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UK Local prison operated by HM Prison & Probation Service. Listed in the GOV.UK Find a prison directory.
Capacity
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Current population
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Year opened
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Operational
Figures from official sources · verified 6 Jul 2026 · methodology
Operator
HM Prison & Probation ServicePopulation held
male
Opened
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Region
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Security level
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Death-row facility
No
challenges, including persistent overcrowding and a high turnover of prisoners, leaders and staff working hard to maintain and deliver a well-ordered and Inspectors were impressed by the appointment of a former drug user as the drug and alcohol recovery specialist, the development of a safer custody centre needs of its new population, including support for remanded and recalled functions and external agencies. Visible leadership and the introduction of past, been highly critical of the outcomes we have observed there. It is pleasing encouraging. Doncaster was now a much safer prison and remained ‘reasonably good’ in the area of respect. — UK IMB Annual Report (2024) — Safety: 4.1 Reception and Induction Reception at Doncaster is an incredibly busy area and its effectiveness can impact the prisoner’s experience of the establishment during the first few days/weeks. The increase in the movement of prisoners, due to changes in government policy (regarding releases), has had an impact on reception. Up to a third of arrivals at reception are from out of the area, mostly [...] Respect: 5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The Board is still concerned that the prison remains overcrowded, and too many people are accommodated in cells designed for one person. The Board accepts that the prison tries to make the very best of this situation, even though this is beyond the prison’s control. The showers have been refurbished and look brighter and appear easier to keep clean. There are [...] Purposeful activity: Education in the prison is delivered by Novus under the PEF (Prison Education Framework). The model of education and work focuses on assessment, engagement and employability skills and is based on five core principles of teamwork, communication, self-management, problem solving and presentation. The education, skills and work curriculum was designed to complement prison work and focus on [...] Preparation for release: From the Boards observations the offender management unit (OMU) has worked hard over the past 12 months to respond to the ever-changing population, implementing strategies and interventions to meet the demands these changes create. The above pie chart shows that, at the end of the reporting year, 54% of the prison population remain unsentenced. Due to ongoing court delays, these individuals often [...]
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Format: Prisoner Name & Number, HMP Doncaster. Use Send Money to a Prisoner (GOV.UK) for funds — cash not accepted.
is a busy category B reception and resettlement prison, accommodating both with over 5,500 admissions in the past year and about 200 releases each leaders and staff working hard to maintain and deliver a well-ordered and important improvements, including fostering good joint working between Doncaster prison is a category B Reception and Resettlement Prison in South
Inspectors were impressed by the appointment of a former drug user as the drug and alcohol recovery specialist, the development of a safer custody centre
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
What the score is responding to:
This facility scores 19. The national average across 584 scored United Kingdom facilities is 4 — 15 points above national average.
Same country, matched on type + security level where possible.
Managed and operated by the private company, Serco, HMP & YOI Doncaster is a busy category B reception and resettlement prison, accommodating both young adults and men. The prison continued to face significant operational challenges, including persistent overcrowding and a high turnover of prisoners, with over 5,500 admissions in the past year and about 200 releases each month. Nonetheless, it had demonstrated resilience and adaptability, with leaders and staff working hard to maintain and deliver a well-ordered and reasonably respectful institution. Inspectors were impressed by the appointment of a former drug user as the drug and alcohol recovery specialist, the development of a safer custody centre for vulnerable prisoners, and the creative opportunities for fathers to connect with their children. The commitment to adapting services to meet the changing needs of its new population, including support for remanded and recalled prisoners, was also commendable. The director and senior team had maintained continuity and driven some important improvements, including fostering good joint working between functions and external agencies. Visible leadership and the introduction of additional middle managers had helped to improve accountability, and standards of decency and cleanliness across the prison.
4.1 Reception and Induction Reception at Doncaster is an incredibly busy area and its effectiveness can impact the prisoner’s experience of the establishment during the first few days/weeks. The increase in the movement of prisoners, due to changes in government policy (regarding releases), has had an impact on reception. Up to a third of arrivals at reception are from out of the area, mostly from the northeast. On average, reception processes over 100 prisoners a week and they are usually located to a houseblock within two to three hours. The prison also has two dedicated induction wings. Despite the busy nature of this department, the Board has noted that staff tend to show a high level of respect and care for the men. This initial stage of the prisoner’s journey appears, from the Board’s monitoring, to be handled with respect, transparency and humanity. The IMB has monitored prisoners in reception, where they are treated with decency, and their safety and wellbeing are considered. The reception area is a clean, tidy and welcoming environment, with lots of information. Staff in reception have been observed to have a professional attitude and appear calm, and their communication with prisoners is good. Members have observed checks and assessments, and reception staff are very helpful in showing us the process. This includes the use of the body scanner. Healthcare sees each prisoner to assess risks and health needs. Time taken in reception by healthcare to assess prisoners [...]
