Leicester Prison is house in an imposing mock medieval fortress close to the centre of Leicester city. Part of the building dates from 1825 but there have been several new additions to it, the latest being in 1990 when a new visits and administration block was added. The prison site is approx 3 acres and is operated by HMPS. Leicester is part of the East Midlands group of prisons. The number 1 governor is Jim Donaldson who has been in charge since November 2018, and the prison can hold up to 350 prisoners
The main residential unit is a large, four-storey, early Victorian building.
- Landing 1: (subterranean) the Parson’s Unit (enhanced/workers’ ), Lambert Unit (re-integration) and segregation.
- Landing 2: mainstream population with the shielding unit attached.
- Landing 3: mainstream population and the reverse cohort unit.
- Landing 4: mainstream population, prisoner isolation unit and additional reverse cohort unit spaces.
- Welford Unit : prisoners convicted of sexual offences and vulnerable prisoners