Series 4 Factsheets
Episode 3
The Privileges
In episode 3 Maxi was doing her devious best to be moved on to 'Enhanced' and nearly managed it until the Governor himself vetoed the idea.
Enhanced is the top level of the three tier 'Incentives and Earned Privileges' scheme that operates in all prisons. Its aim is to encourage responsible behaviour and participation in hard work and other constructive activities.
Most prisoners are on the Standard level, but those who consistently show a poor attitude, fail mandatory drug tests or generally don't cooperate are placed on Basic. Those who behave particularly well, cooperate and are felt to be responsible are put on Enhanced.
There are a number of 'earnable privileges' and access to them depends which level a prisoner is on. Nationally there are six of these, though Governors can add to them. They are:
- Access to private cash - the money prisoners have brought in with them or have sent in. Prisoners on Basic are only allowed to spend a small amount of their private cash at the canteen, those on Standard a bit more, and those on Enhanced even more. This can put enormous pressure on prisoners' families or friends who have to send the cash in!
- Extra or improved visits - prisoners on Basic may just get the minimum legal entitlement of 30 minutes twice a month (for convicted prisoners), but those on Standard usually get longer visits and those on Enhanced will either be allowed longer visits still or more frequent visits. This can also put additional pressure on those outside as the Assisted Prison Visits Unit which pays the fares of those on Benefits visiting partners or close relatives only pays for two visits per month!
- Enhanced Earning Schemes - some prisons have workshops where prisoners can earn far more than the usual prison rates of pay. These are often undertaking work for outside companies. Only prisoners on the Enhanced level are usually allowed to work on these schemes.
- Earned Community Visits - again these are not available to everyone no matter how well they behave. Prisoners who are assessed as being of low risk of reoffending or absconding and are on the Enhanced level are allowed to go outside the prison with their visitors.
- Own clothes - this only applies to male prisoners who have to wear prison uniform. On the Enhanced level they may be allowed to wear some of their own clothes.
- Time out of cell - prisoners on Basic are allowed a small amount of time out of their cells to spend watching TV, talking to others etc. Those on Standard are allowed more, and those on Enhanced get the most.
Enhanced prisoners are often located together on a particular landing - as they are in Larkhall's G wing on the 3's - third floor - or unit. Some prisons access to in-cell TV as an incentive, others have more comfortable beds for Enhanced prisoners and another was allowing those on Enhanced to buy Body Shop products from the prison canteen.
Prisoners can be moved from one level to another (downwards) following an adjudication if they have broken the rules. They can be moved up or down at the discretion of Governors informed by the views of staff working with the prisoner.
For further information on the issues covered in this section, please visit The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies website.