Editing Isle of Wight (section)

== Prisons ==
The Isle of Wight is near the densely populated south of England, yet separated from the mainland. This position led to it hosting three prisons: [[Albany (HM Prison)|Albany]], [[Camp Hill (HM Prison)|Camp Hill]] and [[Parkhurst (HM Prison)|Parkhurst]], all located outside Newport near the main road to Cowes. Albany and Parkhurst were among the few Category A prisons in the UK until they were downgraded in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/isle-of-wight | title=Isle of Wight Prison information | publisher=UK Justice Department | access-date=29 November 2016}}</ref> The downgrading of Parkhurst was precipitated by a major escape: three prisoners (two murderers and a blackmailer) escaped from the prison on 3 January 1995 for four days, before being recaptured.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-parkhirst-breakout-fugitives-were-trapped-by-the-sea-1567295.html | publisher=The Independent Newspaper | author=James Cusick | date=10 January 1995 | access-date=29 November 2016 | title=The Parkhirst (sic) Breakout: Fugitives were trapped by the sea}}</ref> Parkhurst enjoyed notoriety as one of the toughest jails in the United Kingdom, and housed many notable inmates including the Yorkshire Ripper [[Peter Sutcliffe]], New Zealand drug lord [[Terrance John Clark|Terry Clark]] and the [[Kray twins]].

Camp Hill is located adjacent but to the west of Albany and Parkhurst, on the very edge of Parkhurst Forest, having been converted first to a [[borstal]] and later to a Category C prison. It was built on the site of an army camp (both Albany and Parkhurst were barracks); there is a small estate of tree-lined roads with the former officers' quarters (now privately owned) to the south and east. Camp Hill closed as a prison in March 2013.

The management of all three prisons was merged into a single administration, under [[Isle of Wight (HM Prison)|HMP Isle of Wight]] in April 2009.