Maghaberry (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HMP Maghaberry was built on the site of a World War II
airfield near Lisburn
, Northern Ireland
that was used as a transit base for the United States Army Air Force.
At the end of the war, the base was run down and various government agencies used parts of the old airfield until the Northern Ireland Office
purchased the ground in 1974 and began work on the prison
in 1976.
Mourne House, which held all female prisoners, young offenders, and remand
s, was the first part of the new prison to be opened in March 1986. This followed the closure of the existing female establishment at HMP Armagh.
The male prison became fully operational on 2 November 1987. Following the closure of HMP Belfast on 31 March 1996, Maghaberry became the adult committal prison in Northern Ireland. Two new accommodation blocks were opened in 1999.
In 2003 the Steele report2 recommended options to make the jail safe - including "a degree of separation" for republican and loyalist inmates.
Maghaberry is currently a modern high security prison housing adult male long term sentenced and remand prisoners, in both separated and integrated conditions. Immigration detainees
are accommodated in the Prison's Belfast facility. The prison holds 850 prisoners in single and double cell accommodation.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield near Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
that was used as a transit base for the United States Army Air Force.
At the end of the war, the base was run down and various government agencies used parts of the old airfield until the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
purchased the ground in 1974 and began work on the 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...
in 1976.
Mourne House, which held all female prisoners, young offenders, and remand
Detention of suspects
The detention of suspects is the process of keeping a person who has been arrested in a police-cell, remand prison or other detention centre before trial or sentencing. One criticism of pretrial detention is that eventual acquittal can be a somewhat hollow victory, in that there is no way to...
s, was the first part of the new prison to be opened in March 1986. This followed the closure of the existing female establishment at HMP Armagh.
The male prison became fully operational on 2 November 1987. Following the closure of HMP Belfast on 31 March 1996, Maghaberry became the adult committal prison in Northern Ireland. Two new accommodation blocks were opened in 1999.
In 2003 the Steele report2 recommended options to make the jail safe - including "a degree of separation" for republican and loyalist inmates.
Maghaberry is currently a modern high security prison housing adult male long term sentenced and remand prisoners, in both separated and integrated conditions. Immigration detainees
Immigration detention
Immigration detention is the policy of holding individuals suspected of visa violations, illegal entry or unauthorised arrival, and those subject to deportation and removal in detention until a decision is made by immigration authorities to grant a visa and release them into the community, or to...
are accommodated in the Prison's Belfast facility. The prison holds 850 prisoners in single and double cell accommodation.
External links
- Northern Ireland Prison Service official website
- Jail report opts for 'separation' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3084492.stm