NEPACS is here to help you if we can. Visiting a prison for the first time can be a scary prospect. Often our visitors find that it gets easier as you get more used to the rules.

'Never having visited a prison before, we were greeted by kind and sympathetic volunteers, who took us to a quiet room and explained all about prison visiting and gave us information to take home and read. As the months passed they became friends to us.' (Visitors' Survey Comment, 2010)

We provide visitor centre services for 6 regional prisons. Please contact the centres directly for more information - we will be pleased to talk to you before your visit and welcome you when you arrive. Click here to view our list of centres

Booking a visit

Each prison has their own 'booked visits line' which you need to ring to book a visit in advance. (For contact details see information on relevant centre)

Your friend / family member is entitled to a reception visit when they first go in to prison and regular visits if they are being held on remand. Once convicted, a VO (Visiting Order) must be sent our to visitors to enable you to book and you must take this with you on your visit, together with the required ID (on the back of the VO or check with the Centre).

Waiting at the Visitors' Centre

As well as a friendly welcome, Visitors' Centres provide somwhere for you to wait before your visit with toilet facilities, a space for children to play, hot and cold drinks and snacks, change for your visit and for lockers to leave your stuff in while you go into the prison (generally, you are only allowed to take in change for the tea bar and any essential medication).

Going in to the prison

This can sometimes involve queues and delays as there is an ID check / search process which varies slightly from prison to prison.  This enables the prison to check that you are who you say you are and that you are not taking any drugs or other prohibited articles into prison.  If you are on your own and would like a NEPACS staff member to go with you in to the prison, please ask and we will try and arrange this.

The visit

Prisoners must sit at their tables and not move around the room, but you will be able to get refreshments from the tea bar and children will be able to stay with you or go and sit in the play area, where there are lots of activities on offer.  There are some security rules e.g. cups must have lids on and food in open packets e.g. crisps, can't be sold - these are to stop illegal drugs being passed on.  Prison Officers ensure that this is a very safe environment and everyone has a vested interest in visits running smoothly.

Afterwards

You can come back down to the centre to pick up possessions from lockers and chat to staff.  Please let us know if you have any concerns about the person you have been visiting and we will help you contact the prison to make sure that your concerns are addressed.