What happens first?
When arriving at prison you would first be taken into the receptions area, you will asked questions about your sentence, conviction, personal details etc. You would then be taken to a holding cell until induction takes place. The amount of time this can take varies but is normally a couple of hours, depending on how many people are being processed at the time.
Reception Interview
The prisoner will have an interview with a member of probation staff shortly after arriving at prison. The reception interview is an opportunity for the prisoner to air any problems or concerns they might have, this may not take place in the first 24hrs.
Induction
To help prisoners settle into life inside, an induction session explains how the prison works. This involves paperwork being completed and the prison regime explained.
Property
When a prisoner arrives in prison their property will be examined by an officer and recorded, whatever you are allowed to take into the prison will be given to you, the rest put away safety until the time of your release.
Search and shower
Each prisoner will be searched and should be offered a shower before being given the clothes they are to wear and then wait in the holding cell until you are allocated a cell.
Support
Prisoners may have concerns or worries that they might need to speak to someone about. A Personal Officer is the person who is allocated to individual prisoners and should be contacted first for questions or problems. Also prisoners can talk to a “listener” a fellow inmate trained by the Samaritans who volunteers to lend a hand with people struggling with problems, a chaplain or even to the samaritans.