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  • Prison Category

Prison Category

A prison category is applied to each prisoner and determines how their sentence is served.

The prison category affects:

  • The type of prison in which the person will be placed.
  • Options for offending behaviour programmes, which help limit the chances of reoffending.
  • Likelihood of release on temporary licence.
  • Chances of parole and prisoner resettlement.

How we help with prison category issues

Noble Solicitors work hard to ensure that our clients have been correctly categorised. As a prisoner progresses through the system, we also seek to improve their circumstances by achieving the fairest category we possibly can.

To discuss how we could help with your situation and obtain a quotation, please contact us on 01582 544370.

Category A prisoners

Category A is the highest prison category and the most stringent. Prisoners in this category are in most need of legal advice and it is important that they receive adequate support.

Prisoners in this category face the following issues:

  • Frequent moves – The prison will carry out escape risk assessments, which can result in being moved to different locations more often than other prisoners.
  • Restrictions on visits – Another common result of escape risk assessment is the limitation of a prisoner’s visitation rights.
  • Restrictions on offending behaviour courses – Often, fewer programmes are available to category A prisoners. This can affect a prisoner’s chances of being recategorised, as their risk factor is often based on the number of courses completed.

All these issues can have long-term effects on prisoner resettlement in society, as well as being difficult to cope with while serving a sentence.

Get funding for us to help you

If you'd like help to pay for our services, you can apply for legal aid* on a means-tested basis. Please call us on 01582 544370 to find out more.

*Please note that this is different to the kind of legal aid applied to criminal matters going before the Courts.

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Areas of Legal Expertise

  • Prison Discipline
  • Prison Category
  • Parole
  • Release on Temporary Licence
  • Home Detention Curfew
  • Judicial Review
  • Licence Condition/Review
  • Prison Complaints Procedure

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always protecting your rights