Birmingham (HM Prison)

Infobox HM Prison
name = HMP Birmingham


size =
caption =
opened = 1955
type = Adult Male/Category B
figures = 1450 (January 2006)
location = Birmingham, West Midlands
governor = James Shanley
prisonid = 220,15,2,15,220,0

HM Prison Birmingham, known locally as Winson Green Prison is a Victorian local prison in the Winson Green area of Birmingham, England.

The prison was built in 1849 for adult male prisoners. It serves the Crown and Magistrates' Courts of Birmingham, Stafford and Wolverhampton and the Magistrates' Courts of Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Rugeley, Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth.

It has a capacity of 1450 prisoners, both convicted and on remand (as of 31 January 2006). In 2002 the prison was expanded as a result of a multi-million pound investment programme by the Prison Service. 450 additional prisoner places were added together with new workshops, educational facilities, a new healthcare centre and gymnasium as well as extensions and improvements to existing facilities.

Prison Service Accounts for 2007 show that the prison spends GBP21,998 per year per prisoner place.

Governors

*1849 - 1851 Alexander Maconochie
*Chris Scott
*2000 - 2007 Mike Shann OBE
*2007 - now James Shanley, present governor

Treatment for substance use

There are a number of services available at HMP Birmingham for individuals experiencing substance use problems.
* The establishment is home to one of the larger CARAT teams in the country [http://www.drugscope.org.uk/OneStopCMS/Core/CrawlerResourceServer.aspx?resource=ABADE102-9AF4-4AC9-8535-E4C33FB34FA8&mode=link&guid=c460f97af5e449f189088a5545d9175c] . This service offers prisoners counselling, assessment, referral, advice and throughcare [ [http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr0105.pdf Throughcare and aftercare: approaches and promising practice in service delivery for clients released from prison or leaving residential rehabilitation ] ] .
* The Short Duration Programme (SDP) is an accredited four week Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme run to support those individuals motivated to change their substance use.
* Inmates assessed as being suitable may receive a medical detox/maintenance including subutex and methadone. Prisoners receiving these prescriptions will reside on a specific detox wing.
* The Voluntary Testing Unit (VTU) is a service provided for those individuals who have used substances in the past, but are making efforts to remain substance free [http://pso.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/PSO_3620_voluntary_drug_testing.doc] . These individuals will receive more regular, sporadic drug tests to act as a motivational tool.
* Although not specifically a drug treatment, HMP Birmingham has a designated healthy living wing. All inmates on this wing will be signed up to the VTU.

Notable inmates

* Lee Hughes, former West Bromwich Albion striker, spent the early part of his six-year jail term for dangerous driving at the prison in 2004.
*Ozzy Osbourne, later frontman of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, served six weeks after he was arrested in the late 1960s.
*Fred West, alleged serial killer who arrived on remand in May 1994. He committed suicide in his cell on New Years Day 1995, before he could be brought to trial.

External links

* [http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/prisoninformation/locateaprison/prison.asp?id=220,15,2,15,220,0 HM Prison Service page]
* [http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspect_reports/hmp-yoi-inspections.html/547238/ Inspection reports]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1221316.stm BBC News (2001): Jail 'among worst in UK']
* [http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/assets/documents/100032DBannual_rep_0607_appendices.pdf Accounts for 2007]

References