Hmp Acklington

Page Contents……………………………………………………………….. 1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 2 Travelling and parking ……………………………………… 3 Visiting a prison for the first time …………………………………… 4 Help with travel expenses - Assisted Prison Visits Scheme ……. 4 How often am I allowed to visit? …………………………………… 4 Who can visit? ……………………………………………………….. 5 Child contact arrangements …………………………………………. 5- 6 What is a Visiting Order (VO)? …………………………………….. 6 How do I book a visit? ………………………………………………. 7 Visitors’ Centre………………………………………………………… 8 What is available for visitors with disabilities? …………………… 8 When can I visit? ……………………………………………………. 9 What happens when I visit? ……………………………………….. 9- 10 Approved Identification………………………………………………. 10 What can I take into the prison…..…………………………………. 10 Restrictions on clothing during visits……..………………………… 11 Offender Management Act………………………………………… 11 Searching……………………………………………………………. 12 Drug Supply Reduction…………………………………………… 12- 13 Conduct and behaviour ……………………………………………. 13 What happens during a visit? ……………………………………… 13- 14 What is available for children? ……………………………………… 14 What to do if you are worried about a relative or friend in prison.. 14 How can I make a complaint? ……………………………………… 15 Where can I get help from outside of the prison? (Useful organisations) ……………………………………………….. 15- 19 1 Introduction Welcome to HMP ACKLINGTON This document tries to answer some of the questions you may want to ask about visiting HMP Acklington. We hope you will find this helpful. It is important for prisoners to keep in touch with their families and friends. This can help prisoners cope better with being in prison, and make it easier for them to settle back into normal life after they are released. Visiting a prisoner is not always easy. We want to make your visit here as pleasant and helpful as possible. If you would like information that is not included in this leaflet, please contact us on 01670 762551, or contact the Visitors’ Centre on 01670 382066. We welcome your suggestions for improving visits where possible in this establishment. The procedure for making suggestions and complaints is explained at the end of this leaflet. The main contact points in the prison for help and information are: • Prison main switchboard 01670 762300 • Visitors Centre (Main contact for families) 01670 382066 • Prison Visits Booking Line 01670 762551 Prison’s postal address HMP Acklington Acklington Morpeth Northumberland NE65 9XF Visitors’ Centre address As above Mr N. Evans Governor 2 Travelling and parking Trains The nearest train stations are either Alnmouth or Morpeth. Buses There is an hourly Arriva bus service to and from the prison. The 518 bus (from Newcastle Haymarket to Alnwick), will bring you direct to the prison. This also calls at Morpeth. The 518 service also runs from Alnwick travelling south, calling at Alnmouth Station (the entrance to the station car park – 2 minutes walk), Warkworth and Amble en-route to the prison. Taxis Taxis can be hired from local suppliers, distance and prices vary. Car If travelling from the south on the A1: 1. Follow the signs for North and Morpeth. Remain on the A1 past Morpeth. 2. Approximately 6 miles north of Morpeth, after passing the sign for Causey Park Bridge and the Oak Inn on the left, take the first turning right, signposted Acklington/Widdrington/Amble/Chevington Moor. 3. After approximately 2 miles, turn left at crossroads and after 200 yards take first right turn for Acklington. 4. Continue over the level crossing and follow signs for Acklington Prison for approximately 2 miles. 5. Take a left turning signposted HM Prison and follow the road straight down, take a left bend. HMP Acklington is the large red brick building on the right hand side of the road, with a flagpole located on a grass roundabout. If travelling from the north on the A1 1. Follow the signs for South, Alnwick and Morpeth 2. After Alnwick but before reaching Morpeth, turn left at the signpost for Acklington/Widdrington/Amble/Chevington Moor. 3. Follow the directions above from step 3. Parking Parking is available in the large car park on the right hand side of the approach road to the prison. Visitors are not allowed to park in the area in front of the prison. LDK Security LTD operates patrols outside the prison and any vehicles parked illegally will result in them issuing a parking ticket with a fine. 3 Visiting a prison for the first time If you are visiting a prison for the first time, and are unsure about what to expect, you may want to visit the Prison Service web site (www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk). If you would like to talk to someone, advice and support is available from the independent Prisoners’ Families Helpline (freephone) on 0808 808 2003, the Visitors’ Centre at the prison on 01670 382066, the Booked