Early Days in Prison – Some Practical Insights from a Former Prisoner

The first couple of weeks in prison can feel confusing and stressful. Some of the important things take time to organise, and that can be especially hard when you’re worried about loved ones — and they’re worried about you.

Although it may not feel like it at first, things do get sorted. Life starts to feel a bit more positive once you can start to communicate and see people. Letting family know in advance that there may be delays can help reduce anxiety on both sides.

Telephone Calls

When you arrive, a member of staff will contact your next of kin to let them know where you are and that you’re safe. Before you can make calls yourself, a few things need to happen:

• Firstly, you’ll be given a PIN number to access the phone system. Sometimes this happens quickly, but in some prisons it can take up to two weeks.

• You’ll also need to complete a form listing the people you want to be able to call. Prison staff will check this list and contact the people on it to confirm they’re happy to receive calls. Keeping the list short at first — perhaps one or two trusted adults — can speed things up. You can add more names later.

• Once your PIN is active, you’ll receive a small amount of phone credit. After that, you can buy more each week as part of your £20 spend.

Because this process takes time, it’s helpful to let people know you may not be able to call for a couple of weeks.

Visits

Visits follow a similar process. You’ll need to complete a form with details of who you’d like to see - including full name, address, date of birth and phone number. Security checks can take time, so it’s common for the first visit to take two or three weeks to arrange. The same applies to video visits.

Letters

You can get paper, envelopes and pens on the wing, and you’re entitled to send one free letter each week. Stamps can be bought if you want to send more.

All letters in and out are checked by prison security. It’s worth letting family know this, so they avoid sharing anything sensitive that could cause difficulties.

Clothes

You can bring some clothes with you when you arrive. Most prisons also allow one clothes parcel from family within the first 28 days. This is usually the last chance to receive clothes from outside without having to buy them later, so it’s worth organising if possible.

Shopping and Money

Each week you’ll receive a canteen sheet to buy essentials like toiletries, phone credit, stamps and basic food. Clothes and trainers can be ordered from approved catalogues, but spending limits mean it can take time to save up.

You’ll receive between £10 and £20 a week from the prison, depending on your circumstances. Family and friends can also send money in, but prison rules limit how much you can spend, so having large amounts isn’t usually helpful.

Books and Gifts

Books can be ordered from approved suppliers and sent directly to the prison. Delivery can be slow, but they do arrive. Other than books, friends and family can’t send gifts or items in.

To read the blog post, Packing a Prison Bag: What to Take to Court when Custody is Possible or Likely, click here.

If you have already been in court and would like a one off session with Safer Lives to answer your questions about PSRs and what else to expect, find out more here. To contact Safer Lives, email info@saferlives.com , call 0800 0435987 or click here.