Education in the prison is delivered by Novus under the PEF (Prison Education Framework). The model of education and work focuses on assessment, engagement and employability skills and is based on five core principles of teamwork, communication, self-management, problem solving and presentation. The education, skills and work curriculum was designed to complement prison work and focus on upskilling – thereby preparing the prisoner to adopt a ‘can-do culture’ to support and improve the chances of a successful rehabilitation. All prisoners are assessed during their induction period. They are given a booklet explaining their options and a personal learning plan (PLP) is created. These are conducted as part of the information, advice and guidance (IAG) induction process and allocated to appropriate courses. Prisoners with special educational needs or disabilities are identified, and appropriate help and support are provided. A dedicated ‘learning journey’ visually illustrates progression, and posters throughout the prison clearly signpost this pathway, along with entry requirements and job opportunities. Classrooms are bright, spacious and well-equipped, providing a supportive environment for learning. They offer a wide range of education and training opportunities, including functional skills, catering and hospitality, and essential life skills-from Entry Level 3 up to Level 2. There is also the opportunity for prisoners to enrol on Open University courses. There is an [...]
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The Board is still concerned that the prison remains overcrowded, and too many people are accommodated in cells designed for one person. The Board accepts that the prison tries to make the very best of this situation, even though this is beyond the prison’s control. The showers have been refurbished and look brighter and appear easier to keep clean. There are still some issues with flies and the ventilation system. All houseblocks have a shower that is accessible for prisoners with an additional need or a disability. All cells have a working call system. The Board is still concerned by the number of cell bells that, once activated, are not responded to within the five-minute requirement. Indeed, during our monitoring, we have frequently witnessed cell bells being ignored by staff for up to 20 minutes. Our prisoner survey showed that 85% of prisoners who responded indicated that cell bells are either not answered at all or “not very often’. The prison is, however, working hard to understand why activations are so high, as reducing these should improve response times. Phone calls and the cost to prisoners have been recurring issues during the reporting period. HMP Doncaster charges more per call than similar prisons in the public sector. The Board is pleased to say that this has been addressed by Serco and calls are now charged on a par with the public sector. Our survey reveals that mattresses are an issue for prisoners. Of the 539 who [...]
From the Boards observations the offender management unit (OMU) has worked hard over the past 12 months to respond to the ever-changing population, implementing strategies and interventions to meet the demands these changes create. The above pie chart shows that, at the end of the reporting year, 54% of the prison population remain unsentenced. Due to ongoing court delays, these individuals often serve longer than sentenced prisoners, who have the added support of a prison offender manager. There is also a significant rise in recall prisoners returning to custody, particularly those on 14-day recall, which presents difficulties due to the short timeframe in preparing them for release. The OMU works alongside the psychology team to identify reasons why they have been recalled, the barriers they face and how they can contribute to the wider prison. Recalls currently make up 10% of the prison’s population and, on average, the prison receives 100 per month. 7.3.1 Indeterminate sentences for IPP prisoners It is acknowledged that HMP Doncaster is not the right environment for prisoners on IPP (imprisonment for public protection) sentences. However, the Board has seen evidence of the work staff at the prison put into the planning and support for prisoners on IPP sentences. During the reporting year, there have been between nine and 13 IPP prisoners at any one time. Monthly multi-disciplinary meetings are held to review prisoners serving IPP sentences. These meetings are attended by [...]
Doncaster prison is a category B Reception and Resettlement Prison in South Yorkshire. At the time of our inspection the prison held just over 1,100 men and young adults, a third of whom were on remand. A busy and complex prison, the establishment was receiving in excess of 250 new prisoners every month, held about 165 foreign nationals and provided separate accommodation for over 170 men convicted of sexual offences. Opening in 1994, the prison had been privately run since 2005 under a contract delivered by the company SERCO. Doncaster prison is a challenging institution, and the Inspectorate has, in the past, been highly critical of the outcomes we have observed there. It is pleasing therefore to report that, overall, the findings of this inspection are very encouraging. Doncaster was now a much safer prison and remained ‘reasonably good’ in the area of respect. Outcomes in our healthy prison test for
Full inspection of HMP & YOI Doncaster (2019-09-09)
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World Prisons. (2026). HMP Doncaster. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-doncaster
"HMP Doncaster." World Prisons. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-doncaster.
@misc{worldprisons-hmp-doncaster,
author = {{World Prisons}},
title = {HMP Doncaster},
year = {2026},
url = {https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-doncaster},
urldate = {2026-07-21}
}