How do you get in a CAT D Prison?
Open Prison,
Which is a CAT D Prison is like the heaven of prisons compared to closed conditions that you will find in Cat A, Cat B and even better than a CAT C Prison.
You can access ROTL which is release on temp licence from a CAT D Prison, Get access to work, hardly any bang up (locked cell doors) and is a much better prison to be in to serve a custodial sentence.
When you originally arrive to prison you are intially categorised based on length of time and severity of crime. THe OMU team will decide which Category to base you on.
Category B or C prisoners serving over 12 months but less than 4 years must have their security category reviewed every 6 months.
Category A prisoners are reviewed first by a Local Advisory Panel in the prison and then by the Cat A Team or Deputy Director of Custody High Security. Review procedure is set out in PSI 8/2013.
So How do you get to a CAT D Status?
To be enabled a CAT D status and ready for open prison there are a lot of factors that the OMU take into consideration.
This includes how youve behaved since being in prison, police intelligence reports, security information, domestic and healthcare needs.
POCA, Serious organised crime and denial of guilt can also come into play whether you are able to get a CAT D Status.
The purpose of a recat is to see if and to what level, things have changed to a prisoners risk and if there is significant change since the last review to warrant a decrease in the the level of categorisation.
Tips to get to a CAT D quicker
Being classed as ‘Trustworth and Well Behaved’ helps. Having no bad marks on your Nomis (Prison Report), No Outstanding POCA, Use the ‘Maintaining Family Ties’ as a reason to want to progress asap to CAT D Status! Try and get as many ‘positives’ noted on your NOMIS as possible.
So How do you get to a CAT D Status?
To be enabled a CAT D status and ready for open prison there are a lot of factors that the OMU take into consideration.
This includes how youve behaved since being in prison, police intelligence reports, security information, domestic and healthcare needs.
POCA, Serious organised crime and denial of guilt can also come into play whether you are able to get a CAT D Status.
The purpose of a recat is to see if and to what level, things have changed to a prisoners risk and if there is significant change since the last review to warrant a decrease in the the level of categorisation.
A lot of prisons will make you believe that you will never be considered CAT D or for open conditions if you have more than 2 years left to serve on your sentence. There is no reason if your risk is low, trustworthy prisoner and well behaved why you should not be granted CAT D status and progress to open prison.
If you are coming up for review, I would suggest to write a letter direct to the governor and/or OMU and set out exactly why you feel you should be eligible for a CAT D status. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Any supporting information that you can include such as jobs that you have done, qualifications gained (send copies with the letter) and anything you do within the prison to help out shows your character.
Remember, all they have to go off is data that has been recorded about you such as reports from officers, automatically generated statistics on how likely you are to reoffend so any supporting documents or evidence you can provide can only strengthen your case.
Dont ask you dont get!
The staff don’t realise that the positives help you so don’t really bother using NOMIS unless its to report you for bad behaviour, they are also quite lazy and cant be bothered most of the time so a kind nudge and reminder to put positives on really helps. Even a handful by the time the review comes round.
Whats the Purpose Of CAT D Prison?
The purpose of a CAT D prison is to prepare a prisoner ready for release back into the community. This could be towards the end of a lengthy sentence for some prisoners and times have changed since they were the other side of the prison walls.
Its meant to be a time where prisoners secure a place to stay, employment and get ready to be reintegrated back into society.
Statistics show prisoners who have spent time at a Category D prison are less likely to go on to reoffend. Category D Prison spaces are limited so count yourself lucky when you eventually make it to an open prison. The difference between closed and open prison is like night and day although it can take some getting used to having a huge amount of freedom back yet still being incarcerated.