Most lifers spend around two years in an open prison before being considered for release.
This is so the prison can test and assess you in conditions which are as close as possible to those in the outside world. Staff will make an assessment of whether you are safe to release and whether you will be able to cope with life outside. Open prison should prepare you for getting back into the community, and as part of this process you will be allowed some contact with the local community when judged appropriate. Open prison often comes as a shock to lifers, particularly those who have been in prison for many years, because the regime is far less structured than a closed prison. You may find it difficult to run your own life again.