durham prison visit legal

• Prison visitors
• Visitor Centres

Durham Visitor Centre

HMP Durham Visitors' Centre, Durham, DH1 3HU

Click on the blue question below to see the answers appear underneath. 

Contact details

Visitor centre: 0191 3323676 or 0191 332 3484

Visitor centre email: use contact form to email HERE    (you cannot use this email address to book visits - see email below)

Nepacs helpline: Freephone 0800 012 1539 Monday and Friday 12noon - 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am - 2pm.                                      Email [email protected] Text 07983 437 457

Prison: 0191 3323400

Safer custody: If you think the prisoner is at immediate risk please call the switchboard on 0191 332 3400 and ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency. 

If your concern is urgent but not life-threatening, please call the Safer Custody Helpline - 0191 332 3695 or use the web form (the team will pick up all contact forms within 72 hours): https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/hmp-durham 

If you have been pressurised to bring anything illegal into the prison then you can leave a confidential, anonymous, message by calling 0191 3323400 and selecting option 4.

How can I book a visit?

Visits are now booked by the visitors either online or by phone:

Online: www.gov.uk/prison-visits  

Freephone: 0300 303 2300 - Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 5pm, and 12noon to 5pm Tuesday and Thursday

PLEASE NOTE: Reception (first visits) must be booked by contacting the telephone line.

If you have any questions about visiting please contact the visitors centre on 0191 332 3676 or 0191 332 3484.

When can I visit?

Prison visit times are:

• Monday - 2pm to 4pm
• Tuesday - 9.30am to 11.30am and 2pm to 4pm
• Wednesday - 9.30am to 11.30am and 2pm to 4pm
• Thursday - 2pm to 4pm
• Friday - 2pm to 4pm
• Saturday and Sunday - 9.30am to 11.30am and 2pm to 4pm

The visiting times are a guide only, there is no guarantee of entering or leaving the visits hall at these times. These times are subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.

Check out details further down this page for information on who can visit and how many visitors can attend.

Who is allowed to visit?

Reception visits: only 2 adults aged 18 and over are able to visit.

Normal visits:  Maximum of 3 adults are allowed on a visit plus children - but a child aged 10 or over is classed as an adult for seating purposes.

You cannot visit unless you are on the prisoner's approved visitor list.

If you are not on the approved list then you should ask the prisoner to submit your details to the prison - the prisoner will need full name/address/date of birth/relationship and telephone number. The prison then approves you and adds your details on to the system. Getting added to someone’s visitor list usually takes 7 days. This system is designed to give the prisoner some choice and control over who visits him.

Please note: children/babies must also be on the approved visitor list before attending.

No one will be allowed to stay in the visitors centre whilst the visits are taking place. 

What ID documents will I need?

You will be called, usually by number, when the officers are ready to check your ID and take your photo. Everyone needs to have ID checked on every visit. Only adults and children over 10 will have their photos taken.

Please note that you will have your ID checked each time you visit, so you should always bring it with you!

All children must have a birth certificate or photographic ID.

All other visitors must have photographic ID on every visit.

See list below:

Social visitors have the option to present one photographic ID document from List A:

• Passports - you will also need to bring evidence of your address, less than 3 months old (such a bill or bank statement)
• Identity cards from an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country
• UK photocard driving licences
• EU or EEA driving licences
• NI Electoral identity cards
• US passport card
• Proof of age card recognised under PASS with a unique reference number (This includes the Citizen ID card).  Remember: Prisoners' families can get a £10 discount on the cost of a Citizen Card when applying online. Contact our helpline for the code.
• Armed forces identity card
• UK biometric residence permit (BRP)

Should they be unable to present an ID document from List A, they may present one ID document from List B, supported by one document from List C:

• Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person’s document, one-way document or certificate of travel)
• Older person’s bus pass
• Freedom Pass
• Proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards
• Scheme (PASS) without a unique reference number (please refer to List A where a unique reference number is present)
• Birth or adoption certificate
• Education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (such as an NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A level or degree certificate)
• Rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated)
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• Bank, building society or credit union current account card (on which the claimed identity is shown)

All forms of ID must be originals, photocopies will not be accepted. If visitors fail to bring identification they will not be allowed into the prison and please ensure that you bring ID that provides proof of residence.

For children the following forms of ID are acceptable: birth certificate, passport, child benefit letter or tax credit letter or the red health care books as long as they carry the child’s details.

Is there a dress code?

HMP Durham operates a family orientated visits policy. The majority of visitors are accompanied by children and the prison promote a safe, decent and relaxed family environment.

To maintain decency in the visits hall the prison requests that visitors are of an acceptable standard of dress when visiting. This is to prevent inappropriate clothing being worn in and around the presence of other visits and staff.

Please note, if you are unable to meet the requirements of the dress code, on arrival you will not be permitted to enter the establishment until you have changed into appropriate, alternative clothing. 

