Isle of Man Prison

Isle of Man Prison is a mixed-use prison located in the Jurby parish of the Isle of Man. The prison is operated by the Isle of Man Prison Service (part of the Department of Home Affairs) and is the only functioning prison on the island.HistoryFrom 1891 the prison population of the Isle of Man was held at the Victoria Road Prison in Douglas. Although expanded many times over the course of its history, overcrowding at the prison was a recurring problem from the 1990s onwards, and the prison was often criticised for its limited and outdated facilities. In 2005 Tynwald approved the construction of a new prison on the site of the former RAF Jurby to replace the old prison in Douglas.Construction of the prison was largely carried out by local contractors from the island, though all of the cellular accommodation was constructed using pre-formed cast concrete panels, which were shipped to the island from a specialist manufacturer and transported by road to Jurby. In order that the prison might fit harmoniously into its environment, the prison grounds were landscaped, with ongoing maintenance by supervised, trusted prisoners.Construction of the new prison was due to be completed in December 2007, but because of poor weather, Christmas holidays and testing of equipment and security systems, that deadline was not met. The Isle of Man Prison Service took control of the new prison site in late January 2008, with the prison becoming fully operational on August 14. As of January 2008, construction of the £41.7m facility was the Isle of Man Government's largest capital project.