Within your first few days, you’ll be allocated a Personal Officer – a prison officer assigned as your main point of contact inside. They’re also usually the person expected to provide a “reference” for you when you apply for jobs within the prison, or for a change of status, such as moving up from Basic to Standard or Enhanced under the prison’s incentives scheme.
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.
The role doesn’t come with a huge list of formal duties, but a good Personal Officer will check in with you and ask if there’s anything they can help with. A less engaged one might introduce themselves once and then offer little more than a nod as you pass on the landing. Which you get is, unfortunately, a bit of a lottery.
| Insiders at Court | Transport to the prison |
| Arrival at the prison | Initial Phone Call |
| Moving to the wing/cell | First Night |
| Phone credit and money | Induction Processes |
| Working in the prison | |