There is a dedicated number to call if your are concerned about the safety of a prisoner, its is monitored 24/7 call 01245 552297
The governor of the prison is Garry Newnes, who has been the governor since April 2021, and the prison is run by HMPS as part of the East of England region. It has a capacity of 720.
Chelmsford is a Category B local prison serving the courts of south Essex, holding adult and young adult men on remand, awaiting trial, or sentenced, with an operational capacity of around 660–720.
The Independent Monitoring Board’s most recent annual report, covering to August 2025 and published in January 2026, described overcrowding as the prison’s central problem, with two men often held in cells designed for one. The board also raised concerns about a lack of secure psychiatric beds to move seriously mentally unwell men on to, continuing drug problems (spice and cannabis, particularly on one wing), and a rise in complaints about staff attitude and verbal abuse. Against this, there were genuine improvements: self-harm fell by 4%, violence against staff dropped by 14%, and prisoner-on-prisoner violence fell for a third consecutive year, alongside praised gym, education and family-visit provision and better dental and healthcare access than during the pandemic. A separate HMIP inspection in May 2024 had flagged growing concerns about illicit drugs.
Given the overcrowding and mental health pressures monitors described, families may want to ask directly how a prisoner is coping with cell-sharing and any mental health needs, alongside the practical visiting and contact details above.