Visits line on 01670 762551 or one of the support groups listed at the back of this leaflet. Help with travel expenses - Assisted Prison Visits Scheme If you are a close relative or partner or are the only person visiting a prisoner, you may be able to get help with your travel expenses. Qualifying rules and conditions apply. Ask at the prison or Visitors’ Centre for an application pack or Telephone the Assisted Prison Visits Unit on 0845 300 1423 between 10.15am – 11.45am and 2.15pm - 3.45pm Monday to Friday. Text phone users can call 0845 304 0800. You can also fax (24 hour service) 0121 626 3474 Write to: Assisted Prison Visits Unit, Freepost BM2257, PO Box 2152, Birmingham B15 1BR. A stamp is not required. Email – [email protected] Information in Welsh, some foreign languages, Braille or on audio cassette can be obtained direct from the Assisted Prison Visits Unit. If you are already claiming for assisted visits, you must remember to bring your CONFIRMATION OF A VISIT FORM with you so that it can be stamped to prove that you attended. How often am I allowed to visit? The number of times that you can visit a prisoner depends on the privilege level he has been placed on. NOTE: A VALID VISITING ORDER MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE GATE STAFF ON YOUR ARRIVAL. Privilege Level Number of Visits Basic 1 Visit per 14 days Basic legal entitlement Standard 1 Visit per 14 days Plus 1 PVO per calendar month Enhanced 1 Visit per 14 days Plus 3 PVOs per calendar month Only Statutory Visiting Orders Can Be Re-Issued If Not Used After 28 Days. Privilege Visiting Orders (PVOs) Are valid for 28 days from the date of issue and can only be used on weekdays only. Tuesday – Friday inclusive. 4 Who can visit? Only visitors named on a Visiting Order will be allowed to enter the prison. (See next section to find out about Visiting Orders). The names of visitors should be given when booking the visit. Although Prison Service rules allow you to bring any number of children, it is difficult due to seating arrangements for Acklington to make room for all the visitors who need seats. Due to this it means that children over the age of 12 will be counted as adults for seating purposes. Governor’s approval must be sought for larger immediate families. Visitors under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by an adult. All prisoners must provide contact details of their visitors which must be approved on the Prison Service data base before a visit can take place. The supplying of incorrect details of a visitor may lead to a delay in booking a visit. Should a prisoner wish to receive a visit from a person who is serving a portion of a custodial sentence under licence in the community a written application should be made by the prisoner to the Governor. It will then be at the discretion of the Governor as to whether the visit should go ahead, taking into account the views of the offender manager. A specific reason for refusing the visit should be given and should not be made solely on the basis that the person wishing to visit is a former prisoner. A more specific reason is required to justify this decision. If the person falls under the category of close relative defined as: spouse/ partner (including a person – whether of the same or different sex – with whom the prisoner was living as a couple in an established relationship immediately prior to imprisonment) parent, child, brother, sister (including half – or step –brothers and sisters), civil partner, fiancé or fiancée (provided that the Governor is satisfied that a bona fide engagement to marry exists), or a person who has been acting in loco parentis to a prisoner, or a person to whom the prisoner has been in loco parentis. Grandparents may also be included within this definition of close relative for the purposes of social visits as defined in PSO 4410 paragraph 2.6 a decision to refuse such a request should only apply in exceptional circumstances. Child Contact Arrangements HM Prison Acklington has a duty to ensure that prisoners identified as representing a risk to children and subject to R2CHPA measures do not have any contact with a child(ren) prior to the completion of a full risk assessment. The definition of contact includes correspondence, photographs, telephone calls and visits. The rights of a child to be protected from harm must take priority over an offender’s right to family life as set out in the 1998 Human Rights Act. Once a prisoner has been identified as posing a risk of harm to children, he must make a written request to the Governor and a risk assessment process will begin. Once the assessment has been completed the Head of Resettlement will decide the level of contact as listed; 5 Level 1 full restriction apply. No contact with any child permitted.

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