The following items of clothing should NOT be worn by anyone visiting the prison (this includes children):  

 - Hats or scarves and head coverings which are not worn on religious grounds

- Inappropriately damaged clothing

- Metal hair accessories

- Steel toe capped shoes/boots or cycle/motorcycle shoes

- Non-prescription glasses i.e. sunglasses

- See-through (transparent) clothing

- Ripped jeans/trousers 

- Low cut/revealing tops or dresses 

- Cropped tops or any tops that show the midriff area 

- Vests of any kind

- Items of clothing that display offensive, abusive or insulting words or gestures

- Football shirts

- Mini or very short skirts/dresses unless worn with leggings or thick tights

- Shorts or play suits which are hot pant length - all shorts must be mid thigh to knee length. Men's shorts must be below mid thigh.

- Smart watches 

- Hoodies or items with hoods

- Outdoor coats or jackets, gillets - they can be worn over to the search area but then must be left in a locker Locker facilities are located in the entrance to the prison visits area for outer garments and personal effects.  Visitors are reminded that staff are required to search visitors as a condition of entry and that all visits take place at the discretion of the visits manager.

T-shirts and leggings are available to purchase from the visitors centre if needed. Tshirts are £3 and leggings are £5.

How can I get there?

Plan your route and check you will arrive in good time for the visit. If you are driving, may need change for the parking meters (free on Sundays!) or you can park and pay by phone. 

The bus and train station are both about a 30 minute walk from the visitors’ centre.

There is a limited bus service between the bus station on North Road and the bottom of Old Elvet (5 minutes' walk from the Visitors’ Centre). Ask at the bus station for more details.

Park and ride

There are three park and rides in Durham which cost £3 per day. Tel 0191 3741702 or email [email protected]

Walking from the train or bus station, directions:

From the train station, walk down the hill and turn left. Go straight across the roundabout in front of you, into ‘North Road’, which leads into the city centre.

From the bus station in North Road, turn right onto North Road

Head towards the city centre.

Where North Road forks, follow the slip road to the right (near Iceland) into the City Centre. This leads into ‘Silver Street’, a pedestrian area.

Head across Framwellgate Bridge and up a slight hill into the Market Place. Turn right at the Market Place, into ‘Saddler Street’ (next to NatWest).

Follow this road for a short distance and turn left where the pedestrian walkway leads down a hill (there are some steps at the top of this hill). You will go across Elvet Bridge and there are some traffic lights at the bottom of this hill.

Head straight across the road into ‘Old Elvet’. The Royal County Hotel is situated on the left hand side. Follow this road for approx. 1/4 mile. The Visitor centre is located on the left, almost opposite the main entrance to HMP Durham.

Parking in the visitor centre is for permit holders only.  We would suggest if you can, to park at the top of the hill where it is cheaper.  (The visitors’ centre will be on the left hand side of you).

Where can I wait when I arrive for my visit?

When you arrive at the prison you must go to the Nepacs Visitors’ Centre. For morning visits the centre opens at 8.30am and for afternoon visits the centre will open at 12.45pm.        

Facilities:

There are toilets, baby changing facilities and disabled access.

You will need £1 for a locker key deposit.

Staff and volunteers at the visitor centre are all there to help you.  We will do our best to assist you with any question or concern you have, and to provide information and support. There is a quiet room available for private conversations to take place with our staff.

Nepacs also provides a tea bar service in the visitors centre and visits hall. You will need cash to purchase items from our tea bars. 

Play area facilities are available in the visitors centre and in the visits hall.

What can I take into the visit?

Before you go up to the visits area you must empty your pockets and put all your property in a locker. The only items you can take with you are:

- Locker key

- Up to £20 in coins to purchase items from the tea bar

- Visiting order form given in the visitors centre.

If you have anything else with you, you will be sent back, and may miss the visit.

All other items must be left in a locker in the visitors centre.

Baby/toddler items

You cannot take nappies, tissues and wipes with you to the prison visits room.

Baby milk can be brought into the visit in a sealed milk carton with an empty bottle. 

If you have any prescription medicines that you will need on your visit or any other queries, please talk to the staff in the centre before you go up or when you are contacted about the visit.

Will I be searched?

All visitors to HMP Durham are subject to searching, which is similar to a domestic airport.

Visitors are searched by staff of the same gender, although male visitors can be searched by female staff, unless they request otherwise.

Children and babies are also subject to search. If your baby is searched, this will be done by a female officer in front of you. You may be asked to remove their nappy, but a new one will be provided. If your baby is wrapped in a blanket, the blanket will have to be left in the search area.

Visitors with religious clothing or headwear are subject to searching. This is done in private by staff of the same gender. You will be given plenty of time to replace your headwear.

You will walk through a portal/scanner and then be patted down by a member of staff. Coats and jewellery will be checked by hand or machine. 

Please note, if you need the toilet once you are on the visit, you will have to go through the search process again. 

