Risley opened in 1964 as a male and female remand centre. In 1989 the male part of the prison became a training prison. The training prison was expanded further and refurbished in 2003 with the addition of a new wing. The sex offender population was relocated to separate residential areas in 2009. In 2009, Risley became a hub for up to 200 foreign national prisoners. There is a drug recovery unit on C Wing.
Accommodation
- A wing – foreign national prisoners and those subject to immigration rules
- B wing – first night centre and the Ravensmoor unit (a semi-independent living unit for enhanced level prisoners)
- C wing – substance misuse support unit
- D wing – Discovery programme wing, providing resettlement help
- E wing – Prisoners convicted of sexual offences
- F wing – prisoners convicted of sexual offences living on an enhanced semi[1]independent living unit
- G wing – Prisoners convicted of sexual offences
- Segregation unit