Brief description:

Magilligan is a medium to low security prison which holds male prisoners with six years or less to serve and who meet the relevant security classification.

Visits

Maintaining links between prisoners and their families is an important aspect of the work of the Prison Service.

Magilligan's visits complex incorporates a reception area and crèche facilities, staffed by fully qualified volunteers. Visitors can purchase light refreshments in the visits area.

NIACRO operate a visitors centre just outside the main entrance to the prison.

ENTITLEMENTS

All sentenced prisoners are allowed one statutory and three privilege visits in 4 weeks, one of which may be on a Saturday. Essentially this means that they may receive one visit per week. Privilege visits can be withdrawn if a prisoner breaks prison rules.

Visiting times

The following visiting times apply. Wednesday – Sunday : 09:00 -12:30 & 14:00 -15:30

There are no visits in Magilligan on Mondays and Tuesdays; There are also no visits on Bank Holidays.
The minimum duration of a visit is 30 mins. However Magilligan operates two visiting sessions per day - a morning session and afternoon session.
Legal visits can booked from Wednesday to Sunday inclusive on Tel: 028 7772 0454.

Search

All visitors to the prison undergo a rub down search followed by a search by a passive drug dog before entering the visits room.

Passive drug dogs are fully trained to detect drugs. The dogs do not come into contact with the person but detect by scent. These dogs are used at the entrance to the Visits Area, and will indicate to the handler when a person may be carrying drugs or has been in close recent contact with drugs. When a dog makes an indication, in the interests of health and safety, that person will be offered a closed visit or asked to leave the prison.

The Northern Ireland Prison Service has a responsibility and duty to prevent smuggling of drugs into prisons. Apart from the health problems caused by drugs they also lead to intimidation and bullying in prisons and an unsafe environment for both staff and prisoners. More widely, the pressure that might be applied to a prisoner's family and friends to traffick in drugs or pay for their habit can cause additional misery and hardship.

The Prison Service is committed to tackling the problem head on with every measure at our disposal. The community would not expect us to act any differently. There will be no half measures.

Independent Monitoring Board

Clerk to the Independent Monitoring Board
Magilligan Prison
Point Road
LIMAVADY
Co Londonderry
BT49 OLR

 

Progressive Regimes

INTRODUCTION
The Progressive Regimes & Earned Privileges Scheme (PREPS) has operated in Magilligan since 7 May 2001. This system is similar to that introduced at Maghaberry in November 2000. It is based on a number of reports submitted by a personal officer or their relief, as well as reports from any other member of staff throughout the prison (e.g residential staff, Senior officers, court escort staff, instructors and teachers).

PERSONAL OFFICER
A personal officer, as well as writing regular reports, monitors a prisoner’ s progress and is available to provide advice and guidance during their sentence.

LEVELS OF REGIME
There are 3 regime levels

BASIC REGIME for those prisoners who:

Fail to demonstrate a satisfactory working relationship with staff, other professionals and fellow prisoners.

Do not work

Do not address their offending behaviour

Have a consistently bad attitude

Have an unacceptable disciplinary record (Note Prisoners on Basic regime are not allowed In-Cell TV)

STANDARD REGIME for those prisoners who:

Demonstrate a positive working relationship with staff, other professionals and fellow prisoners.

Participate in prison work

Participate in a Sentence Management Plan or agree to participate in offending behaviour programmes
Participate in a pre release programme (For those who have less than 6 months to serve on transfer to Magilligan)

ENHANCED REGIME for those prisoners who:

Have consistently demonstrated a good working relationship with staff, other professionals and with fellow prisoners

Participate in prison work

Participate in Sentence Management Plan

Have caused or pose no discipline or control problems

Have completed or are currently participating in offending behaviour programmes

Have consistently demonstrated a mature attitude to their time spent in prison custody

Successfully pass Voluntary Drug Test and agree to random testing thereafter
The three regimes offer different levels of earnings and privileges.