Passive drug dogs are sometimes deployed at Durham: if your child is frightened of dogs you should inform staff. The dogs are friendly and do not bark.

What facilities are there for children?

We have a play area for children in the visitors centre and a soft play area in the visits hall for children aged under 6 years.

Older children, aged 6 and over, will be offered games, toys and activity packs which they can take to their table during the visit.

Parents/guardians should watch and be responsible for their children at all times.

See below for details of our special visits including father/child and family learning for children.

Can I get help with the cost of visiting?

You may be able to claim travel expenses if you are on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits.

Please ask at the desk in the visitors’ centre (call 0191 332 3676 or 0191 332 3484) for details of the Help with Prison Visits Scheme before commencing your visit.  Staff can help you complete the form.  

Visit: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits

More information HERE.

Can I send or take anything in for the person I am visiting?

You are not allowed to post anything to the prisoner other than letters, cards etc.

Clothing can be handed in only on your initial reception visit.  You do not need to book a separate slot to hand in your reception clothing. 

On a reception visit, you will be allowed to hand in the following:

• 7 pairs of socks.
• 7 pairs of underpants.
• 1 pair of trousers, tracksuit bottoms or jeans 
• 2 T-shirts 
• 1 Vest 
• 1 Pair of pyjamas 
• 1 Pair of shorts
• 1 Jumper – no hood
• 1 Jacket – no padding or hood

Notes: 

• Items that resemble staff uniforms or are black or navy blue will not be accepted. 
• Camouflage clothing will not be accepted.
• No trainers/sliders or dressing gowns permitted.

All clothing will be subject to searching and possible testing procedures, if contraband is found or detected the prisoner will not receive the property and Police will be contacted with details of the person handing in the property.  

Please do not expect residents to receive their clothing on the day they are handed in.

Who do I contact if I have concerns about a prisoner?

If you think the prisoner is at immediate risk please call the switchboard on 0191 332 3400 and ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency. 

Staff and volunteers at the visitor centre are all there to help you (tel 0191 332 3676 or 0191 332 3484).  We will do our best to assist you with any question or concern you have. Nothing is too small! 

What healthcare is available for prisoners?

There are doctors, nurses, mental health workers, drug and alcohol recovery teams and there is a pharmacy within the prison

The healthcare service in all seven north east prisons is ran by Reconnected to Health which is made up of Spectrum, Humankind and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Spectrum have a section on their website with the answers to the most common questions families ask about healthcare:

https://spectrumhealth.org.uk/health-and-justice/faqs-for-families/

Who do I contact if my family needs support?

If you have any questions about visits, concerns about a loved one, would like some support for you or your family, or would like to speak to someone please call our Nepacs visits team on 0191 332 3676 or 0191 332 3484 or our free helpline 0800 012 1539, email [email protected] or text: 07983437457.

We also hold regular Visitors’ Voice peer support sessions where visitors get together to support each other. On occasions a representative from the prison attends to explain what happens within different departments and to answer questions. Look out for details in the centre or find out more HERE.

Can I have a video call with a person in prison?

Yes. You need to download the Prison Video app on your device to be able to receive the video call.

For more information about how to get started go to https://prisonvideo.com/ 

You will need to use 1 VO in order to receive a video call.

How can I stay in contact with a prisoner?

The prisoner is able to telephone his family/friends from his cell, if he has bought phone credit and had your telephone number cleared with security.  They are also able to write cards or letters, send an email or book a video call.

Writing letters

You can write to the prisoner, using his name and number. A prisoner will keep the same prison number during his time in prison and will not change, even if he changes prison.

You can also contact the prisoner using email, voicemail and video calls.

Email a prisoner: www.emailaprisoner.com

Use prison voicemail. For information and costs associated with this service, click here

Prisoners can book a video call through the Prison Video app - details here.  A VO (visiting order) is required to book a video call.

Find out more HERE .

How can I send money to the prisoner?

Family and friends are able to log on to an online electronic system to send money to a prisoner.  When you log in you will need to set up a ‘payee’ very much like you would when you do your internet banking.  To do this you need the prisoner’s number and date of birth.  Once you have input these into the online form and the system has checked this against NOMIS, if the details match, the money will then appear on the prison’s internal spreadsheet (an admin tool) the following morning for approval.  The system also gives you an option to pay via a debit card. 

Once the money has been approved it should appear within 1-3 days in the prisoner’s bank account.

You are no longer able to send cheques, postal orders and cash into the prisoner.

If you cannot use the online service you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

- are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet - do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

For more information visit here  and to arrange transfer of money to a prisoner visit  https://www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money

Do you run any special family visits?

At HMP Durham prisoners are able to apply to attend a range of family visits, this includes:

- Extended family days - during school holidays

- Family learning visits - *Friday evenings - for children in full time education

- Father/child visits - *Thursday mornings - for pre school children

For information on any of these visits please ask in the visitors centre or pick up a leaflet.

*Subject to change

For more information about visiting please get in touch with the visitors’ centre on 0191 3323676.

