Finally, you’ve arrived at the prison after an uncomfortable trip in what’s often nicknamed the “sweat box”. The van passes through several security gates before reaching the prison reception. Once the driver has completed some basic paperwork, you’ll be taken in one by one. A prison officer will put you into another holding cell, possibly with other prisoners, while they start processing you into the system.
The information on this page is based on the law in England & Wales. If you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland, click here for the guide for your jurisdiction.
Getting into the prison properly is a slow process. Once you’ve waited in the holding cell, an officer will collect you and take you to a small private area for a more thorough search – quite possibly a strip search, where you’ll be asked to remove all your clothing and sit in a special chair (the “BOSS chair”) that checks whether you’ve concealed any phone or electrical equipment. It’s intrusive and not a pleasant experience, but you don’t have the option to refuse, so it’s best just to get through it – the officers don’t enjoy it any more than you do.
Afterwards you’ll be asked a series of questions and put into another holding cell, from where you’ll be taken to see the reception medical team. They’re not there to deal with any long-standing health issues – just to make sure you’re okay overnight, or until you can see the medical staff on your wing. Your photo will be taken and you’ll be given an ID card showing your name, photo, date of birth and prison number. You’ll be expected to carry this at all times, and your prison number will follow you around for almost everything you do inside. Every department that processes you will have forms for you to sign – within the prison system these are called “compacts”, and they’re basic agreements setting out what you can and can’t do, and what the prison will do in return. If you have trouble reading them, you can ask for time to do so, though in practice there’s often pressure to just get on and accept what you’re told is in them.
You’ll also see a senior officer who’ll ask further questions, largely aimed at working out whether you’re at risk of harming yourself. All closed prisons in England and Wales have been smoke-free since 2018, so you won’t be issued with tobacco on arrival – if you vape, you can buy an approved vaping device and e-liquids from the prison canteen using your own money, though not usually on your first day. Non-smokers, and anyone waiting for their first canteen order to come through, are sometimes given a small welcome pack with a few basics, such as a snack and a hot drink sachet, though exactly what’s offered varies by prison.
Finally, you’ll meet another Insider – not necessarily the one you met at court. Even if you’ve already spoken to an Insider, you’ll still have plenty of questions about the prison itself, so don’t be afraid to ask them again.
| Insiders at Court | Transport to the prison |
| Initial Phone Call | Moving to the wing/cell |
| First Night | Personal Officer |
| Phone credit and money | Induction Processes |
| Working in the prison | |