Property and money in prison Find out more about sending money and property to prison. Expand How do I send money to a prisoner? You can send a cheque or postal order and write the prisoners' name and prison number on the back. Most prisons have their own bank accounts an ask for cheques/postal orders to be made payable to 'HM Prison Service' or 'The Governor'. Call the prison directly beforehand to check which system they use. The money will be transferred into the prisoners' personal account. The amount of spending money the prisoner is allowed each week will depend on whether they are on remand or convicted, and the privilege level they are on. How can a prisoner get money to buy food in the canteen? Prisoners taking part in work or education are paid a weekly amount which varies according to the job or course they are doing. This, any money that they had with them on arrival to prison, and money they have been sent by family and friends, is held by the prison in a personal account. The amount they can spend weekly varies according to their privilege and if they are convicted or on remand. The standard weekly allowance for a convicted prisoner is £15. If the prisoner is transferred to another prison will their money and property go with them? Yes. This will be transferred to their account within a day or so. Will the prison provide clothes and toiletries? Yes. If there is no requirement to wear a prison uniform and the prisoner does not have suitable clothes, the prison is obliged to provide enough clean clothes in reasonable condition. This includes underwear and socks, as well as basic toiletries. Many prisons will provide this as part of a reception pack. It will also be possible to buy more from the prison shop or canteen. How much property is someone allowed to keep? Prisoners are usually allowed to keep about six cubic feet of property (two large boxes) plus one outsize item such as a sound system. A small number of prisons allow people serving long sentences to keep pet birds. There are some restrictions on property depending on the prison, e.g. glass picture frames and certain radios may be prohibited.
Transfers Find out what happens when your loved one is transferred to a different prison. Expand Prisoners may be transferred from one prison to another for a number of reasons. For example: Their security category has changed So that they can serve the final weeks of their sentence in a prison nearer their home The prisoners' sentence plan requires them to complete a course which is not available at the prison they are in They are behaving in a disruptive way Category A prisoners are routinely moved from time to time for security reasons For their own safety if they are being bullied If their main visitor has a medical problem making visits impossible Does a prisoner have a legal right to be transferred to a different prison if they wish? No. Usually, it is up to the Governor whether they are transferred, except for Category A prisoners or people serving a life sentence, in which case Prison Headquarters makes the decision. However, although there is no legal right, the Prison Service does have a location policy stating that contact between a prisoner and his/her family should be encouraged and that harmful effects of being removed from normal life are minimised. The prison also has an obligation to take reasonable steps to keep a prisoner safe, which may include a transfer if they are being bullied. How does a prisoner get a transfer? Prisoners can request a transfer through the request/complaints system, or on a special form provided by the prison for requesting transfers. Transfers will normally only be considered after the prisoner has served a few months at the prison they wish to leave. The time a transfer can take varies from prison to prison and circumstance. What if the request is refused? Transfers are not automatically granted and can be refused. If it is refused the prisoner can appeal through the requests/complaints system and is entitled to a response from the Prison Service Headquarters within 6 weeks. If they are still not satisfied they can write in confidence to the Prisons Ombudsman, but this must be done within a month of receiving the reply from the Prison Service Headquarters. Temporary Transfers It is possible for a prisoner who has been held a long way from home to save up visits for 6 months and apply for a temporary transfer to a local prison, usually for 28 days. Subject to the rules and visiting times of the local prison, the accumulated visits can be taken during that time. As with a permanent transfer, the prisoner must make the request and it is at the Governors' discretion. Can a prisoner be moved without the family's knowledge? A prisoner who is being transferred is entitled to send one free special letter to someone who vists them. They may, at the Governor's discretion, be allowed more than one letter and/or an extra telephone call. If there is not enough time to write or phone, which may be the case for Category A prisoners, they can leave details of people who need to know with the prison and they will inform them. If you have not been informed and you do not know where they are, you can contact the Allocations Unit of the prison, or write to the Prisoner Location Service, PO Box 2152, Birmingham B15 1SD. Provided the prisoner is happy for you to know where they are, they will be able to let you know within 3-4 weeks. What if I've come to visit and they are not there? If you have paid for your journey and arrived to find that your loved one has been transferred you can claim back your travel costs from the prison. If you paid for your journey with help from the Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU) then the prison will give you a note to send to them to claim for a visit to the new prison.
