Dorchester (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Dorchester is a local
men's prison
, located in Dorchester in Dorset
, England
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
.
design.
In 2006, it was revealed that 25% of random drug tests on inmates had proven positive. Though cannabis
was the most commonly detected drug, a substantial amount of inmates had tested positive for opiates such as heroin.
In 2007 the Prison Reform Trust
said that prison staff were "battling against overwhelming odds in old and overcrowded premises", after an inspection report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
said there were too many inmates there, and too little investment in prison buildings and facilities. The report also criticised the lack of work opportunites for inmates. Conditions improved to an extent, and the prison was awarded ‘Most Improved Prison for 2008'.
and Bournemouth
Crown Courts, as well as Magistrates' courts in Dorset and some in Somerset
. The prison population is made up of roughly half convicted prisoners, and half remanded inmates.
Dorchester Prison's education department offers courses such as Catering
and industrial cleaning. The physical education
department also offers recognised qualifications for some heath and training programmes, as well recreational activities. Other facilities for inmates at the prison include a library
and chaplaincy support.
Prison security categories in the United Kingdom
There are four prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom used to classify every adult prisoner for the purposes of assigning them to a prison. The categories are based upon the severity of the crime and the risk posed should the person escape....
men's prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, located in Dorchester in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
.
History
Erected during the 19th century, the prison buildings are a typical VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
design.
In 2006, it was revealed that 25% of random drug tests on inmates had proven positive. Though cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
was the most commonly detected drug, a substantial amount of inmates had tested positive for opiates such as heroin.
In 2007 the Prison Reform Trust
Prison Reform Trust
The Prison Reform Trust was founded in 1981 in London, England by a small group of prison reform campaigners who were unhappy with the direction in which the Howard League for Penal Reform was heading, concentrating more on community punishments than on traditional prison reform issues...
said that prison staff were "battling against overwhelming odds in old and overcrowded premises", after an inspection report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales...
said there were too many inmates there, and too little investment in prison buildings and facilities. The report also criticised the lack of work opportunites for inmates. Conditions improved to an extent, and the prison was awarded ‘Most Improved Prison for 2008'.
The prison today
Dorchester Prison holds adult males and young adult males from Dorchester, PoolePoole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
Crown Courts, as well as Magistrates' courts in Dorset and some in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. The prison population is made up of roughly half convicted prisoners, and half remanded inmates.
Dorchester Prison's education department offers courses such as Catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
and industrial cleaning. The physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
department also offers recognised qualifications for some heath and training programmes, as well recreational activities. Other facilities for inmates at the prison include a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and chaplaincy support.