Everything You Need To Know About HMP Durham

HMP Gartree was established in 1965 as a Category C training prison. However, following serious disturbances in the early 1970s, it was reclassified as a Category B facility, better equipped to handle higher-risk prisoners.

Over the years, Gartree has become a central institution for housing life-sentenced inmates. Its role has evolved to focus on managing and rehabilitating prisoners who are often serving lengthy terms, ensuring they receive structured regimes, purposeful activity, and support services over extended periods.

Prison Category and Population

Today, HMP Gartree is a Category B prison. It houses life-sentenced men, many of whom are expected to spend decades in custody. This makes it very different from local prisons like HMP Durham, which manage short-term or remand populations.

The prison holds approximately 700 inmates, and its design and security levels reflect the needs of a population that is stable but requires consistent monitoring and structured regimes.

Facilities and Daily Life

Life at Gartree is tailored to meet the needs of prisoners serving long sentences. Accommodation is spread across multiple wings, with most prisoners in single cells. Daily routines focus on balancing security with opportunities for meaningful activity.

Facilities include:
- Education in literacy, numeracy, IT, and vocational subjects.
- Workshops, including industrial and production-based employment.
- Healthcare services, with particular attention to long-term mental and physical health needs.
- Gym and exercise facilities, promoting physical well-being.

Because most inmates are serving life sentences, the emphasis is on building structure and offering purposeful activity to reduce reoffending risk when release is eventually considered.

Rehabilitation and Support

Gartree places strong emphasis on rehabilitation programmes tailored for life-sentenced prisoners.

These include:
- Offending behaviour programmes, such as anger management and victim awareness.
- Substance misuse support, for those with drug or alcohol issues.
- Educational and vocational training, equipping prisoners with long-term skills.

Specialist staff and external charities work within the prison to support resettlement and family contact.
Given the population, rehabilitation is a long-term process, with focus on preparing prisoners for potential parole reviews.

Visiting HMP Gartree

Booking a Visit
Visits to HMP Gartree must be booked in advance, either via the GOV.UK online booking service or by phone. Prisoners are allowed a set number of visits each month, depending on their status.

Visiting Times
Visiting sessions are typically held on weekdays and weekends, though exact times may vary. Families should always confirm availability before making travel arrangements.

What to Expect
Visitors must bring valid photo ID and proof of address. Security checks are strict, with searches carried out on all visitors. Items such as phones, cash, and cigarettes are prohibited inside the visits hall.

The visits hall itself is equipped with seating, refreshments, and basic family-friendly facilities. Maintaining visits is considered crucial to the mental health and rehabilitation of long-term prisoners.

Phone Calls from HMP Gartree

Prisoners at Gartree can make outgoing phone calls only, to pre-approved numbers. Calls are monitored and recorded, with the exception of legal calls.

Phone credit can be expensive, and calls to mobiles cost much more than calls to landlines. Families can cut down costs with services like Prison Call, which provide a virtual landline number that redirects to a mobile phone. This way, prisoners are charged the cheaper landline rate, and families can answer on their mobiles wherever they are.

Challenges at HMP Gartree

Like many UK prisons, Gartree faces ongoing challenges, including:
- Overcrowding pressures, though less severe than in local prisons.
- Aging infrastructure, as parts of the prison date back to the 1960s.
- Mental health issues, which are particularly complex among life-sentenced prisoners.

Inspections have noted that while Gartree provides good education and purposeful activity, it must continue to focus on safety, staff resources, and maintaining effective rehabilitation programmes.

HMP Gartree is one of the UK’s most important prisons for managing life-sentenced prisoners. Since opening in 1965, it has evolved into a secure Category B facility designed to provide stability, security, and rehabilitation for men serving the longest sentences.

For families, understanding the visiting process, phone call system, and daily routines can make supporting a loved one at Gartree easier. Services like Prison Call can help reduce the financial strain of staying in touch, ensuring vital family connections are maintained throughout a long sentence.