Grampian

Grampian was opened on 3^rd March 2014 and is the first purpose-built community facing prison within Scotland, capable of housing over 500 individuals, both male and female adults from the North of Scotland Community Justice Authority.

History -
On 4 June 2008, it was announced that HMP Aberdeen and HMP Peterhead were to close and one new prison would be built on part of the old Peterhead site, to be known as HMP & YOI Grampian.

HMP Aberdeen 1890 to 2014 known locally known as Craiginches, was sited in the Torry area of Aberdeen, on the banks of the River Dee and was designed to hold 155 offenders.

HMP Peterhead 1888 to 2013 was designed to hold 208 prisoners and to be Scotland’s only convict prison. In 1911 occupancy averaged at around 350, until peaking at 455. Additional buildings were completed in 1909, 1960 and 1962, bringing the capacity of to 362. Peterhead supplied the labour force to work in Stirlinghill Quarry and the Admiralty Yard. The convicts supported the work of a civilian labour force employed by the Admiralgy to construct the Harbour of Refuge breakwater. At the time of closure in 2013 it had capacity for 142 prisoners. 

Clearance of the site began in February 2012, to prepare land for the building of the new HMP & YOI Grampian.

Main switch board   01779 485 600

Agents visits booking line -   01779 485 679

Family Contact Officer   01779 485 680 or 01779 485 938

ICM Co-ordinator   01779 485 770 (Integrated Case Management)

Monday to Friday 09:00 – 15:30 (closed for lunch 12:00 to 13:00) 

Virtual Visits            Virtual visits are booked through EmailaPrisoner.com

The Family centre and Help Hub is now open, and contact numbers are 01779 485829/485840. Opening hours are are limited at present, services are usually available between 09:00 and 15:00.

Please be advised that bookings can be made a week in advance.

If sending a letter to an offender, put their name, prison number and location, followed by the postal address.

e.g.      123456 S Smith
            Ellon 3A15
            HMP & YOI Grampian
            South Road 
            Peterhead
            AB42 2YY

Solicitors

If you are writing to your client, the Scottish Prison Service considers that it is necessary that you adopt the “double envelope” process as recommended by the Law Society. It is the experience of the Scottish Prison Service that adopting this process ensures that your client receives his or her correspondence unopened and assists in mitigating the abuse of the right to receive such correspondence in this way. If you require further information you can contact us as follows:

e-mail: gaolinfo@prisons.gov.scot

tel: 0131 330 3500

·      From the A90, take the 4th exit on the McDonalds roundabout.
·      Almost immediately, take the first left, signposted HMP & YOI Grampian              Visitors.
·      As you drive up South Road, you will see the prison to your right and the                entrance to the visitors parking.

·      From the A982, take the 1^st exit on the McDonalds roundabout.
·      Almost immediately, take the first left, signposted HMP & YOI Grampian              Visitors.
·      As you drive up South Road, you will see the prison to your right and the                entrance to the visitors parking.

·      From the A90, take the 2nd exit on the McDonalds roundabout.
·      Almost immediately, take the first left, signposted HMP & YOI Grampian              Visitors.
·      As you drive up South Road, you will see the prison to your right and the                entrance to the visitors parking.

Stagecoach run regular services from the City of Aberdeen via the Nos 61 and 63 to and from HMP & YOI Grampian, stopping at a bus stop immediately outside of the prison.

There is no rail service to the town of Peterhead. The nearest station is Aberdeen which is directly linked to the bus station. 

·  

HMP YOI Grampian Visitor and Prisoner Information Leaflet

Visits can be booked a minimum of 48hrs in advance and up to 30 days prior.

Family Centre and Help Hub

• The Family Centre and Help Hub is now open, and contact numbers are 01779 485829/485840. 
• Opening hours are are limited at present, services are usually available between 09:00 and 15:00.
• Please note children’s visits are being gradually introduced through Grampian Family Contact Officers.

Family Contact Officers (FCOs)

The establishment's Family Contact Officers can be reached by phone on 01779 485680 or 01779 485938.

Physical Visits

All visitors over the age of 16 years will be required to provide photographic identification and documentary evidence supporting proof of name and address on each visit. 

The following examples are accepted as suitable for photographic ID purposes:

·       Valid Passport

·       Valid Photographic Driving License

·       Citizen/Validate UK Card  - Apply for a UK ID card Online - CitizenCard

·       National Entitlement Card

·       Government Issued ID Card

·       Young Scot Card

The following examples shall be accepted as suitable for proof of address:

·       Utility bill (within the last 3mths)

·       Council tax bill

·       Benefit book

·       Bank statement

·       Other letter from official source (Government Dept.)

·       Entry to the prison will not be permitted without acceptable identification.

Face masks are available, although they are not compulsory.

Vending machines can be accessed during the visit within the visits room. 

Help with the cost of prison visits is available here: Get help with the cost of prison visits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Virtual Visits

For virtual visits see https://www.emailaprisoner.com/account/register and register your account. 48 hours' notice is required for virtual visits.

·       You must be over 16 years old to register.

·       You must be on the Prisoners approved visit list with the correct address and identification.

·       On completion you will receive a confirmation message including your name, date and time of the virtual visit. Please confirm at earliest opportunity as this visit may be reallocated if not confirmed.

·       Before your virtual visit starts you will be instructed to read and agree to the Terms and Conditions and click ‘join’ to access the virtual visit, which will then start automatically at the scheduled time.

·       If you do not accept the Terms and Conditions of use, the virtual visit will not take place

Booking a Visit

All visits are booked by the visitors, through the dedicated visits booking line, with the exception of Exceptional visits. 48 hours’ notice is required for all in-person visits, but they can be booked up to 30 days in advance.

The visits booking line number is 01779 485640. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please phone the visits booking line and we can then advise the individual to avoid any undue concern. The visit line is staffed Monday to Friday 09:00 – 15:30 (closed for lunch 12:00 to 13:00).

Agents visits can be arranged on 01779 485679. The line is open between 08:30 - 11:30 and 13:30 - 16:30, Monday to Friday. You are encouraged to book in advance. Agents and Advocates are required to carry and show their Law Society of Scotland/ Advocate Faculty ID Cards. 

Legal Visits by Video Link

Click here for information on the Scottish Legal Aid Board web site for solicitors looking to register for and use video link technology to conduct meetings with their clients in custody.

Visits Available

At Grampian we seek to maximise the opportunities for offenders to engage with friends and families at visits and offer a range of additional visits including:

Children’s visits – PLEASE NOTE CHILDREN’S VISITS ARE CURRENTLY BEING REINTRODUCED THROUGH OUR FCO’S . The focus of these visits is on the engagement and interaction with the children, up to the age of 16, for whom the Person in Our Care has Parental Responsibility. There are additional standards of conduct and behaviour expected from all those in attendance at these visits. 

Exceptional visits – These are arranged through and by a Family Contact Officer.  

On arrival at Grampian for a visit:

You are required to arrive at the establishment a minimum of 30 minutes before the commencement of your visit, this will allow you to enjoy the full visit time.  If you arrive after this time, you may be refused entry or a reduced visit period. Currently there is no facility to move to a later session. If you are unable to attend on time, please call 01779 485600 and ask for the FCO who will advise on options.

As you enter the prison you will be greeted by staff at the vestibule. You will be asked for your name and who you are visiting. Staff will direct you to place the items that are not permitted within the prison, into the lockers provided. From there you will be asked to walk through a metal detector, whilst any items that you are carrying are passed through a scanning device. Please note, No Mobile Phones, Wireless Devices, Smart Watches or Fitness Bands are allowed.

If the metal detector indicates positively, staff will guide you through the necessary process, which may entail a search with a hand held metal detector and a rub down search. You will then be escorted to the Search Area where a Rub Down Search, similar to that in an Airport will take place. 

You will then be asked to take a seat in the visit room, where vending machine facilities are available. You may take in up to £10 in loose coins and a contactless Bank Card. Sharing of food and drinks is prohibited.

For those visiting with babies and toddlers, only bottles and bibs are permitted to be taken into the visit room.

The SPS Dog Unit operate within the establishment. The dogs are highly trained and well behaved, but if their presence causes you alarm, please discuss this with the Family Contact Officer Staff will be as unobtrusive as possible within the visit area; they will however remain vigilant at all times and be supported by CCTV within the area.

We have a team of family contact officers; one of them will be available to you at all visit sessions.

Posting in Property
You can only post in property approved by the pro forma once per month. Remember to put prisoner’s name and number on the parcel as well as prison’s address. Items not on the pro forma will not be issued to the prisoner, and will be sent back to the posting address at prisoner’s expense. Due to the current climate, you are unable to hand in the property in person.

Handing in/out Money
Please note limitations are currently in place regarding the receipt of property and cash payments. For more information, please see our Covid-19 Information Hub.

Transferring money

The safest and most cost efficient way of transferring the money to a prisoner is over online banking. You can do that by typing in your online browser: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Information/ReferenceGenerator.aspx

•            Enter prisoner’s number and press confirm.

•            Enter prisoner’s date of birth from the calendar picker.

•            When you click confirm, your new reference number will be shown

•            Use your reference number as the payee reference in online banking.

Account Name:  Scottish Prison Service Prisoner Funds Central

Account No.:      21170685

Sort Code:          83-06-08

Alternatively, if you’re unable to use online banking, you can at your own risk and expense send money over by post. We’d recommend using recorded/special delivery method, and including your details at the back of the letter.