Send us an enquiry

In this section.

• Visiting prison
• Visiting FAQs
• Children's visits
• Youth visits
• Ask a question

Durham visitor centre

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Durham Prison Information

• Accommodation: The prison consists of multiple residential units with individual cells or shared accommodation for inmates. The cells are equipped with basic amenities, including beds, personal storage, and sanitation facilities.
• Education and Vocational Training: Durham Prison offers educational programs to help inmates improve their literacy, numeracy, and other skills. Vocational training opportunities are provided to enhance employment prospects upon release.
• Workshops and Employment: Inmates have access to workshops where they can engage in various activities such as woodworking, metalwork, and other vocational programs. These activities aim to develop skills and potential employment options within the prison.
• Healthcare: Durham Prison has an on-site healthcare unit staffed with medical professionals who offer primary healthcare services to prisoners. Mental health support and substance abuse programs are also available.
• Sports and Physical Activities: The prison promotes physical fitness and well-being by providing access to sports facilities and organized activities. These activities aim to develop teamwork, discipline, and positive lifestyle choices.
• Family Contact: The prison recognizes the importance of maintaining family relationships and offers opportunities for visits and contact with family members, subject to specific guidelines and regulations.
• Chaplaincy Services: Durham Prison has chaplains representing different faiths who offer religious support and guidance to prisoners.

Contact Information

Booking a visit to durham prison.

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• Mon: 13:45 – 15:45
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• Inside Time Reports
• 13th December 2014
• Category B , Category B local with restricted status , Prison Visit

Prison information

Address: Old Elvet Durham DH1 3HU Switchboard: 0191 332 3400 Managed by: HMPPS Region:  North East Category:  B/Reception prison Link to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/durham-prison

Description

Reception prison serving the courts in the region, majority population remand prisoners

Visit Booking: Online

Use this online service to book a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can book a visit.

You’ll get an email confirming your visit. It takes 1 to 3 days.

ID: Every visit Children’s Visits: Father and Child sessions & homework club with Dad

Acceptable forms of ID

Search reports

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Prison Inspectorates Reports

Probation Service Reports

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If you have any information that you would like to be included or see anything that needs updating, contact Gary Bultitude at  [email protected]

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I’m trying to get in touch with my brother who is on remand at Durham jail, can I email him??? Send him a letter??? Ect…. could someone please tell me how I can let him know im thinking of him? Kind regards Louise mccue

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Durham Prison

Tel: 0191 332 3400 – Old Elvet, Durham, County Durham DH1 3HU

HMP Durham is a category B local prison , and currently holds both young offenders and adult males. It takes in both remanded and convicted inmates from the Durham, Tyneside and Cumbria courts. The prison was originally built in the early 19 th century, and over the years, has been both a male and a female prison. It has a capacity of 981. If you’re planning on visiting HMP Durham and want directions, please view the map on this page.

Tel: 0191 332 3400

Operational capacity: 1017 as of 8th March 2011.

Old Elvet, Durham, County Durham DH1 3HU

Prison Phone have been reducing the cist of calls from HMP Durham since 2013. Our service has helped thousands of inmates across the UK to stay in touch with friends and family without paying the extreamly high rates charged by the prison!

Send me Durham prison details via FREE SMS

Mobile number:

Here’s some facts about Durham Prison

HMP Durham is a category B prison that holds young and adult male offenders. Located in Old Elvet, near Durham, County Durham, HMP Durham has a capacity to hold 1001. The prison opened in the early 19th century.

According to the latest inspection report , the prison has 9 wings. A wing is for remand, convicted and sentenced prisoners, short and long term. B wing landings 2,3,4 hold full-time workers. Landing 1 holds vulnerable prisoners attached to C wing. C wing is the vulnerable prisoner wing. D wing and E wing are integrated drug treatment unit. F wing is the first night centre and induction unit. I wing is the drug recovery unit, G wing is the separation and care unit, and M wing holds health care inpatients.

Mary Ann Cotton , a serial killer, spent time here after killing people with arsenic.

Visiting hours are 13:45 – 15:45 Mon-Sun, 17:15 – 19:00 Wed, and 9:30 – 11:30 Sat-Sun .

HMP Durham’s most famous ex-inmates include Rosemary West, Myra Hindley, Mary Ann Cotton and Ronnie Kray.

Prison Phone offers phone tariffs that reduce the costs of calls from this prison by up to 75%! This enables prisoners to get the support and love that they are missing from home, while reducing costs for the inmate. Find out more below.

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Frankland Prison

Frankland is a high-security men’s prison in Brasside, County Durham.

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minutes survey.

Book and plan your visit to Frankland

To visit someone in Frankland you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least 2 days in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit. Up to 2 adults can visit at one time, along with any children.

The number of visits a prisoner can have depends on the privilege level he is on. You can check this with Frankland.

See the Nepacs website to learn more about visiting Frankland .

