NCJ Number
140816
Date Published
1990
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on the current prison building program in the United Kingdom up to November 1989.
Abstract
The current prison building program is the largest undertaken in the United Kingdom in this century. It provides for the construction of 24 new prisons at an estimated capital cost of 1,355 million pounds. The building program will provide over 21,000 additional bed spaces. In April 1990, 3,512 beds had already been provided in new prisons since 1984, and an additional 8,397 beds will be provided in new prisons that are under construction or for which planning clearance has been obtained. A total of 2,446 beds have also been provided since 1984 by extending existing prisons, and an additional 3,118 beds are planned by 1994, making a total of 5,564 additional beds at existing prisons. Also, two prisons currently in use have been converted from other uses since 1984; they are Lindholme (a former military station), which has 1,001 beds, and Downview (a former mental hospital and nurses' home), which has 332 beds. In April 1990, the average capital cost per bed in those prisons under construction, or where construction was due to start shortly, was 117,000 pounds. Decisions now made about the size of the prison system also yield financial commitments for years to come. Whenever a prison is opened, it thereafter costs an average of 15,000 pounds per year per prisoner to operate (1988-89 prices). A table lists each facility, the type of prison, the number of beds planned, and the year in which it will be ready for occupation. 1 table