Going to prison
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What you will find on this page.
Can my loved one appeal their prison sentence?
What will happen when my loved one goes to prison?
The prison number
Prison status
Can my loved one appeal their prison sentence?
For those who do not win their case, there is normally a right of appeal. However, this is based purely on the decision reached in the case. Appeals are complex, and we strongly advise that legal advice be taken to see if you have grounds for appeal. Click the link below for help with appeals.
What will happen when my loved one goes to prison?
Prison can be a really stressful and frightening experience for family members and this guide hopes to give you as much information as possible through the eyes of people who have experienced it.
Whether it’s remand, recall or sentenced, when your loved one goes into custody you will be moved into a system that differs from place to place. You will hear words and acronyms that you have never heard before and you will want to learn as much as you can.
Arrival and finding out where they are
It may sound silly, but it’s common for you not to know where they have been taken to.
The people that know are the courts (if they’ve gone from there), your solicitor, and / or the probation officer. If it’s a recall, the police and probation will know (however the police will be reluctant to tell you before they are moved, for security reasons).
Calling a prison and asking if they are there is not likely to get you anywhere, data protection will generally stop that enquiry.
When your loved one arrives they will get a reception call, this is a call that lasts a few minutes at most and if you miss it then it’s highly unlikely that they will get another chance for this. If they don’t know your number then they can’t call you. If they call someone else then hopefully you’ll find out from them. The wait for this call and information is, as you may expect, a hard time and you are likely to feel anxious.
If they’ve gone on a Friday afternoon and you’ve not heard anything by Monday afternoon, start to try the people we’ve mentioned above. If it’s a weekday start the next day, and if it’s a weekend try the Monday afternoon.
To contact the Prisoner Location Service you can either send a letter or an email to:
Prisoner Location Service
PO Box 17594
Birmingham
B2 2QP
Email: findaprisoner@justice.gov.uk
The prison number
If it’s their first time in prison they will get issued with a prisoner number; this is unique to them and they will have this number for all visits into custody, it does not change. It looks something like this: A1234XZ. You will need to know this number for so many things related to prison life, things like visits, sending emails, sending money and clothing in for them.
If you know the prison they are at but don’t know their prison number you can send a letter to them and they are likely to still get it. You will need to address the letter like this:
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Their Full Name
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Date of Birth
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Prison address
Make sure you put your name and address on the letter and they will write back with their number.
Prison status
Your person will be assigned a prison status which is based on their behaviour; this is known as IEP (Incentive and Earned Privileges). These are as follows:
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Entry (usually for 14 days from when they arrive)
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Basic (not great for as it limits your privileges and is usually handed down as a sanction for not complying with the prison rules)
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Standard (what they will usually get after entry is completed, provided they have had no behaviour issues)
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Enhanced (the most privileges are attached to this status and it usually takes 12 weeks of good prisoner behaviour and compliance to obtain).
Your loved ones IEP will determine the number of visits they get and how much money they can spend, amongst other things. Basic will usually impact on their visit allowance so you are best to encourage them to get enhanced for the benefits that brings, like extra visits and extra spending allowance that can be used to buy phone credit and stay connected more.
Remember, we are always here to help
