You are using an older browser version. Please use a supported version for the best MSN experience.

From high security to open prisons: UK prison life revealed
1/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images

Social and environmental documentary photographer Andrew Aitchison has captured daily life in a range of prisons around the UK, from high security closed facilities to open prisons and prisoner resettlement centres. According to Aitchison, working on the series alongside inmates and prison officers at times felt like "going into a different country…you need your passport to get in". Click through for an intimate portrait of daily prison life around the U.K. 

(Pictured) This section of Wandsworth prison is known as the central star and it leads to all original wings of the prison. HMP Wandsworth in South West London, England was built in 1851 and is one of the largest prisons in Western Europe. It has a capacity of 1456 prisoners.

2/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A male prison officer walks down the corridor of one of the residential wings. HM Prison Send is a Closed Category women's prison, located in the village of Send (near Woking), in Surrey, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Send is a closed prison for adult females. In addition it also houses a 20 bed Addictive Treatment Unit, an 80 bed Resettlement Unit and a 40 bed Therapeutic Community. HMP Sends Education Department runs Key Skills courses and NVQs in Business Administration. The Farms and Gardens department offers Floristry NVQs, and the Works Department run an industrial workshop and painting party. Prisoners held in the Resettlement Unit can also do voluntary work, attend College courses and Work Placements in the outside community.
3/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner having his hair cut by a fellow inmate during their recreation period at the Young Offenders Institution, Aylesbury, England. HMYOI / HM Prison Aylesbury (Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Aylesbury) is a prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.
4/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner at Coldingley makes prison gates in the steel workshop. HMP Coldingley, Surrey was built in 1969 and is a Category C training prison. Coldingley is focused on the resettlement of prisoners and all prisoners must work a full working week within the prison. Its capacity is 390 prisoners.
5/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner holds up the inside of a wooden beehive, revealing honeycomb and many bees. HMP Kingston, Portsmouth, England.
6/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Prisoners line up at the canteen for lunch. Beaufort House, a skill development unit for enhanced prisoners. Part of HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.Dorset, England.
7/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
The prison officer who runs greenhouses at HMP Downview. HM Prison Downview is a women's closed category prison. Downview is located on the outskirts of Banstead in Surrey, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Downview Prison holds adult Sentenced Female prisoners and convicted and remanded female juveniles. The prison holds approximately 50% foreign nationals. Downview is divided into 4 Wings, A,B,C,D (D wing is a resettlement Wing), and the Juvenile Unit. All wings have single cell accommodation with in-cell electricity. The prison offers vocational training courses and NVQs for inmates. The resettlement wing provides opportunities for inmates to work and receive education outside the prison.
8/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
An 'Enhanced' prisoner reading a newspaper in his room on H wing at the Young Offenders Institution in Aylesbury, England. Under the Incentives and Earned Privilege Scheme, prisoners in the U.K. can earn extra privileges for good behaviour such as wearing their own clothes, having televisions in their cells, and having more free time to socialise. They are often housed together in their own wing. There are three levels of earned privileges - Basic, Standard and Enhanced.
9/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images

A red band prisoner works in the prison gardens. Prisoners are allocated red bands for good behaviour, and this gives them special privileges, like being outside in the garden. HMP Wandsworth in South West London, England was built in 1851 and is one of the largest prisons in Western Europe. It has a capacity of 1456 prisoners.

