What are Prison Cells Like?

At most, it has a bunk bed that is normally screwed to the wall, a few wall-mounted cabinets, a kettle, a TV and most have a washbasin and toilet next to the bunk bed. It takes some getting used to the thin, well-worn prison mattress, which is similar to a crash mat for a gym. The bed itself is uncomfortable.

To help the mattress fill out, I tucked my towels and sheets under it. Going to the toilet with someone else in the same room can feel strange at first, but it's something you have no choice over. It can feel cramped at first but you do get used to the 6 feet by 8 feet space.

You create a pattern and learn to respect one another's privacy. Keep in mind that most inmates on the induction wing are also new to prison; granted, a significant fraction will have served time there previously, but you are all new to the facility as a whole, so you won't feel out of place.

One small window and the large blue door that locks behind you are likely to be all that the cell has. It takes some getting used to being unable to travel, being far from your loved ones, and not having any independence.

If you're lucky, the establishment will provide an in-cell phone so you may make calls to loved ones back at base. You should have also received emergency phone credit upon arriving at the prison, amounting to around £5 in phone credit so that you can call home.

The image below is fairly reflective of what a single cell looks like in a facility like Wandsworth Prison UK, it is quite uncommon to be assigned a solitary cell in a facility of this size.

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