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit , including:

• travel to Frankland
• somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

HMP Frankland is operating a normal visits schedule.

You can book your visit online .

You can book your visit by telephone or you can also register to use the secure video calls service.

Booking line: 0191 376 5048 The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to midday Find out about call charges

Visiting times:

• Tuesday to Sunday: 2pm to 4pm. Staff will attempt to allow visitors as long as possible between these times.

How to book legal and professional visits

Booking line: 0191 376 5048 The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to midday.

Getting to Frankland

Find Frankland on a map

The closest railway station is Durham, then take a taxi or bus to Brasside.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

There is free car parking available at the prison and on-street parking. There are spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Frankland

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison .

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Frankland has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses, no ripped clothing, no offensive slogans, no camouflage and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).

Refreshments are available during your visit, however any refreshments should be ordered and paid for in the visitor centre prior to your visit starting.

There is a children’s play area available in the visits hall.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Frankland. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (£1 coin refundable) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by Nepacs . The centre is open on visiting days from 11:30am to 4:15pm.

Refreshments are available to purchase during your visit and there is a children’s play area.

Family days

Family day visits have re-commenced, full details are provided to prisoners via notices on the wing and wing reps. Notices are also provided in the visitor’s centre. Frankland aims to run 12 family day visits a year.

Keep in touch with someone at Frankland

There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Frankland.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners have access to in cell telephones which supports family ties.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service .

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Frankland using the Email a Prisoner service .

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Frankland.

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Frankland .

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison .

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

You can not post or hand in anything for a prisoner in Frankland. Anything the prisoner needs must be ordered through the prison catalogues.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.

For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F .

Life at Frankland

Frankland is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Frankland has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website .

Arrival and first night

When somoene first arrives at Frankland, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Each prisoner who arrives at Frankland gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Around 850 prisoners live at Frankland across 8 wings. Cells are single with their own toilets and sinks.

There is a healthcare unit and management progression unit.

There are gym facilities and all prisoners have access to a range of physical activities.

Education and work

Milton Keynes College provides various courses from basic skills to degree level. Prisoners can study full time or part time in a range of industrial, vocational and academic settings and gain nationally recognised qualifications.

Prisoners at Frankland can work in furniture production, cutting and sewing and recycling.

A range of offending behaviour programmes are offered.

Organisations Frankland works with

Frankland works with a wide range of local organisations to provide support and guidance to prisoners, including:

• Royal British Legion
• Fine Cell Work

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends .

If you have a concern about a prisoner please call: 0800 032 0079.

The Children and Families Strategy is overseen by our Reducing Reoffending Committee, chaired by our Head of Reducing Reoffending who can be contacted at [email protected] .

Support at Frankland

Partners of Prisoners (POPS)  family support team provides a range of information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners. You can call or ask in the visitor’s centre to speak to someone.

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency.

If you have a concern that there is an imminent risk of danger to a person in our care and you wish to speak to a member of staff to raise this concern, then you can call the switchboard: 0191 3765000.

The member of staff answering the phone will not be able to discuss the prisoner in our care, however; they will immediately pass your concern onto a senior member of staff to action.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Frankland .

Contact Frankland

Governor: Darren Finley

Telephone: 0191 376 5048 Fax: 0191 376 5001 Find out about call charges

Email: [email protected]

Business Hub HMP Frankland Brasside Durham DH1 5YD

Updates to this page

Updated operating times for visits booking line from 8:30am to 9am.

Secure video calls update.

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated physical contact guidance

New visiting times and booking information added.

Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Updated visit info

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

Updated the family and friends visits booking line times of operation.

Updated governor

Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

added video calling info

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Inside Durham prison: What it's like to be behind bars in the 200-year-old jail

ChronicleLive got a rare tour of HMP Durham to find out how prisoners live locked up

• 20:00, 21 SEP 2020
• Updated 21:01, 21 SEP 2020

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Two centuries since HMP Durham took in its first inmate, thousands are still locked up there every year.

August last year marked the 200th anniversary of the Georgian prison which has housed some of the country's most notorious prisoners over the decades.

And as it entered its third century, ChronicleLive went inside to learn about the reality of life behind bars and to find out about some of the problems prisons face in the 21st century.

This visit was carried out before the coronavirus pandemic, which has of course brought new challenges to the country's prisons.

There are around 960 prisoners at HMP Durham , with close to as many people working there to keep it safe and effective.

The compact jail has seven wings, plus separate areas for medical care and segregation, across a large site just a minute's walk from the city centre.

Notorious figures like Rose West, Ian Brady and Ronnie Kray have all walked its wings over the decades.

Much of its interior is just as you would expect: long, bare corridors; tight security and watchful guards; cramped, bare cells.

But once you're in, there's something more unexpected which strikes you straight away: how quiet it is.

The prison's head of residence and safety, Chris Carson, said: "The reality is that, a lot of the time, prison is quite a quiet, boring place.

