Gartree Prison: Key Information and Visitor Guide

Welcome to the Gartree Prison information and visitor guide. Providing relevant details you need to understand about the institution, from history to visiting hours.

Gartree Prison is a Category B lifer prison, located in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. It is operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service.

Here’s some key information about Gartree Prison:

• The establishment opened in 1965 as a Category C establishment and became a lifer prison in 1992.
• It currently houses life-sentence prisoners.
• The prison has had several high-profile inmates, including Charles Bronson, one of the UK’s most notorious prisoners.
• It’s well-known for the 1987 helicopter escape, in which two inmates escaped in broad daylight.

Visiting Hours and Rules:

Visits to Gartree Prison are permitted between 14:00 – 16:00 on weekdays, and 09:00 – 11:30 on weekends. However, there are some guidelines to follow:

1. No cell phones or cameras are allowed.
2. Visitors are required to carry valid identification.
3. It’s advised to arrive 30 minutes prior to the visiting session for security check-ins.
4. Visitors with a criminal record need to take prior permission from the prison authority.

The prison strives to maintain a secure and decent atmosphere. To achieve this, they encourage positive relationships between prisoners and their families and friends, promoting rehabilitation.

Facilities and Services:

Inside the Gartree Prison, various services and facilities are offered to the inmates:

• Health and wellness support, with access to mental health services and physical healthcare.
• Educational programs to help prisoners learn new skills and qualifications.
• Work opportunities to gain experience and build a work ethic.
• Spiritual services, including the availability of a multifaith chaplaincy team.

Moreover, support organizations work regularly at Gartree, assisting prisoners and their families with different matters, such as alcohol and drug addiction, maintaining relationships, or managing money.

The Past and The Present:

Over the past decades, Gartree Prison has seen many changes, responding to new policy directions and shifting drug trends. They are continually working on providing an environment that is secure, decent, rehabilitative, and promotes the education and self-improvement of inmates.

To this day, Gartree Prison remains one of the notable fixture in UK’s prison landscape. It is a symbol of the country’s commitment to maintaining law and order, and also its belief in rehabilitation and reformation.

We hope this guide provides you with a comprehensive overview of Gartree Prison. Stay informed and up to date with the UK prison systems here.