HM Prison Albany
| Location | Newport, Isle of Wight |
|---|---|
| Security class | Adult Male/Category B |
| Population | 566 (as of April 2008) |
| Opened | 1967 |
| Managed by | HM Prison Services |
| Governor | Andy Lattimore |
| Website | Isle of Wight – Albany Barracks at justice.gov.uk |
HMP Isle of Wight – Albany Barracks is a Category B men's prison, situated on the outskirts of Newport on the Isle of Wight, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.
Albany Barracks is located next to Parkhurst, another Male/B prison and form HMP Isle of Wight.
Albany was designed and built as a Category C Training Prison in the early 1960s occupying the site of Albany Barracks. Soon after opening in 1967, a decision was taken to upgrade Albany to a Category B prison and, in 1970, Albany became part of the dispersal system. It suffered major disturbances in 1972 which closed most of the Prison for over a year.
In 1992, Albany was redesignated as a Category B Closed Training Prison. In January 1998 Albany changed from being half Vulnerable Prisoner Unit and half Normal Location, and is now exclusively used to house sex offenders and vulnerable prisoners. Albany also operates as an Assessment Centre for the core Sex Offender Treatment Programme.
In August 2001 spikes (designed to stop birds perching) had to be removed from the exterior of Albany Prison after it was discovered that some of the spikes were coming loose. Prison Officers feared that inmates could use the spikes as a weapon against them.
In May 2006 up to 60 prisoners at Albany Prison issued writs demanding compensation from the Home Office. The inmates demanded compensation because they were prevented from using the lavatory when security checks were being carried out.
In March 2006 the kitchen providing meals to inmates at Albany prison was awarded a five-star rating for kitchen hygiene by the environmental health department of the Isle of Wight Council. The inspection of kitchens at 1,900 premises on the Isle of Wight, including schools, church halls, cafes and restaurants found Albany to have a top rating in standards of food preparation, ahead of establishments such as the Royal Yacht Squadron club.
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