Purple Scribe at HMP Five Wells
Turning key work conversations into records, automatically. In its May 2026 inspection, HM Inspectorate of Prisons observed key workers using tablets to record their sessions and produce transcripts for case notes.
Key Work at the Heart of Prison Life
Key work sits at the heart of prison life: regular one-to-one sessions between officers and the men they support. But the paperwork that follows each session competes with time on the landings, and record quality varies as a result.
At HMP Five Wells, a category C resettlement prison near Wellingborough holding around 1,700 men and operated by G4S, key workers use Purple Scribe to record their sessions and generate transcripts that feed directly into case notes.
May 2026 Inspection
What the Inspectorate Found
HM Inspectorate of Prisons inspected HMP Five Wells in May 2026. Its report found key work taking place regularly across the prison, with 84% of prisoners reporting that they had a named officer, higher than at the previous inspection. On how those sessions were recorded, the inspectors observed:
"Key workers made good use of electronic tablets to record and provide a transcript of the sessions for case notes."
Those tablets run Purple Scribe.
84%
of prisoners reported having a named officer, higher than at the previous inspection
1,700
men held at Five Wells, one of the largest prisons in the country
May 2026
independent inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Why It Matters
Every minute an officer spends writing up notes is a minute not spent with prisoners. Purple Scribe removes that trade-off.
Conversations are captured at the point they happen
The session is recorded as it takes place and the write-up is produced afterwards, so officers can be fully present instead of stopping to take notes.
Records are consistent across the workforce
Every session produces a structured transcript for case notes, so the quality of the record no longer depends on the writing ability or the available time of individual officers.
Managers see a fuller picture of engagement
With complete records flowing from the wings, leaders get better visibility of how key work is being delivered across the prison.
Independent evidence, not marketing claims
Purple Scribe is deployed in prisons operated by G4S within the MOJ estate. Made Purple products are trusted across the wider prison estate including Serco, Sodexo and Mitie. Book a demo to see how it could work in your establishment.
Quotation from the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Five Wells (May 2026), reproduced under the Open Government Licence. HM Inspectorate of Prisons does not endorse products or suppliers.