HMP Grendon is an unusual prison. It was described by HMIP as follows:
Opened in 1962, Grendon was initially used as an experimental psychiatric prison for prisoners with antisocial personality disorders. It developed into a series of discrete therapeutic communities (TCs), one of which was dedicated to prisoners convicted of a sexual offence. In 2014, a TC plus (TC+) unit for prisoners with learning disabilities (who had previously been excluded from treatment) was opened, complementing similar provision at HMPs Dovegate and Gartree. Grendon has been one of the most researched forensic establishments in the world. Studies have shown lower levels of reoffending for men who stay longer than 18 months. Grendon and the adjacent HMP Spring Hill, an open prison for adult men, are managed jointly by a single senior management team.
Accommodation
- A wing – 40-bed TC for prisoners convicted of a sexual offence only
- B wing – 45-bed TC (currently closed for fire improvement work)
- C wing – 43-bed TC
- D wing – 45-bed TC
- F wing – 20-bed TC+ for men with mild learning disabilities
- G wing – 40-bed assessment and induction unit