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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you live very near a prison?

143 replies

Miltonglade · 29/11/2020 20:16

Went to see a house in a lovely modern housing estate this morning. Great house for us near a bluebell wood - idyllic even - but with on flaw as far as I am concerned. Coming out of the estate across a dual carriageway is a prison with Category A male prisoners and also young offenders. We would be at the back of the estate so a few roads away but still this makes me a little uneasy what with a young family but my hubby loves the house and does not see an issue at all. AIBU?

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 29/11/2020 21:00

I grew up near a prison, and my primary school was on the opposite side of the road from it. I remember no issues at all.

HeronLanyon · 29/11/2020 21:04

I suppose if it is kind of isolated save for the new build estate then I might wonder if -
Estate will be less mixed with a lot of prison officers (no problem and like lots of places with one main employer I guess).
Parking might be difficult
Neither a problem really but those were the only thoughts I had.

Angeldust747 · 29/11/2020 21:05

We live across from a women's prison, and can see some of the buildings from one of the bedrooms. It's never bothered us, although if we ever hear a helicopter we joke about who's escaped now 🤣

SylvieSangFroid · 29/11/2020 21:08

@Newuser991

A friend of mine used to live near Broadmoor. Technically a hospital rather than a prison.

London is full of prisons. It's actually pretty hard to escape.

Yes, quite nice areas around Broadmoor! Not cheap either. I know someone who lives sort of near there and they have sirens in their town, just in case someone escapes!

I don't think it would put me off...although that town I'm thinking of isn't really even walking distance to Broadmoor, so maybe that's different.

Generally, I don't think it would bother me, but sometimes you just get a vibe from a place? Doesn't have to be a solid reason necessarily. I imagine living near prison is totally fine though? Certainly, my friend nearish Broadmoor hasn't especially noticed anything.

WheresMyMask · 29/11/2020 21:11

Yes, quite nice areas around Broadmoor! Not cheap either. I know someone who lives sort of near there and they have sirens in their town, just in case someone escapes!

They would also have practice sirens every week.
Every week I'd be feeezing my arse off wearing a tiny sports skirt, doing hockey on a frozen school field while the sirens would be going off.

And of course the non-stop sirens when someone escaped.
That happened several times when I was a kid, and the school would tell us to walk home in twos.
As if two 11 year old girls would have stood a chance against an axe murderer.

Branleuse · 29/11/2020 21:13

wouldnt bother me

CompleteBarstool · 29/11/2020 21:13

DD's uni halls were right next to prison, she never had any issues (the prisoners probably had more issues living next to students!)

SylvieSangFroid · 29/11/2020 21:14

@WheresMyMask jesus, walk home in twos??

Apparently, they've stopped the practice weekly sirens now. Friend has been there for a years now and never heard them!

SillyLittleBiscuit · 29/11/2020 21:15

I lived near Scrubs. You could sometimes hear shouting if the wind was blowing in a particular direction but that was it.

WheresMyMask · 29/11/2020 21:15

[quote SylvieSangFroid]@WheresMyMask jesus, walk home in twos??

Apparently, they've stopped the practice weekly sirens now. Friend has been there for a years now and never heard them![/quote]
It's a joke isn't it? 😂

Glad to hear the sirens have stopped.
Imagine getting a toddler down for a nap during that racket.

StoneofDestiny · 29/11/2020 21:20

Can't see any problem - they are locked up! The higher category, the safer the prison.

Criminals don't set up house near a prison when released.

Natsku · 29/11/2020 21:21

My parents live near a prison (can see the fence from their windows), the view is a bit spoilt (but there's a nice walking/jogging track around the outside of the prison, its quite lovely if you forget about the big green fence) but otherwise its fine, they have no fear of escaping prisoners or suchlike. They both work in the prison so it makes for a very convenient commute!

StoneofDestiny · 29/11/2020 21:22

A whole lot quieter and safer than living near a high school

MorningNinja · 29/11/2020 21:35

I'd have no issue with the prisoners. Category A prisoners are the most dangerous of offenders so there is no chance of them getting out.

I'd be concerned about the close proximity to a dual carriageway and the emissions from vehicles.

3ormorecharacters · 29/11/2020 21:45

I grew up right next door to a sex offenders' prison (my dad used to be the Governor). It was never a problem. It was a Victorian prison so not too unattractive from the outside. I guess if anyone ever escaped they weren't going to stop off next door. (Also being a sex offenders' prison, the inmates knew they were better off there than a higher security prison where they'd be at the bottom of the pecking order, so they tended to behave themselves.)

SylvieSangFroid · 29/11/2020 21:45

@WheresMyMask

Very true! FWIW, I grew up in Belfast during The Troubles and looking back now at all the things we just accepted as a normal part of life; honestly, it's amazing to me now.

Yellowcakestand · 29/11/2020 21:53

I work in a secure unit, it's the next step down from Broadmoor.
Service users are assessed before every time they go out. The majority are escorted by staff. Very very low risk.

Cat A prisons are high secure. Even less likely to be out in public, especially alone. Escapes are a rarity.

I wouldn't be worried at all

BernieInn · 29/11/2020 21:55

I'd take a look around the local area for the end of any tunnels, but otherwise I'd be fine with this.

MissCadoganTate · 29/11/2020 22:06

I used to live v close to a cat A prison and saw two prisoners escape. The entire thing was crazy considering it was a max security prison and whilst I knew what I had seen, I didn't realise the significance of it because it just seemed so unlikely ie everyone would have said that escaping was impossible.

WinniePig · 29/11/2020 22:06

It’s not about prisoners escaping, but living in close proximity to convicted murderers, rapists and paedophiles that would put me off. I don’t want to be reminded of their crimes on a daily basis. I live in York and would like to move out to the villages at some point. However, I won’t be looking near Full Sutton despite there being some pretty villages close by.

GoldfishParade · 29/11/2020 22:08

I wouldn't be able to forget there were so many unhappy people locked up just a few metres away from my house.

Spinakker · 29/11/2020 22:37

I agree with not wanting to be reminded of those people's crimes. I wouldn't be comfortable knowing i was living near murderers and rapists etc or whatever else.

Arthersleep · 29/11/2020 22:38

I wouldn't. I lived near one once as a student. You could see the inmates like monkeys at the zoo. They would yell and hoot all day long like wild animals. Everyone that I walked past they would break into a rendition on 'get your tits out for the boys'. Their dodgy friends and relatives would walk past our house all the time. Never again.

Feelinglost006 · 29/11/2020 22:40

I would be more concerned with the people on the outside Who haven’t been caught yet . Prisoners locked up aren’t to be feared

MumsDirtyTeaTowel · 29/11/2020 22:43

10am every Monday morning in Wokingham, was the practice Broadmoor sirens. They've been stopped for a few years now according to family who still live there.

They're building a whole new Broadmoor just outside of Sandhurst.

This thread has got me thinking, I've never factored in proximity to prisons, when choosing a home to live in. And am now curious what is even near me. Shall have to look.