Visiting a prisoner in Arbour Hill.

On The Run

Not sure if this is the right place to post. If not - apologies.

I am writing something at the moment and I need some background information on visiting Arbour Hill Prison.

What is the visiting area like? Are the prisoners free to circulate with the visitors or is there some restriction - glass/bars etc? Do the prisoners wear special prison clothing? If so, what is it like? Are there individual identifying marks on the clothing. Are the wardens close by? Can they hear the conversation? Are there restrictions on the time allowed for visits?

That's about it. Hope someone can help.

Tom Young

Contact the Prison Service. They aren't museums. Your post seems to indicate that it's a tourist attraction. It isn't.

On The Run

Thanks for response. Prison service won't divulge any information.

By no means do I think it a tourist attraction. I am just trying to write a scene where someone goes to visit a prisoner in Arbour Hill and I'm trying to paint it as realistically as possible.

krd

Tom Young wrote: »

Contact the Prison Service. They aren't museums.


Your post seems to indicate that it's a tourist attraction. It isn't.

Sounds like a red hot entrepreneurial idea though.

On The Run

Not for me. I just want it to be real - that's all. I don't want to be insensitive to anybody.

Tom Young

Ah God. Write to the Governor of the jail.

On The Run

Thanks Tom. As I said earlier, I can get no information from either the prison itself or the Prison Service.

I just though there might be someone on here who had visited somebody in there and could fill in the blanks for me. That's all. Thanks anyway.

krd

On The Run wrote: »

Not for me. I just want it to be real - that's all. I don't want to be insensitive to anybody.

What are you writing?

They have a phone number and you can call them up.

It's a low security prison and it's mostly youth offenders - I think a lot of them are allowed out for day release work experience. I think they have a some remand prisoners up there as well. And I think they had some sex offenders. They don't let the teenagers and sex offenders mix.

It's nothing like the Joy. The youth prisoners, in Wheatfield are all given their own rooms, and a door they can lock. The Joy is more like something out of the 19th century - the Joy is something out of the 19th century.

To visit a prisoner there I think you have to be on list to see the prisoner.

ResearchWill

The Joy used to do tours, well a few years back they did anyway. If they still do then change location to the Joy and research there.

Ken.

I'm sure you already have but if not have a read of this. prison visits
On the left look at the sub headings.

On The Run

Hi Ken - thanks. Saw that but it is too short on specifics. And Will - no sorry - it has to be Arbour Hill. Thanks.

jhegarty

Just don't pay your TV license and you will find out very quickly :-)

Reloc8

The people accessible through these details are likely to be willing to talk to you generally about prison visits and may be able to put you in touch with other people who have direct experience of personal visits to prisons including arbour hill. http://www.pfi.ie/about-us/family-support-groups.html.

There's also quite a bit of info on that website some of which directly relates to arbour hill.

On The Run

Thank you for that.