Depending on the reason for their
segregation, prisoners could be
housed in the prison's At Risk
unit, in a Management Unit or in a
punishment unit (sometimes called
'separates') or the 'pound' – an old
fashioned term for a punishment
block, essentially small, free
standing, fenced and gated breeze
block buildings, containing 3- 6
cells and shower stalls. These
punishment blocks contained no
office or other space for staff,
as staff were not stationed in
them, and we were told that they
At Risk cell
were only used when no other
segregation cells were available.
Segregation cells31 – of all types – had an in-cell toilet/basin combination unit.
Toilets were usually unscreened, and with two exceptions had no toilet seat or
cover. Management units, which were designed for longer stays, often also had
an in-cell shower, power point and a TV set, and some had an adjacent yard, with
an electronic door which could be opened remotely, meaning that the prisoner
could take their daily exercise without direct staff contact. At Risk cells were very
similar to those in a Management unit, but with fewer furnishings and without an
adjacent yard. Most At Risk units also had two or three ‘round cells’ or ‘dry cells’
which contained nothing at all other than a concrete slab with a thin mattress
covered by tear-proof plastic, and a cardboard bedpan. Where the prison was
in possession of a tie-down or restraint bed, it was usually located in the At Risk
unit. Some At Risk cells had a glass front, and all were monitored by close circuit
television.
Some of the issues and concerns around the use of segregation and restraint in
the prisons visited, as identified in the course of visits, included:
Impoverished regimes and little contact with staff
Most of the segregation units visited were bleak, and lacked communal areas
where congregated activities could take place.32
31 Specifications for each cell type are listed in Part 6 (‘Segregation of prisoners’) and Schedule 6 of the
Corrections Regulations 2005 (SR 2005/53).
32 Some of the good practice we observed in this regard is discussed further in the following section.
31