"It's not the type of boisterous environment you see in the media where there is constantly violence and drugs going on.

"Generally, people are just trying to get on with their lives and sort their problems out."

No longer a high security facility, Durham now operates as the country's first and only "reception prison", a sort of holding place for prisoners serving short terms, waiting for court appearances or bound for other jails elsewhere in the country.

There's a huge churn of prisoners, with more than half coming and going every month and individuals ranging from cooperative and remorseful to violent and disruptive.

It's a melting pot of people, spanning people serving a few weeks for a relatively minor offence to killers waiting to find out where they'll spend the rest of their lives.

For the prison officers who spend their working life locked up with them, the relationships with the men they guard can run much deeper than you might think.

"There are definitely prisoners you see a lot of and you like and want the best for", Mr Carson said.

He added: "Prison officers develop good relationships and rapports with the men.

"Many of the people here don't have the chance to have conversations on a certain level when they are outside.

"This is a safe space to talk about problems that it might be hard to talk about because of machismo, they might not want to show weakness.

"We can break down those barriers in prison."

Drugs being smuggled into jails is one of the biggest problems facing the service and Durham is no different.

Following an inspection in 2018, a HM Chief Inspector of Prisons report laid bare the scale of the problem, with a third of prisoners said they had developed a drug problem while at the prison which were "easy" to access.

Tackling it takes up a huge amount of the prison's time and resources, the staff member added: "We spend a lot of time working with the police and search team to cut it out.

"New technological equipment is being used to clamp down on it too.

"We are more aware of the problems than we used to be and that means we're better at dealing with them."

The report also found an alarmingly high level of violence, self-inflicted deaths and self-harm at HMP Durham.

The security chief said a big part of making sure the prison remains safe is keeping its inmates calm.

To reduce frustration, there are opportunities for prisoners to work, take classes, spend up to an hour outside every day, go the gym or attend religious services in the chapel.

He added: "We offer a regime to try and reduce frustration within the prison, that's the best way of tackling violence.

"We do things to intervene to try and help people who come in with that sort of mental state.

"A large part of that is just talking to the men - that's what prisoners officers do every day. 

"They sometimes get a bad reputation but they're very skilled individuals."

A lot has changed in the last 200 years - and a lot has not.

Still visible are marks left by the gallows where, watched by crowds of paying punters, public hangings used to take place on the steps of the crown court. It's a stark reminder of how differently we treat criminals in modern Britain today.

But much of the day-to-day running of the prison is still much as it ever was, although the global pandemic has changed regimes and introduced new restrictions as it has for all of society.

The head of residence and safety added: "I think this place will still be here in 60 or 70 years but who knows about 200 years from now.

North East placed in Tier 3

"Technology will eventually allow us to do more than we are now, we will see new opportunities to help people.

"Some of what we do is still very old-fashioned because if it's not broke, don't fix it.

"A lot of the things we do have remained the same because we know they're safe and effective.

"Things will definitely change but it's still big keys in big locks for now."

• Most Recent

General Information, HMP Durham

The prison opened almost 200 years ago but was rebuilt as recently as 1881 (!) It holds adult males over 21 and young adults, who are sentenced, convicted and remand prisoners from Tyneside, Durham and Cumbria courts.  

Accommodation

• A, B, C and D wings – general population
• E wing – first night and induction unit
• F wing – vulnerable prisoner unit
• I wing – integrated support unit (17 beds) for those with significant mental health problems
• G wing – segregation unit and a hospital unit of six beds.

Return to Durham

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What is Durham Prison Like?

What is Durham Prison like? This question is on the minds of many who seek to understand the conditions, routines, and environment within this facility. Durham Prison, also known as HMP Durham, is a high-security prison located in the northeast of England. It houses a diverse population of inmates, ranging from those on remand to those serving long sentences. The prison has a rich history and plays a crucial role in the UK’s correctional system.

What is Durham Prison Like: Facilities and Accommodation

The facilities at Durham Prison are designed to maintain security while providing inmates with basic necessities. The accommodation varies, with most prisoners housed in single or double cells. Each cell is equipped with a bed, toilet, and sink. Overcrowding can be an issue, but efforts are made to manage the population effectively.

Daily Life: What is Durham Prison Like

Daily life at Durham Prison is structured and regimented. Inmates follow a strict schedule that includes time for meals, work, education, and recreation. The day typically begins early with a headcount, followed by breakfast. Prisoners then engage in various activities such as work assignments, educational programs, or exercise in the yard. This structured routine helps maintain order and provides inmates with opportunities for personal development.

What is Durham Prison Like: Inmate Experiences

What is Durham Prison like for inmates? The experiences of inmates can vary widely depending on their background, behavior, and sentence length. Some inmates find the environment challenging due to the strict rules and limited freedom. However, the prison offers various support services, including mental health care, addiction programs, and educational opportunities, to help inmates cope and rehabilitate.

