[1] Ranby was converted in the early 1970s from its original use as a World War II British Army camp.

Some purpose built accommodation was added to the complex in 1980s, and two further wings were opened in February 1996.

[2] Two years later, the Independent Monitoring Board stated that the Prison was overcrowded and had problems with safety standards.

The report also criticised the prison's anti-bullying programmes, accommodation and resettlement work.

[5] A further report in 2012 noted strengths is staff-prisoner relations, resettlement, vocational training and work environment for prisoners, but concerns about that a quarter of prisoners were locked in their cells, the availability of debt and financial advice services, a number of unscreened toilets, insufficient efforts to reduce violence and self-harm, and high levels of drug and alcohol availability.

It has 16 functional workshops varying from Textiles (Making T-Shirts) to Powder Coating.