“Why does no-one ask us our opinion? I don’t become incapable of intelligent observations just because I’ve come to prison.” Inmate, HMP Gartree Inside the Architecture: The role of consultation © Rideout 00 The Book_v2.3.indd 35-36 30/4/07 04:35:49 Seven Pathways Prison (900+ inmates) © Peter Mellor Contents Managing Offenders - Reducing Re-Offending 1. House Units Foreword .......................................................................................................... 03 Internal courtyards. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 04 Dispersed Education & Group Room, Out reach Primary Care around Therapeutic Activity Space A. A Point of Comparison – the Health Service ................................................. 06 2 level for 300 Offenders in groups of 60 4 level for 600 Offenders in groups of 60 B. The Case for Consultation ........................................................................... 09 C. The Potential Benefits ................................................................................. 11 2. Learning Resource Centre Job Seeker Library Information, copy D. The Relevance of Consultation in the Changing Criminal Justice Context ..... 14 Physical Education Care E. A Potential Benchmark ................................................................................ 15 Cognitive & Special Needs Programs F. Modes of Consultation ................................................................................ 17 3. Re - Orientation Unit Offending Behaviour Unit with Group and G. Strategic Management of Consultation ....................................................... 25 Education Activity H. Tools for Evaluating Prison Design – Some International Models .................. 27 4. Vocational Training & Industries I. Conclusion ................................................................................................... 29 5. Central Kitchen References ...................................................................................................... 31 Training Kitchen & Staff Facility About Rideout .................................................................................................. 33 6. Health Care Centre Out- Patient In-Patient Health Education 7. Visits & Family Visits Video Court 8. Program Managers Key Worker including In-Reach Mental Health 9. Reception 10. Entry Building 11. Administration Designed by Peter Mellor as an interpretation of the principles of the This publication has been developed with the support of the Creative Prison (The Creative Prison; Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Tudor Trust. Creative Thinking within the Prison Estate, Rideout, 2006) The Book_v2.3.indd 1-2 30/4/07 04:32:37 Introduction ‘Over the last 30 years, the design of prisons has been dominated by political reaction to the phenomenal rise in crime which resulted in dramatic increases in prison population. In such circumstances, housing the convicted and remand occupants in a secure environment has taken precedence over other thinking Foreword and experimentation. During this period when there was no real consensus of agreement, even in one country, of the balance of purpose of incarceration, the accepted design process by which form follows function has been little in evidence. Successful containment of the prisoner continued to be an all important political The Creative Prison: Inside the Architecture is an inspirational initiative. I warmly response to public opinion. Creating a civilized and humane prison environment, congratulate all those involved, and especially Chris Johnston and Saul Hewish whose vision dedicated not only to security, but to education, reform and rehabilitation of this is. At the time of the riots in our prison system which led to the Strangeways Inquiry I offenders demands a consistent approach in imaginative thinking and constructive was very conscious that the setting in which a prisoner is detained could effect the conduct dialogue by prison officialdom and architects.’ of those imprisoned, and the Report had a most valuable contribution on this subject which (Partridge, 2000) never received the attention it should. Alas after a short period of optimism when it seemed my recommendations were being successfully implemented, the Prison Service was once The background to this document lies in the consultation conducted by Rideout (Creative again overwhelmed by overcrowding so the progress that was achieved across the prison Arts and Rehabilitation) with staff and prisoners at HMP Gartree, involving the architect Will estate as a whole ground to a halt. Unfortunately since then we have become stranded in a Alsop in 2005-6. This consultation project, The Creative Prison, was prompted by a growing cul-de-sac. recognition of the importance of prison design and architecture in the light of escalating prison numbers and the legacy of our current institutions. Serious questions have been raised Fortunately, it is beginning to be appreciated there must be another way if we are to be about the ability of these buildings to effectively serve the evolving objectives of the Prison provide the public with protection against the shocking rate of re-offending to which they are Service. entitled. We need a new beginning and where better to start than with the buildings in which prisoners are incarcerated. We all, including prisoners, react to the setting in which we live. Currently, these are defined as; It can have a negative or positive effect. The Creative Prison publications illustrate what can be achieved by a positive setting. If offenders’ attitudes are to be changed, as they must be • to hold prisoners securely if prisons are going to be effective, then we should start with the environment in which this • to reduce the risk of prisoners re-offending is to happen. This must itself be positive both for prisoners and those who work in prisons. • to provide safe and well-ordered establishments in which we treat prisoners The Creative Prison: Inside the Architecture provides the way this can be done. I earnestly humanely, decently and lawfully. hope its message is heard and implemented. In securing these objectives the Prison Service aims to ‘deal fairly, openly and humanely with prisoners.… encourage prisoners to address offending behaviour and respect others.… value and support each other’s contribution..’ (Prison Service Statement of Purpose, 2003) The extent to which the Service achieves these aims is obviously contingent on a wide range of factors, one of which must be prison design and architecture. As it was reported here in a The Rt. Hon. The Lord Woolf study commissioned by the Prison Service in 997, ‘There can be little doubt that what is possible in any prison–whether in terms of security, control or regime delivery–is highly dependent upon the physical constraints of the buildings themselves, often with direct consequences for staffing levels and the provision of ‘purposeful activities’.’ (Bottomley et al, 1997) Detailed information on this work is contained in the companion document, The Creative Prison: Creative Thinking within the Prison Estate. The Book_v2.3.indd 3-4 30/4/07 04:33:27 This document puts forward the case that if prison design is to effectively achieve the aims A. A Point of Comparison: the Health Service of the Prison Service and NOMS (National Offender Management Service), it must now begin to substantially engage in a process of consultation with staff and prisoners regarding the It would appear that the Health Service is already considerably advanced in its recognition of design issues associated with both the extension of existing prisons and the commissioning the importance of building design, and in recent years has been acting on it in ways that may and building of new ones. It considers the arguments in favour of consultation along with be useful as a reference point when considering prisons. After all, hospitals, like prisons, are some proposals as to how it might be achieved, while recognising the potential difficulties of large institutions with a duty of care. This extract from a 2005 report by CABE (Commission such a practice becoming embedded within the process of prison building. It acknowledges for Architecture and the Built Environment) summarises several of the arguments in favour the current overcrowding crisis while arguing that this situation cannot be used as an excuse of good design: to give up on best practice. The document by no means aims to be the last word on the subject. Our hope is to stimulate further reflection and encourage more wide-ranging and Design makes a difference – contributions to health outcomes comprehensive discussions than are possible here. The justification for investing in design can be shown in health and financial terms by a substantial weight of empirical evidence. Several research projects in recent years have looked at the effect of the immediate environment on patients in hospitals. A study lead by Professor Bryan Lawson at Sheffield University published in 2003 compared new and older accommodation in two hospitals, one in a general medical ward, and the other in a mental health facility. The old and new wards housed the same type of patients and were staffed by the same people so the study was able to examine patients’ reaction to their environment. The research found that the new buildings appeared to have a significant positive effect: