Haverigg Prison is built on the site of an old RAF airfield training centre, and was opened in 1967. While some of the prison's workshops and offices are housed in buildings from that era, most of HMP Haverigg has been extensively modernised over the years. In January 1999 HMP Haverigg was awarded a prestigious Charter Mark, with particular attention paid to the "excellent service" of the prison's Physical Education department and the Library. However just a month later nearly 200 prisoners were involved in a riot at HMP Haverigg. The inmates smashed windows and started fires, costing £1 million worth of damage at the prison. In June 2003 the Independent Monitoring Board issued a report stating that cost-cutting measures taken at HMP Haverigg had caused serious problems for staff and prisoners. The report also stated that the board had concerns about particular prisoners, claiming that not all inmates did well with the billet style accommodation and relative freedom at the jail. However the report did also praise HMP Haverigg for its rehabilitation techniques with prisoners. In August 2005 a prisoner escaped while working in a supervised group of inmates at Roudsea nature reserve in Haverthwaite. The prisoner was recaptured by policethree days later. Weeks later another prisoner escaped from HMP Haverigg by scaling the prison fence. The inmate who had been jailed for drugs offences was still on the run a month after his escape.
The prison today
Haverigg Prison accepts inmates suitable for Category C + D status who are able to participate in full-time employment. Accommodation for prisoners varies from a cellular house-block to billets and two RTUs. All prisoners take part in full-time employment and/or training. Workshops include timbermanufacturing, construction, plastering, industrial cleaning, and horticulture. Haverigg Prison's gym also provides training related gym courses and qualifications as well as recreational PE, and was the first to organise an official prison . Haverigg Prison has a traditional library facility which also includes IT suites and training facilities, self-help and employment advice. Haverigg Prison's chaplaincy, Healthcare Centre, Probation and Education departments all offer additional courses and one-to-one sessions for prisoners with a variety of individual needs. There is a visitors' reception centre outside the prison and a visits hall within the Prison. The visits hall has a tea bar which provides hot and cold food and drinks, and also a small children's play area. The tea bar and play area are staffed by local volunteers.
