HM Prison & Probation Service

Worked on the wings for several months.
Zero flexibility with your shifts. New starters are thrown Straight into it. With unforgiving colleagues. 
It is stressful, nobody really explains how things are done, you just have to mess up to find out.
The older prison staff are on 1/3 more wages than the new starters which is s bit demotivating, especially as they like to give you the bad jobs and snap up all the decent leave allotment.
Its depressing and you feel like your there all the time, which you pretty much are. You start on a low wage which steadily increases, but takes years to get onto ok money.


Don,t work at Lowdham grange - lots of disgruntled staff, pay not good for operational staff who have a lot to contend with ! Wondered how management were chosen as a lot of them do not possess the necessary management skills -promoted in my opinion as to who they are and not what they are and what skills they possess.  No opportunity for promotion especially for administrators and no pay increments for years served with new starters being placed on the same wage as those with extended service.

always relaxed. Learned that everyone isn't loyal to they're job. which is sad looking in as a summer student.

management was very outstanding and always on time with duties. 
everyone got along at some point in time. but no disrespect was giving when not having to get along.

 hardest part of that job was, having to watch your back. let keep in mind this is a prison. and the best part for me was knocking off.

Learned new information regarding laws, bail breaches, compiling legal documents.  I enjoyed attending court, but the hardest part was sometimes hearing about really bad people and why they were on probation.  Management was exceptional and always looking to help staff further their education and experiences

The job is not hard it’s the management making it hard and yes if face fits you are left alone, they act people up in roles they have no experience or training in once they get there stripes they change. Staff corruption , poor pay for the red hours and long night shifts  stay away from styal if you want a career in the prison service .

This would be a great place to work if staffing levels were appropriate. Due to understaffing and those working going on leave due to burn out you are left with a lump sum of work. Often taking on cases from those on leave, and  realising nothing has been done - you're then expected to clean up the case with the pressure on you if something was not done (i.e. client has not been seen for a while)

working at the prison I've learned to always watch my surroundings no matter what. 

also I've learned that you must treat others with respect at all times, because you dont know them and what they're capable of doing.

basically working this job for the pass few summers is where i gain myself-discipline

Rewarding job but with caseloads of 50-70 high risk cases there was not much time per week  to make enough of a difference with each service user. I thoroughly enjoyed helping young people in particular before they commit to a life of crime.

Management cannot manage !! you will have continuous abuse from prisoners and management. Continuously short staffed as they cannot manage to arrange the daily detail, Supervising officer plus 3 staff for 130 prisoners !!! STAY AWAY 

Interesting job but the environment is toxic. Lots of constant negativity and gossiping. As for the job itself, it is a lot of paperwork but overall it wasnt too bad. For me it was mainly the toxic work culture that made me never want to return. 

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