HMP Channings Wood

If you have concerns about the safety of a prisoner or others at Channings Wood call 01803 814678 for help

Key Contact Details

Channings Wood, near Newton Abbot in Devon, is a Category C training and resettlement prison with capacity for around 750 adult men, roughly split between the general population and a separate unit for vulnerable prisoners.

The Independent Monitoring Board’s most recent annual report, covering to August 2025, recorded seven deaths in custody over the year (up from one the year before), most apparently from natural causes and linked to the prison’s ageing population — a reminder that healthcare currently has no round-the-clock cover on site. The board also found little progress on long-standing repair problems, including leaking roofs in the care and separation unit and in a workshop, with fixes now deferred until a planned expansion completes in 2027, and property-handling complaints had risen sharply. On a more positive note, self-harm incidents fell by 18% and assaults nearly halved, education attendance reached almost 97%, and family visits were rated positively by the large majority of first-time visitors.

Given the ageing population and healthcare gaps highlighted by monitors, families with older relatives at Channings Wood may want to ask directly about medical cover, alongside using the practical visiting and contact details above.