Drugs Want to know more about what treatment is available for drug addiction in prison? Or are you concerned that your loved one is using drugs? Expand Do prisoners get help for drug problems while they are in prison? Every prison offers some support for people with drug problems. Some prisons have their own rehabilitation programmes. Under certain circumstances prisoners may be transferred to another prison if the treatment they need is not available where they are. What is a CARAT Team? The Prison Service has set up CARAT teams which offer help to every prisoner who is identified as having a drug problem. Each prison has a designated CARAT team. CARAT stands for: Counselling: someone to talk to Assessment: making sure thetreatment they are offered is appropriate Referral: arranging for aprisoner to get help from other serviceswhen necessary Advice: making sure theyhave clear information about drug use andthe treatments available Throughcare: planning for support on release Will the prison know if someone has a drug problem? Every prisoner is seen by a doctor or nurse when they first arrive at prison, and they will hopefully pick up on any health issues the prisoner has at that time. They will usually be aware of the symptoms of withdrawal, for example, and common health problems associated with drug use. The prisoner also has a chance to raise any health concerns they may have. The prisoner may also have to provide a urine sample, which will be tested for the presence of drugs. Do they get any support while withdrawing? If a prisoner needs medical supervision while withdrawing they may be admitted to the health care wing, or detox unit, if the prison has one. If the medical staff feel it appropriate, they will prescribe medication to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. What if the prisoner asks me to take drugs in to him/her on a visit? Taking drugs in to a prison is against the law and is a serious offence. You will be arrested and could receive a prison sentence, and in any case will be banned from visiting for a minimum of three months. The inmate will also face disciplinary action which may affect their category, privileges and prison placement. Drug dogs When you visit prison they may have a drug dog, which is trained to recognise the scent of a range of drugs. They can do this just by walking past someone. The dog will be on a lead and controlled by a trained officer. If the dog detects the scent of drugs on a person it has been trained to indicate this by sitting down or standing in front of them. If you are picked out by a drug dog you may be searched to check if you are carrying drugs. If you are then you will be arrested. If you are not carrying drugs you may still have to visit in closed conditions. If a child is found to have drugs on them the parent or carer with them will be held responsible. Can I take in medication? If you have medication that you have to take with you, keep it in the bottle or packet you got from your pharmacist, clearly marked with your name. You will have to leave it in a locker unless it is something that may be needed urgently like an inhaler and even then you may have to leave it with an officer on duty in the visits room. For more information about drug use and what help is available visit our page on other help organisations.
Release - Family Concerns Is your loved one being released from prison? Get more information here. Expand I am worried they will offend again. What can I do? Be as supportive as possible. Talk to each other about your fears and potential temptations that may arise, and discuss how you can tackle them together. If drugs and alcohol are an issue they may need support from an external agency. If there are financial and debt concerns you may also need support from an external agency. Click here for information on who you can contact. Will prison have changed their behaviour? Everyone is different, but prison can have an effect on people's mood and behaviour for some time after release. Changes can be temporary whilst they adjust to life outside, however, the effects can be long term. What do I do if I am concerned about our relationship after release? If you are concerned about your loved one's mood or feel you could benefit from support there are a number of ways we can help. We can provide: Family Mentors who provide emotional support to families over the phone or face to face. Through the Gate Mentors who offer practical and emotional support to people being released from prison on issues including housing, finance, debt, childcare and substance misuse. Peer Support Groups where you can meet other people in similar situations and share your thoughts, feelings and experiences in a non-judgmental, friendly environment. You can also contact us on 0808 808 3444, Monday-Friday between 10am-5pm.
Tagging Find out more about Home Detention Curfew/Electronic Tagging Expand What is a Home Detention Curfew (HDC)/Tag? Some prisoners are released early subject to a curfew which requires them to be at home for between 9-12 hours per day, allowing them to live at home and to work during the final weeks of their sentence. They are given an electronic tag, a small device which is fitted to the ankle or wrist. The tag sends a regular signal to a monitoring centre which confirms the presence of the person in their place of curfew. If they are absent or try to tamper with the equipment the monitoring centre is alerted and the breach investigated. Who can be released on HDC? Whether someone in prison can get released on HDC depends on things like their sentence length, current and previous offences and their behaviour during this and previous sentences. Someone will not be eligible for HDC if any of the following apply: they are serving 4 years or more for any offence; they have been convicted of a sexual offence and are required to register; they are currently serving an extended sentence for violent or sexual offences; they are serving a sentence for failing to return on ROTL, absconding or escape; they are serving a sentence for breach of the curfew requirement of a Community Order they have ever been recalled to prison for failing to comply with HDC curfew conditions; they have ever been returned to custody by the court for committing an imprisonable offence during an ‘at-risk period’ of a previous sentence. they are currently serving a recall from early release on compassionate grounds; they are a foreign national who has been recommended for deportation by the court or they are liable to deportation and a decision to deport has been served. Even if they are eligible there are a number of reasons they could be ‘presumed unsuitable’. This includes: anyone with a history of sexual offending but not required to register; foreign national offenders liable to deportation but not yet served with a decision to deport; anyone who has been recalled for poor behaviour during a previous period of HDC plus, anyone serving a sentence for any of the following categories of offence: - Homicide - Explosives - Possession of an offensive weapon - Possession of firearms with intent - Cruelty to Children - Racially aggravated offences - Terrorism How long does Home Detention Curfew last? HDC lasts a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 3 months for those serving less than 12 months, and a maximum of 4 and a half months for those serving 12 months to 4 years. Those