10/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
An 'enhanced' prisoner doing press ups in his room on H wing at the Young Offenders Institution in Aylesbury, England. Under the Incentives and Earned Privilege Scheme, prisoners in the U.K. can earn extra privileges for good behaviour such as wearing their own clothes, having televisions in their cells, and having more free time to socialise. They are often housed together in their own wing. There are three levels of earned privileges - Basic, Standard and Enhanced.
11/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner doing yoga in the prison gym at HMP Downview. HM Prison Downview is a women's closed category prison. Downview is located on the outskirts of Banstead in Surrey, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Downview Prison holds adult Sentenced Female prisoners and convicted and remanded female juveniles. The prison holds approximately 50% foreign nationals. Downview is divided into 4 Wings, A,B,C,D (D wing is a resettlement Wing), and the Juvenile Unit. All wings have single cell accommodation with in-cell electricity. The prison offers vocational training courses and NVQs for inmates. The resettlement wing provides opportunities for inmates to work and receive education outside the prison.
12/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Prisoners sitting at the desks of the Education and Computer Studies suite of HMP & Young Offenders Institute ‘Littlehey'. Littlehey prison is located in Cambridgeshire, East of England and is a purpose build category C prison dedicated to reducing numbers of re-offenders, by providing education and qualification opportunities to prisoners.
13/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A 12 year old child of a prisoner completes a questionnaire about the family visit day at HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.
14/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner stands outside his cell on C wing of Wandsworth prison. HMP Wandsworth in South West London, England was built in 1851 and is one of the largest prisons in Western Europe. It has a capacity of 1456 prisoners.
15/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
'Enhanced' prisoners walking down the corridor of H wing at the Young Offenders Institution in Aylesbury, England. Under the Incentives and Earned Privilege Scheme, prisoners in the U.K. can earn extra privileges for good behaviour such as wearing their own clothes, having televisions in their cells, and having more free time to socialise. They are often housed together in their own wing. There are three levels of earned privileges - Basic, Standard and Enhanced.
16/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A female prison officer checks on a prisoner through the door window before entering the cell. Beaufort House, a skill development unit for enhanced prisoners. Part of HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.Dorset, England.
17/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner ironing his t-shirt the the corridor ready for a family visit. Beaufort House, a skill development unit for enhanced prisoners. Part of HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners. Dorset, England.
18/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A new prisoner arrives on E wing, the induction wing of HMP Wandsworth. London, United Kingdom. Wandsworth is the largest prison in the UK, currently able to hold 1665 prisoners. The prison was built in 1851 and is still one of the largest prisons in Western Europe.
19/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A view of Nelson block from Cell number 3's window, from the 4th floor on Benbow wing inside HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners. Dorset, England.
20/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
An inmate chooses a book from the prison library. HMP Wandsworth, London, United Kingdom.
21/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Prisoners get 2 sessions working out in the gym a week. HMP/YOI Portland, Dorset. A resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners. Portland, Dorset, England.
22/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Essential supplies laid out ready to give to the new arrivals into Collingwood wing, the induction unit inside HMP/YOI Portland. New prisoners are issued with: plastic cutlery, plastic mug, plastic bowl and plastic plate, tooth brush, cleaning cloth, toothpaste, deodorant and shower gel. HMP/YOI Portland is a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.
23/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner wearing a listener t-shirt looks out of a cell window. HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners. Dorset, England.
24/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Inmates using the running machines in the prisoners health suite. HM Prison Send is a Closed Category women's prison, located in the village of Send (near Woking), in Surrey, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Send is a closed prison for adult females. In addition it also houses a 20 bed Addictive Treatment Unit, an 80 bed Resettlement Unit and a 40 bed Therapeutic Community. HMP Sends Education Department runs Key Skills courses and NVQs in Business Administration. The Farms and Gardens department offers Floristry NVQs, and the Works Department run an industrial workshop and painting party. Prisoners held in the Resettlement Unit can also do voluntary work, attend College courses and Work Placements in the outside community.
25/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prison guard and prisoner tending to the bee hives in the grounds of HMP Kingston, Portsmouth, England. For safety they must wear full protective clothing and netting over their heads. Kingston prison is a category C prison holding indeterminate sentenced prisoners.
26/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner using a washing machine on Beaufort House, a skill development unit for enhanced prisoners. Part of HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.Dorset, England.
27/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A Prisoner sits with his partner and their daughter, in the visitors centre at HMP Wandsworth in South West London, England. Families can visit prisoners every Monday afternoon from 13.30 - 16.30. There are no visits on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or Good Friday. The number and duration of visits depends on the prisoner's privilege level, which he earns by his behaviour.
28/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
The perimeter fence. HM Prison Send is a Closed Category women's prison, located in the village of Send (near Woking), in Surrey, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Send is a closed prison for adult females. In addition it also houses a 20 bed Addictive Treatment Unit, an 80 bed Resettlement Unit and a 40 bed Therapeutic Community. HMP Sends Education Department runs Key Skills courses and NVQs in Business Administration. The Farms and Gardens department offers Floristry NVQs, and the Works Department run an industrial workshop and painting party. Prisoners held in the Resettlement Unit can also do voluntary work, attend College courses and Work Placements in the outside community.
29/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
An elderly Irish prisoner's legs are scarred from being 'knee capped', a form of malicious wounding, often as criminal punishment or torture, in which the victim is injured in the knee. HMP Kingston, Portsmouth, England. Kingston prison is a category C prison holding indeterminate sentenced prisoners.
30/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
Prison staff on the first night wing at HMP Holloway, the main womens prison in London. HM Prison Holloway (sometimes known as Holloway Castle) is a closed category prison for adult women and Young Offenders, located in the Holloway area of the London Borough of Islington, in north and Inner London, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Holloway Prison holds female adults and young offenders remanded or sentenced by the local courts. Holloway prison offers both full-time and part-time education to inmates, with courses including skills training workshops, British Industrial Cleaning Science BICS, gardens and painting. There is a family-friendly visitor centre at Holloway, run by the Prison Advice & Care Trust (pact), an independent charity.
31/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A view through the door of a first night 4 person dorm at HMP Holloway, the main womens prison in London, England. HM Prison Holloway (sometimes known as Holloway Castle) is a closed category prison for adult women and Young Offenders, located in the Holloway area of the London Borough of Islington, in north and Inner London, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Holloway Prison holds female adults and young offenders remanded or sentenced by the local courts. Holloway prison offers both full-time and part-time education to inmates, with courses including skills training workshops, British Industrial Cleaning Science BICS, gardens and painting. There is a family-friendly visitor centre at Holloway, run by the Prison Advice & Care Trust (pact), an independent charity.
32/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
An elderly prisoner watches TV in his cell at Wandsworth prison. HMP Wandsworth in South West London was built in 1851 and is one of the largest prisons in Western Europe. It has a capacity of 1456 prisoners.
33/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A prisoner on a building course builds a brick wall inside the building workshop at Wandsworth prison. HMP Wandsworth in South West London, England was built in 1851 and is one of the largest prisons in Western Europe. It has a capacity of 1456 prisoners.
34/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
CD recycling workshop. Each prisoner makes 97 pence per 600 CD's recycled. HMP & YOI Littlehey. Littlehey is a purpose build category C prison.
35/35 SLIDES © Andrew Aitchison/Corbis via Getty Images
A wing cleaner wipes down the door frame of Beaufort House, a skill development unit for enhanced prisoners. Part of HMP/YOI Portland, a resettlement prison with a capacity for 530 prisoners.Dorset, United Kingdom.
image beaconimage beaconimage beacon