HM Prison Swinfen Hall is a Category C men's

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...

and

Young Offenders Institution In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile det ...

, located in the village of

Swinfen Swinfen is a small community about two miles south of Lichfield in the civil parish of Swinfen and Packington, Staffordshire. Swinfen is referred to in the Domesday Book of 1086 when the Manor was held by the Bishop of Lichfield. The present ...

(near

Lichfield Lichfield () is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated south-east of the county town of Stafford, north-east of Walsall, north-west of ...

) in

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The prison is operated by

His Majesty's Prison Service His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is a part of HM Prison and Probation Service (formerly the National Offender Management Service), which is the part of His Majesty's Government charged with managing most of the prisons within England and ...

History

The prison is named after

Swinfen Hall Swinfen Hall is an 18th-century country mansion house, now converted into a hotel, situated at Swinfen, in the Lichfield district of Staffordshire in England. It is a Grade II* listed building. The hall was built in 1757 by Samuel Swynfen to a ...

, which stands opposite the prison. HMP Swinfen Hall opened in February 1963 as a

Borstal A borstal is a type of youth detention centre. Such a detention centre is more commonly known as a borstal school in India, where they remain in use today. Until the late 20th century, borstals were present in the United Kingdom, several mem ...

. In 1972 it became a long-term young offenders' institution. In April 2001, an inspection report from

His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales. The current chief inspe ...

highly praised Swinfen Hall, naming the institution as a centre of excellence. The report stated that Swinfen Hall was a place "in which the needs as well as the characteristics of young, adolescent prisoners, are understood and catered for". The prisons anti-bullying schemes and programmes which examine offending behaviour were also praised. A major building project began at Swinfen Hall in spring 2004, following significant increases in the prison population. The new construction was to develop existing accommodation and facilities for prisoners. In January 2006, Swinfen Hall was one of only five institutions to get the top ranking in the list compiled by the Prison Service, achieving the level four category which is reserved for prisons which are exceptionally high performing and which consistently meet or exceed targets.

The prison today

Swinfen Hall receives young offenders (aged 18-28) serving 4 years to life. The prison also holds Category C prisoners serving over 4 years. Prisoners are housed in 9 wings, in single cell accommodation. Swinfen Hall is piloting a scheme in preparation for the proposed abolition of detention in a young offender institution for those under 21. The work at Swinfen Hall is at the heart of the government's overall delivery plan for reducing reoffending. At Swinfen Hall individual needs are identified early, and through an active and integrated regime of education skills training and the specialised accredited offending behaviour and substance abuse courses, needs are addressed and risks reduced. Working together with national corporations, local businesses, voluntary organisations, the

Learning and Skills Council The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in England. It closed on 31 Ma ...

, education providers and others, contributes to the success of the training and development needs for prisoners at Swinfen Hall and prepares them for a crime free life on release. Most recent Inspectorate report(4)finds prison performance is not sufficiently good, except in preparations for release where it is reasonably good. Described as a regime that lacked purpose, with many prisonersunemployed or without sufficient activities. Mandatory tests show 45% of population are active drug users. 'In May 2025 the Prison Officers Association claimed that Governors have been accused of losing control of the prison after a male officer was stabbed in the head and two female colleagues were punched in the face during serious disturbances. As a category C prison it is supposed to offer education and training to prisoners. In December 024 the prison watchdog, Charlie Taylor, said the prison regime “lacked purpose”, with nearly a third of the prisoners locked in their cells.'

References

HMP Inspectorate Report 25 Nov 24

External links

Ministry of Justice pages on Swinfen Hall
{{Prisons in the West Midlands