Low Newton (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
HM Prison Low Newton is a Closed
prison
for female adults and young offenders. The prison is located in the village of Brasside
(near Durham
) in County Durham
, England
. Low Newton is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
. The prison is located next to HMP Frankland, the Category A
adult male prison.
In 2006 Low Newton underwent a security upgrade to become a Category A prison holding ‘restricted status’ (high risk) women. Low Newton then held the remaining High Security Female prisoners transferred from HMP Durham
.
In the same year an inmate from Low Newton had to be immobilised by a Taser stun-gun whilst visiting the University Hospital of North Durham
. The prisoner was being treated for wounds to her thigh and groin, when she grabbed the prison officer to whom she was handcuffed. The inmate then held a pair of scissors to the throat of the officer and demanded drugs, before being stunned by the police.
to North Yorkshire
across to North Cumbria
.
Low Newton is also home to the 'Primrose Project', designed to treat women with 'Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder
s', the only women's prison in the United Kingdom with such a unit.
Prison security categories in the United Kingdom
There are four prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom used to classify every adult prisoner for the purposes of assigning them to a prison. The categories are based upon the severity of the crime and the risk posed should the person escape....
prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for female adults and young offenders. The prison is located in the village of Brasside
Brasside
Brasside is a suburb of Durham, located in the civil parish of Framwellgate Moor in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Durham, and is near to the villages of Pity Me and Newton Hall....
(near Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
) in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Low Newton is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
. The prison is located next to HMP Frankland, the Category A
Prison security categories in the United Kingdom
There are four prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom used to classify every adult prisoner for the purposes of assigning them to a prison. The categories are based upon the severity of the crime and the risk posed should the person escape....
adult male prison.
History
Low Newton Prison was originally constructed in 1965 as a mixed remand centre for 65 males and 11 females. Additional accommodation was provided in 1975 and the capacity of the centre increased to 215, though the centre was normally overcrowded. Low Newton accommodated both male and female young persons and adult women until September 1998, when a re-role refurbishment programme commenced. Since 1998 HMP Low Newton has been an all-female jail taking female prisoners from across the north of England, as well as lifers and juveniles.In 2006 Low Newton underwent a security upgrade to become a Category A prison holding ‘restricted status’ (high risk) women. Low Newton then held the remaining High Security Female prisoners transferred from HMP Durham
Durham (HM Prison)
HM Prison Durham is a local Category B men's prison, located in the Elvet area of Durham in County Durham, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
.
In the same year an inmate from Low Newton had to be immobilised by a Taser stun-gun whilst visiting the University Hospital of North Durham
University Hospital of North Durham
The University Hospital of North Durham , provides acute services for the north of County Durham, north east England; including Durham, Chester-le-Street and the former district of Derwentside. The hospital is operated by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The Chief Executive is...
. The prisoner was being treated for wounds to her thigh and groin, when she grabbed the prison officer to whom she was handcuffed. The inmate then held a pair of scissors to the throat of the officer and demanded drugs, before being stunned by the police.
The prison today
Low Newton is an all-female maximum security prison prison and young offender institution. It also holds a small number of juveniles and life sentenced prisoners. Low Newton serves the courts in the catchment area from the Scottish BordersScottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
to North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
across to North Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
Low Newton is also home to the 'Primrose Project', designed to treat women with 'Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder
Personality disorder
Personality disorders, formerly referred to as character disorders, are a class of personality types and behaviors. Personality disorders are noted on Axis II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-IV-TR of the American Psychiatric Association.Personality disorders are...
s', the only women's prison in the United Kingdom with such a unit.