Guides
Plain English
Short notes for the first weeks. Not a forum.
2 min
When do they get out?
40% today for most ordinary SDS. 33% from 1 October 2026, unless the offence is excluded. One card to share.
6 min
Someone has just gone to prison
The first 72 hours are chaotic. This is the short version of what actually happens next.
5 min
First night in prison
What reception, first-night phone calls, and induction usually look like — without the folklore.
5 min
Getting on the phone list
PIN, numbers, security checks, and why “they should have called by now” is often the wrong clock.
6 min
How visits actually work
Visitor lists, booking windows, ID, dress codes, and what to expect when you arrive.
4 min
Sending money without the panic
The only official way to send money, what it pays for, and how long families say it takes to show.
4 min
What you can send in
Books, clothes, and why a well-meaning parcel is the fastest way to get something returned.