serving between 3 and 4 months become eligible for HDC after 1 month in custody. Those serving 4 to 8 months become eligible after serving a quarter of their sentence and those serving more than 8 months and less than 4 years become eligible 4 and a half months before their automatic or conditional release date. Time spent on remand counts towards eligibility. If they meet all the criteria will they automatically get HDC? No. Before HDC can be granted the prisoner has to undergo a risk assessment and interview which involves the prison, probation service and police, and sometimes doctors, social services and victims. It will take into account their prison record, previous convictions and the suitability of their home address. If HDC is refused, the person will be told this and given the reasons why. What is a suitable home address? The probation service on the outside will be asked to check the address the prisoner has given, and this will form part of the risk assessment. They may want to visit the family to assess the effect HDC might have on them and to ensure that everyone living at the address is aware of all the implications of having someone on HDC living there. Do they have to stay at the same address? The duration of the curfew must be spent at the same address. This can only be changed in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Governor. The new address will be subject to the same checks and the person may not move in until it has been approved. What if they need to leave the home during curfew hours? One-off absences can be granted in special circumstances subject to prior approval. These can include: Attending a wedding or funeral of a close relative Unexpected medical appointments Job interviews or attendance at job club or benefit office Attendance at court as a witness or defendant The person will have to provide proof of the reason for their absence. Regular commitments such as attending a place of worship, shift work or education can be accommodated and should be taken into account when the curfew hours are initially set.
Release - Housing Are you concerned about accommodation after release? Expand What can a prisoner do if they have lost their accommodation and need to find somewhere to live on release? Start working on it as soon as possible. Making applications, and waiting for decisions can take many months – it is never too early to start applying. There may be someone at the prison who can provide lists of housing providers, eg. a resettlement centre or the probation department, but it will be up to the prisoner to do most of the legwork and contact organisations and fill in the forms. NACRO have a resettlement helpline (0300 123 1999) who will be able to provide lists of housing providers locally. It can take a long time to secure suitable housing, and so it may be necessary for a newly released prisoner to live in a hostel temporarily. It can take several days to secure a hostel place, so the prisoner really needs to start making enquiries well before their release date if they do not have anywhere to live when they leave. In some cases, Pact can provide Mentors who can work with prisoners on release to arrange housing and finance. To find out more about Pact's Mentors please call our team on 0808 808 3444. What if they will be looking after children? The prisoner will need to contact their local council before release and they should arrange housing if possible, but if the council are not able to offer housing s/he will need to go to the council’s homeless persons’ unit with proof that s/he is caring for the children (eg child benefit book) and proof that s/he has just been released from prison. It may be necessary for the family to be housed in a bed and breakfast or hostel until a suitable home becomes available. It is possible the council will refuse to house people with rent arrears or an anti social behaviour order against them. They may offer to refer the person to Social Services for them to try and find accommodation. If the council cannot help, the prisoner should contact a housing advice agency such as Shelterline (0808 800 4444).
Release - Financial Concerns Want to know more about what financial support is available on release? Expand In some cases, Pact can provide Mentors who can work with prisoners on release to arrange housing and finance. To find out more about Pact's Mentors please call us on 0808 808 3444. Does the prison give money on release? If they have served a sentence of 15 days or more they will receive a discharge grant, although this is a small amount. Prisoners who will be homeless on release, and who have co-operated with the probation department in the prison to try and find accommodation, should get a higher rate if they need to pay for accommodation in advance. This only applies to commercial rents, not if they are renting from a friend or family member who is not a commercial landlord. Is the discharge grant automatic? Prisoners should be given a form to sign for the grant about two weeks before their release date. However, it is occasionally overlooked, so if they do not get this form they should ask for it. What about clothes to wear when they come out? Some prisons will provide a basic set of new clothes for released prisoners, but some will just give them back the clothes they were wearing when they went in. They can apply for a Community Care Grant (CCG) at the local Jobcentre Plus if they already receive Employment and Support Allowance (ESA,) Job Seekers Allowance (JSA,) Income Support or Pension Credit, but this is not automatic. They can appeal against a refusal. Are there grants available for anything else? If the prisoner is eligible to receive Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance on release, claims can be made up to 6 weeks in advance for grants to buy furniture, household equipment and cover connection charges and travel costs. A recently released prisoner may be able to apply for a crisis loan if their discharge grant runs out before their claim comes through. They should claim at the Jobcentre Plus office and should get a decision the same day, or the following day. If turned down, they can ask for a review of the decision. It is a loan, however, and will have to be paid back out of their benefits afterwards. Are newly released prisoners entitled to benefits? They are, but will need to make a claim as soon as possible when they come out. Most released prisoners will be claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), unless they are unable to work due to sickness or disability, in which case they will claim Income Support. They will need to attend an interview at their local Jobcentre Plus and complete a JSA claim form. The prison may be able to arrange for them to get the form before release, if not, they should contact their local Jobcentre themselves and ask for one to be sent to them. Those on a low income who are paying rent may be able to claim Housing Benefit. If they will be working, but their income is low and they have children or a disability they may be entitled to Working Tax Credit. Can prisoners get their National Insurance paid? National Insurance contributions will not be credited to people for their time in prison, unless they are acquitted or their conviction is quashed. They do have the option of paying extra contributions to bring them up to date when they start working again.