ASSESSMENT
Regular reports are written by personal officers . For prisoners on the basic and standard regime reports are completed on a weekly basis. For those on enhanced the assessments are recorded monthly. Reports may also be written by other staff outside the residential areas which will be taken into consideration when making a regime promotion or demotion.

PROMOTION
From Basic to Standard:

A minimum of four consecutive favourable personal officer reports with recommendation for promotion

One month clear disciplinary record

Fulfill all other stated criteria for the standard regime

From Standard to Enhanced:

A minimum of eight consecutive favourable personal officer reports with recommendation for promotion

Three month clear disciplinary record

Fulfill all other stated criteria for the enhanced regime
Progression to the enhanced level must be accompanied by continuous exceptional behaviour. Behaviour will be judged on areas such as conduct, personal hygiene, participation in work, education and programmes as well as attitude to staff and other prisoners.

It is also a necessity for prisoners to actively take part in their sentence management plan to be eligible for the enhanced regime.

DEMOTION
From Enhanced to Standard:

Two adverse reports in any three month period

Fail a Voluntary Drug Test

Found guilty on adjudication of one serious or two lesser offences

Failure to return from a period of temporary release

Failure to fulfill stated criteria for the enhanced regime

From Standard to Basic:

Two adverse reports in any three month period

Found guilty on adjudication of one serious or two lesser offences

Failure to fulfill stated criteria for the standard regime
Prisoners are informed of the general content of each report, particularly adverse reports providing them with an opportunity to improve their behaviour and if necessary comment on any report.

The reasons for any change in regime is given to prisoners and they are given to comment on any report in writing using a letter sheet. These comments do not represent a formal complaint, merely the chance for a balanced view for each report if requested

FOYLEVIEW
Only prisoners on the enhanced regime will be considered for Foyleview. Prisoners deselected from Foyleview will normally be placed on the standard regime

ADJUDICATION AWARDS UNDER PREPS
PREPS will affect all prisoners at H M P Magilligan, and the regime level may be altered if individuals are found guilty as a result of a Governor’s adjudication.

If you are found guilty the adjudicating Governor will consider whether it is a serious or lesser offence . One serious offence or two lesser offences in any three month period will result in you being placed on a lower regime. Prisoners found guilty of a particularly serious offence may be reduced to the basic regime. For the progressive regime assessment the first charge of a lesser offence will not be considered after a period of six months. A full list of the offences can be obtained from personal officers.

NB these are for general guidance only, and the categories of serious or lesser, may alter to reflect the severity or circumstances of the offence.

APPEALS
Prisoners may appeal a decision in writing to the Residential Governor (using the regime appeal form) within 7 days from the date of decision. The residential Governor will hear the appeal and reach a decision within 7 days of the appeal being lodged.

EARNINGS
The table below gives a summary of earnings (assuming 10 sessions are worked)

Regime Working NYA
Basic £6 (60p/session) £4 (40p/session)
Standard £11 (£1.10/session) £5 (50p/session)
Enhanced £20 (£2.00/session) £14 (£1.40/session) *

For example a prisoner who works 10 Sessions on the Basic Regime level will receive only the weekly flat wage of £6.00 (10x60p). A working prisoner on the Standard Regime level will receive the weekly wage of £6.00 (10x60p) plus the £5.00 (10x50p) incentive payment – giving a total of £11.00.

A working prisoner on Enhanced Regime level will likewise receive the flat rate of £6.00 (10x60p) plus £14.00 (10x£1.40) incentive payment – giving a total of £20.00.

Prisoners on committal or on transfer from another establishment who are NYA (Not Yet Allocated work) or who remain unemployed, through no fault of their own, will be paid a flat rate of £4.00 (40p / Session) if on the Basic Regime , £5.00 (50p / session ) if on the standard or £14.00 (£1.40 / session) if enhanced.

* It is not foreseen that a prisoner who is NYA will progress to enhanced status.

REVIEW
It is the intention of management to review PREPS periodically. Any changes or amendments that are identified will result in the progressive regime document being changed.

All incentives offered for the progressive regimes will be subject to operational requirements.

Revised November 2001