Skip to content

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated.

To view this licence, visit:
https://nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3

or write to:
Information Policy Team,
The National Archives,
Kew,
London TW9 4DU

or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

This publication is available at:
https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk.

© Crown copyright

HMP Warren Hill: Safe and supportive, but more work needed to tackle high recall rates

Published:

A closed category C prison holding men serving long sentences, including life and imprisonment for public protection, was providing an impressively strong and supportive culture, with very little violence or drug use, according to inspectors.

The inspection of HMP Warren Hill in February 2025 found good relationships between staff and prisoners and a level of engagement rarely seen elsewhere. Prisoners were unlocked for more than 11 hours on Mondays to Thursdays, were trusted to move relatively freely around the jail, and were able to take part in a range of education and enrichment activities, with almost all of the men in full-time purposeful activity. Incentives and rewards, such as minimally supervised family visits and bonus payments for good attendance and achieving qualifications, encouraged good behaviour.

Prisoners benefitted from bright, well-maintained living conditions. They were housed in single cells and able to cook for themselves, communal areas were kept clean, and facilities included a coffee shop, barber and well-stocked prison shop.

However, despite the many positive elements, there was a surprising amount of disgruntlement among prisoners, some of whom had expected more from the jail, which was designed to provide opportunities to progress with their sentence. Half of those released from Warren Hill were being recalled to custody and leaders needed to address this. Although the prison had an impressive unit that aimed to replicate the conditions of approved premises into which prisoners could expect to be released, there was only capacity for a handful of men. The prison also needed to establish better relationships with employers that would help to provide job opportunities for those being released, and arrangements for release on temporary licence, which would help men to re-adjust to society successfully, needed to be restored.

To be rated good in three of our healthy prison outcomes tests and reasonably good in the fourth is a significant achievement that reflects the positive work going on at Warren Hill. Nevertheless, the high proportion of released prisoners being recalled was disappointing and the prison needed to do more to address this issue. Doing so, and successfully negotiating the merger with neighbouring HMP/YOI Hollesley Bay, will be key to future success
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Notes to editors

  1. The inspection of Warren Hill took place between 3–21 February 2025.
  2. Warren Hill began operating as a category C adult male prison in 2014. It delivers a progression regime for prisoners who have been given a life sentence, an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP) or an extended determinate sentence.
  3. The report, published on 3 June 2025, can be found on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website.
  4. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
  5. Please email media@hmiprisons.gov.uk if you would like more information.