Prisons run on strict timetables. Most lock cell doors at some point in the early evening – often around 6pm – and they stay locked until roughly 8am, though the exact times vary by prison. Once the door’s locked, it’s hard to speak to an officer unless it’s a genuine emergency, but your cell will have a call button. If you need to talk to someone, you can ask to speak to a “Listener” – a fellow prisoner trained by the Samaritans to provide confidential peer support.
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.
If you arrive on the wing before the evening meal – often served around 5pm – you’ll be unlocked and told to queue at the servery. Choice is usually limited, and as a new arrival you’ll often be given whatever’s left. Depending on the prison and the day of the week, you might also be given a breakfast pack and a tea or coffee pack. Once you’ve got your food, you’ll be locked back in your cell and eat there.
The first night tends to pass very slowly, as it has for countless prisoners before you. Every horror story you’ve ever heard about prison will probably run through your head, and if you’ve seen The Shawshank Redemption, you’ll be bracing for the worst. It would be dishonest to pretend there’s no violence or conflict in prison – there is, and not all of it makes the news. But prison staff take your safety seriously and have systems in place to help keep you safe. If you go looking for trouble, you’ll likely find it; if you try to avoid it, you generally can.
Unlock in the morning is usually around 8am, depending on the wing and prison. Prisoners are generally expected to work or take part in education while in custody, but new arrivals typically spend their first week or so going through induction instead.
| Insiders at Court | Transport to the prison |
| Arrival at the prison | Initial Phone Call |
| Moving to the wing/cell | Personal Officer |
| Phone credit and money | Induction Processes |
| Working in the prison | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do cell doors get locked at night in prison?
Most prisons lock cell doors at some point in the early evening, often around 6pm, and they stay locked until roughly 8am, though the exact times vary by prison.
Can I speak to someone if I need help overnight?
Once the door’s locked it’s hard to speak to an officer unless it’s a genuine emergency, but your cell will have a call button. You can also ask to speak to a “Listener” – a fellow prisoner trained by the Samaritans to provide confidential peer support.
What happens about food on the first night in prison?
If you arrive on the wing before the evening meal, often served around 5pm, you’ll be unlocked and told to queue at the servery. Choice is usually limited and, as a new arrival, you’ll often be given whatever’s left. Depending on the prison you might also get a breakfast pack or a tea or coffee pack, then you’ll be locked back in your cell to eat.
Will I have to work or go to education straight away?
No. Prisoners are generally expected to work or take part in education while in custody, but new arrivals typically spend their first week or so going through induction instead.
Is prison as violent as people say?
There is violence and conflict in prison, and not all of it makes the news, but prison staff take safety seriously and have systems in place to help keep prisoners safe. If you go looking for trouble you’ll likely find it; if you try to avoid it, you generally can.