison, named HMP Berwyn, commenced in 2014 and it became partially operational in February 2017.
Current prisons in Wales
There are five prisons in Wales,
*
Berwyn (2017) a Category C men's prison, located in
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
is the
UK's largest prison with a capacity of 2,106. Berwyn is the Prison Service's flagship prison.
*
Usk
Usk ( cy, Brynbuga) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, northeast of Newport. It is located on the River Usk, which is spanned by an arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. Usk Castle, above the town, overlooks th ...
(1844) a Category C men's prison which also includes a satellite site
**
Prescoed (1939) a Category D men's open prison;
*
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
(1832) a Category B men's prison,
*
Parc (1997) a Category B men's private prison and
Young Offenders Institution
His Majesty's Young Offender Institution (or HMYOI) is a type of prison in Great Britain, intended for offenders aged up to 18, although some prisons cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders. Typically t ...
, based in
Bridgend
Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...
, is Wales' only privatised prison and is presently run by
G4S
G4S is a British Multinational corporation, multinational private security company headquartered in London, England. The company was set up in 2004 when London-based Securicor amalgamated with Danish firm Group 4 Falck. The company offers a ran ...
,
*
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
(1861) a Category B/C men's prison.
Wales has no prison for either women or Category A offenders, who must be housed in gaols in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
Notes
Bibliography
{{Prisons in Europe