How long does it take to become a volunteer? Expand Volunteering within the Criminal Justice sector can take time due to the very specific recruitment procedures that need to be followed. We are regularly updating our volunteering opportunities page with new roles, so please keep checking back. As soon as we start processing applications, we will get in touch to let you know if you have been successful or not. If successful, you will be invited for an initial interview. If you are successful at interview, we will carry out vetting (including reference checks) and invite you to take part in induction training.
I am looking to volunteer as part of a placement for my course. Can I do this at Pact? Expand Yes! Getting involved in the justice system is an experience like no other. A Pact placement offers passionate and dedicated individuals the chance to make a real difference in the lives of those affected by imprisonment. We require a six-month commitment to the role and encourage you to commit to at least one shift a week. This ensures that you can build rapport and trust with service users. It also helps to build your skills if you wish to take on more advanced roles such as casework. We understand that your course may require you to complete your placement in a shorter time, and this can be discussed with your student placement coordinator at your university. Alternatively, you may wish to complete your placement hours and continue volunteering with us. If you are interested in any of the opportunities on offer, you will be pleased to know that our application process is very straightforward. Due to the time needed for DBS checks and prison vetting, we encourage you to apply at least eight weeks in advance, regardless of any unspent convictions. Please email our Student Placement Coordinator at [email protected].
I can’t afford costs related to my volunteering Expand Pact has an expenses policy in place which ensures we can support volunteers with some, if not all, of the costs of volunteering. How this works depends on which service you are volunteering for. This will be discussed with you during your recruitment and induction. Depending on the project, Pact may also provide and pay for a volunteer phone and other equipment to be used specifically for the service you are involved with.
Do I need any qualifications to be a Pact volunteer? Expand Although some roles do require previous voluntary experience, most of our projects recruit people from all backgrounds. Volunteering with Pact is an on-going learning experience for both you and us.
Am I too old or too young to be a volunteer? Expand Our volunteers must be aged 18 years or over to volunteer with Pact. However, there is no upper age limit. We are an inclusive, welcoming organisation, with a diverse workforce of people who share our core values. We welcome an interest in volunteering from people from all sectors of our diverse communities and all backgrounds, including older and younger people.
I’m busy during weekdays. Can I volunteer in the evenings and weekends? Expand We have a range of projects which require daytime availability (from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm). We also have a range of projects requiring weekend availability. However, we understand that people can be busy so we offer a limited range of evening volunteering opportunities. It is worth checking with our volunteering opportunities to see whether there is something that suits your availability in your area.
Can I volunteer with Pact if I have a criminal record? Expand We are an inclusive, welcoming organisation, with a diverse workforce of people who share our core values. We welcome applications from people from all sectors of our diverse communities and all backgrounds, including people who have been affected by imprisonment. We actively encourage people with criminal convictions to apply for work, both paid and voluntary at Pact. We will need to consider your personal situation on as case by case basis, and ensure we can match you to the right opportunity, as some of our volunteering roles may not be suitable. For many of our community based opportunities, we will only consider applications from people who have been released from prison for more than 12 months. Having said that, we do offer RoTL ("release on temporary licence") placements in roles where we can offer suitable support and supervision. We would always be happy to talk this through before you complete an application form if you are not sure. Please contact us on 0207 735 9535.
What does training cover? Expand We provide a range of training topics as part of your 2 day induction, which includes personal safety, professional boundaries, lone working, confidentiality and safeguarding, and then some further modules relating to the service you are supporting and your role within it. We also have eLearning modules such as ‘An introduction to Pact’, ‘The Criminal Justice System’, ‘Data Protection’ and ‘Health and Safety’ which volunteers will be encouraged to complete as part of their induction training. We want your time with us to be an ongoing learning experience, so we will also offer you other training opportunities and refresher training from time to time. You will be fully supported throughout your time with us and you will be required to attend supervision sessions with your Volunteer Coordinator or Manager.