HM Prison Service runs 105 of the 122 prisons in England and Wales. The others are run by private companies.
There are men’s prisons, women’s prisons and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).
Every prison has its own unique environment. Some are based in the middle of a city, others are very remote. Some were built hundreds of years ago, others are brand new. Some can hold as many as 1600 prisoners, and others as few as 160.
As well as the many and varied environments, a typical day in each prison can also look very different.
All prisons have their own routine (known as a regime) that sets out:

what time prisoners are locked and unlocked from their cells
work and education times
lunch and visiting times
any time for exercise, leisure activities or making phone calls (known as association).

Different prisons offer different work and education opportunities for the people serving their sentence there.

What we do

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is to here to prevent victims by changing lives.
We work with our partners to carry out the sentences given by the courts, either in custody or the community.
We reduce reoffending by rehabilitating the people in our care through education and employment. The agency is made up of HM Prison Service, Probation Service, Youth Custody Service and a headquarters focussed on creating tools and learning.

Responsibilities

Within England and Wales, we are responsible for:

running prison and probation services
rehabilitation services for people in our care leaving prison
making sure support is available to stop people reoffending
contract managing private sector prisons and services such as:
the prisoner escort service
electronic tagging

Through HM Prison Service: we manage public sector prisons and the contract for private prisons in England and Wales.
Through the Probation Service: we oversee probation delivery in England and Wales.
Working in a prison is a truly unique experience. No two shifts are the same. You’ve got to be resilient, confident and a great communicator.
Our prison officers perform a vital role in society, in an environment like no other. We are peacekeepers, teachers, counsellors. You could be too.
Prison officers are part of a diverse team doing meaningful work in our prisons.
They work with a range of people and perform a variety of tasks – from keeping the prison safe and secure, to helping vulnerable people through a difficult time in their lives.

Prisons can be unpredictable, but it’s about working together and keeping calm under pressure while enjoying the little things, like helping a prisoner learn a new skill or teaching them to view things from a new perspective.
It can be a challenging job, but in return you’ll get good pay, training and benefits, and have the support of a strong team.

Priorities

We will deliver the government’s vision and investment to make prisons places of safety and reform, and to continue to transform our work in the community.
We will provide safe and supportive environments, where people work through the reasons that caused them to offend and prepare for a more positive future.

How we work

We work with many agencies, organisations and partners to provide our services including charities and social enterprises.
We also work with independent inspectors, local councils, youth offending teams, courts, police and other enforcement agencies to meet our responsibilities and support the justice system.

ORG Chart

Joining us

All new staff, both full and part-time, should have a properly managed induction.
This applies if:

you’re a temporary worker or contractor
you’re returning after a long break
you’re moving to a new post
you’re being promoted