Wellingborough's new £253m 'super prison' HMP Five Wells has been officially opened, heralding a new approach to rehabilitation of offenders.
February saw the first hand-picked inmates - known as 'residents' - moved from other jails to set the ethos for the rest of the prisoners - there are currently 137 inmates and 343 staff.
The resettlement prison will provide the blueprint for future establishments with an emphasis on training using 24 workshops, rehabilitation, and maintaining and building family ties.
At full capacity the prison will house 1,680 male category C offenders, most in single occupancy rooms, and employ up to 700 people - and the person in charge is director (governor) John McLaughlin.
He said: "It's about rehabilitation and resettlement. There's loads and loads of good work going on. We are trying to harness all these ideas. The end game is the world of work, giving them good habits."
Some of the men are serious offenders nearing the ends of their sentences and the prison facilities provide the inmates with ways to improve literacy, learn new skills.
'Residents' can earn more privileges - such using the gym facilities - by engaging with the programmes of rehabilitation.
Inmates with 'super enhanced' status work with the director to assist him on projects for the inmates.
Each house block houses 240 men across four floors, with 60 residents on each floor. Prisoners' cells contain a bed, chair, desk, tv, drawers, pin board, and a shower, toilet, sink.
Every inmate has a smart tablet that acts as their phone, texting, education, banking well-being and shopping portal. Meals can be ordered on a weekly basis. Shopping for items such as birthday cards and presents can be ordered via the online store, paid for with wages earned in the workshops, or topped-up by family members.
Visitors pass through an x-ray scanner as well as 'pat-down' searches to prevent contraband items being stashed and passed on to residents.
Residents nearing the ends of their sentences will be employed in the community in jobs across North Northamptonshire on day release using skills learnt in the workshops and seven classrooms on site.
The resettlement prison will provide the blueprint for future establishments with an emphasis on training using 24 workshops, rehabilitation, and maintaining and building family ties.
5. HMP Five Wells, Wellingborough
Each cell has a sink, toilet and shower operated by wall switches and buttons
6. HMP Five Wells, Wellingborough
Bella the pat dog is one of six pooches that work in the prison l-r Charlotte Baynes (children and family relationships manager), Bella, Gemma Westley (family support worker) actively encourage the men to build family ties
7. HMP Five Wells, Wellingborough
At full capacity the prison will house 1,680 male category C offenders, most in single occupancy rooms, and employ up to 700 people
8. HMP Five Wells, Wellingborough
Bars on the accommodation blocks and windows that don't open prevent drones from delivering illegal goods over the walls