What is Durham Prison Like: Staff and Security

The staff at Durham Prison play a vital role in maintaining security and supporting inmate rehabilitation. The prison is equipped with advanced security measures to prevent escapes and manage incidents. Staff undergo rigorous training to handle the unique challenges of working in a high-security environment. Their duties range from conducting searches and monitoring inmate behavior to facilitating rehabilitation programs.

What is Durham Prison Like: Challenges and Reforms

What is Durham Prison like in terms of challenges? Like many correctional facilities, Durham Prison faces issues such as overcrowding, violence, and contraband. However, ongoing reforms aim to address these challenges. Initiatives include improving inmate education and vocational training, enhancing mental health services, and implementing stricter security protocols. These reforms are designed to create a safer and more rehabilitative environment.

Health and Wellbeing: What is Durham Prison Like

The health and wellbeing of inmates are critical aspects of what Durham Prison is like. The prison provides healthcare services to address physical and mental health needs. Regular medical check-ups, access to doctors, and mental health support are available. Additionally, there are programs to help inmates deal with addiction and substance abuse, aiming to prepare them for a healthier life post-release.

What is Durham Prison Like: Visiting Procedures

Visiting Durham Prison is an essential part of maintaining inmate morale and family connections. Visitors must follow strict procedures, including booking visits in advance, undergoing security checks, and adhering to dress codes. The visiting area is designed to be safe and secure while allowing inmates to spend time with their loved ones.

Rehabilitation Programs: What is Durham Prison Like

Rehabilitation is a key focus at Durham Prison. Programs include educational courses, vocational training, and therapy sessions aimed at reducing recidivism. Inmates have the opportunity to gain qualifications, learn new skills, and participate in workshops that prepare them for reintegration into society. These programs are crucial for helping inmates build a better future.

What is Durham Prison Like: Historical Context

Durham Prison has a long history, having been established in the early 19th century. Understanding its historical context provides insight into its development and current practices. Over the years, the prison has evolved to meet changing standards and address new challenges, but it remains an integral part of the UK’s penal system.

What is Durham Prison Like for New Inmates?

• New inmates undergo an induction process to familiarize them with the rules, facilities, and daily routines. Support services are available to help them adjust.

What is the Security Like at Durham Prison?

• Durham Prison employs advanced security measures, including surveillance cameras, regular searches, and a well-trained staff to ensure safety.

Can Inmates Work or Study at Durham Prison?

• Yes, inmates can participate in work assignments and educational programs designed to help them develop skills and qualifications.

How Can Families Visit Inmates at Durham Prison?

• Families must book visits in advance and follow strict security procedures. The visiting area allows inmates to spend time with their loved ones in a controlled environment.

What Support Services Are Available at Durham Prison?

• Inmates have access to healthcare, mental health services, addiction programs, and educational opportunities to support their rehabilitation.

What is the Daily Routine Like at Durham Prison?

• The daily routine includes scheduled times for meals, work, education, and recreation, helping maintain order and provide structure.

What is Durham Prison Like During Lockdowns?

• During lockdowns, inmates are confined to their cells for extended periods. Essential services continue, but movement is highly restricted.

What is Durham Prison Like in Terms of Overcrowding?

• Overcrowding is a challenge, but efforts are made to manage the population through transfers and capacity adjustments.

How Are Inmate Complaints Handled at Durham Prison?

• Inmates can file complaints through official channels. These are reviewed and addressed by prison staff to ensure fair treatment.

What is Durham Prison Like for Long-Term Inmates?

• Long-term inmates have access to ongoing support and rehabilitation programs to help them prepare for eventual reintegration into society.

Summary and Conclusion

Understanding what Durham Prison is like involves exploring its facilities, daily routines, inmate experiences, and the challenges it faces. While the prison provides essential services and support for rehabilitation, it also contends with issues such as overcrowding and security. Ongoing reforms and dedicated staff efforts aim to improve conditions and outcomes for inmates. For further reading on the UK’s prison system, visit the UK Government’s Prison and Probation Services page.

By addressing these aspects, we gain a comprehensive view of life inside Durham Prison, highlighting both its challenges and the efforts made to foster rehabilitation and safety. Look at our other prisons such as Drake Hall Prison . Visit the official Durham prison website here .

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After 4-year probe, Durham report slams FBI for actions in 2016 Russia investigation

Despite Trump's expectations, the probe failed to produce any major convictions.

In a long-awaited report released Monday, special counsel John Durham slammed the FBI for actions agents took during the 2016 probe scrutinizing then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and its alleged ties to Russia.

Durham's final report examining the origins of the Russia investigation brings to a close a four-year probe that failed to produce any major convictions despite the expectations pushed by Trump and his allies.

The Justice Department and FBI "failed to uphold their important mission of strict fidelity to the law," Durham concluded in the 306-page report.

