We’re all familiar with the scene of a criminal being sentenced in the dock, but what happens after the trial when the convict goes to prison?
After days, weeks and sometimes months in the courtroom, prisoners will be given their sentence and led away to start the next phase of their life behind bars.
Once they’ve been ushered from the stand, the convict will be driven straight to jail in a high security escort van.
When they arrive, they will be given a rub down search.
They might be strip searched after a risk assessment and their belongings will be taken from them and stored.
What are UK prison cells like?
Items like phones and photos in glass frames are forbidden in all prisons - as are hoodies, caps and sports team clothes.
Some jails allow game consoles, and cells often come with a TV to keep the inmates entertained.
After they have been searched and their items stored, the prisoner will talk to a doctor or nurse with whom they can discuss any mental or physical health conditions.
A report has found that the risk of suicide is high during the first few days of imprisonment. The Samaritans train fellow prisoners called ‘listeners’ who are on hand to talk to inmates feeling worried or upset.
After talking to a medical professional, the inmate will be taken to a special ‘first night’ cell, which sometimes comes with a private bathroom and is nicer than normal prison rooms. They will often have time to relax - have a bath or shower and watch some TV.
They will be allowed a brief phone call with a family member and they will be offered toiletries, sweets and tobacco from the canteen.
Money is not allowed in prison. If they bring cash with them, the staff will hold onto the money. The average prisoner will be given an allowance of £15 to £25 a week for all canteen food and phone calls.
Jobs like cooking, cleaning, making furniture or electrical engineering are common in prison and the average salary is about £10 a week.
The prisoners are allocated jobs and permanent cells soon after their arrival. Once moved in, they have to clean their cells themselves.
They can buy credit for their in-cell TV’s, and they often have a kettle to make tea and coffee which they have to buy with their allowance.
Prison staff will conduct regular cell checks to search for non-permitted items.
As their sentence continues, prisoners should be able to work their way towards certain incentives, like moving to a better cell, getting a specific job within the prison or gaining additional visits.