MORE: DOJ watchdog finds Russia investigation not improper, despite missteps

Durham was tasked in late 2020 by then-Attorney General Bill Barr to investigate the origins of the FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" probe of the Trump campaign that was launched in July 2016. Durham's appointment came just weeks before Trump was defeated by Joe Biden, effectively ensuring that his work would continue even after Biden took office.

Some of the FBI's most controversial actions were largely based on since-debunked allegations provided by former British spy Christopher Steele .

"Our investigation ... revealed that senior FBI personnel displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor toward the information that they received, especially information received from politically affiliated persons and entities," Durham wrote in his report. "In particular, there was significant reliance on investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents. The Department did not adequately examine or question these materials and the motivations of those providing them before opening a full-scale investigation."

In his final report, Durham alleges that the investigation into Trump in its early days was handled differently from how the FBI approached prior matters, including allegations of "foreign election interference plans" purportedly aimed at Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, which Durham's team also examined.

"In short, it is the Office's assessment that the FBI discounted or willfully ignored material information that did not support the narrative of a collusive relationship between Trump and Russia," the report says. "An objective and honest assessment of these strands of information should have caused the FBI to question not only the predication for Crossfire Hurricane, but also to reflect on whether the FBI was being manipulated for political or other purposes. Unfortunately, it did not."

While Durham does not appear to say outright that the FBI's Russia investigation should not have been launched, he strongly suggests that is the case -- while using sharp language to admonish former FBI leadership and agents and describing his findings as "sobering."

In a statement issued in response to the report, FBI officials said, "The conduct in 2016 and 2017 that Special Counsel Durham examined was the reason that current FBI leadership already implemented dozens of corrective actions, which have now been in place for some time. Had those reforms been in place in 2016, the missteps identified in the report could have been prevented. This report reinforces the importance of ensuring the FBI continues to do its work with the rigor, objectivity, and professionalism the American people deserve and rightly expect."

In his report, however, Durham seemed to reject the idea that the FBI should add new rules or training to remediate any potential future wrongdoing, which he describes as a "fruitless exercise."

The report was transmitted to Congress Monday afternoon, sources told ABC News. The Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan, said on Twitter that his committee has asked the Department of Justice to have Durham testify next week.

A major report by the Justice Department's inspector general released in late 2019 found that the FBI was not impacted by political bias when it opened the investigation -- though it outlined what it called " serious performance failures " on the part of agents as they vetted information from sources and sought surveillance warrants against a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page .

At the time of the release of Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report, both Barr and Durham -- citing the ongoing nature of Durham's own investigation -- issued statements distancing themselves from the conclusion that the Russia probe was opened properly.

In the years since, Durham only secured one conviction in the course of the probe: a mid-level FBI lawyer who pleaded guilty to altering an e-mail used in one of the FISA applications used to authorize surveillance against Page.

Last year, the only two other criminal cases brought by Durham ended in acquittals at trial. Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer tied to Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, was found not guilty by a jury last May after Durham accused him of making a false statement to the FBI when Sussmann told a former top lawyer for the bureau that he was not acting on behalf of any client when he detailed allegations of ties between a computer server linked to Trump and a Moscow bank.

Several months later, in October, a jury acquitted intelligence analyst Igor Danchenko on charges of lying to federal investigators about information he collected for the infamous Steele Dossier that included many scandalous and unproven allegations about Trump's ties to Russia.

Some legal experts expressed concerns about the cases brought by Durham, arguing that they would discourage future potential FBI sources from bringing information forward for fear they could be targeted for prosecution.

MORE: Behind the dossier: Christopher Steele not worried about facing charges in Durham investigation

Attorney General Merrick Garland has for the most part declined to comment on any substantive issues surrounding Durham's investigation, other than offering assurances to Congress that Durham has been given the full resources to complete his work.

For years, Trump and other conservatives have pointed to Durham's ongoing investigation with speculation that he would secure indictments against high-level former FBI officials or individuals close to former President Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, or otherwise unearth damning information supporting their accusation that the FBI "deep state" improperly targeted Trump.

Trump fumed in the months leading up the 2020 election publicly pressured Barr to demand Durham move faster to release preliminary findings or announce high-level arrests.

In filings and other court appearances over the course of his probe, Durham at times put forward allegations and supplementary information that suggested he, too, believed the investigation into Trump was politically tainted -- though he never ultimately charged any criminal conspiracy stemming from those assertions.

MORE: Carter Page: FBI 'shredded' Constitution by eavesdropping on me

The conclusion of Durham's four-year investigation stands in contrast to former special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into the ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, which resulted in indictments against 34 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges ranging from conspiracy to hacking to lying to the FBI and financial crimes. The indictments led to seven guilty pleas and five people sentenced to prison.

While Mueller's final report determined there was not sufficient evidence to charge a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, he detailed dozens of instances of contacts between people close to Trump and his campaign and Russian nationals, and found the Russian government believed it would have benefitted from Trump's presidency and that it "worked to secure that outcome," with actions often welcomed by Trump's campaign.

Related Topics

• Russia Investigation
• Donald Trump

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