It follows the lives of the prisoners and staff of the fictional high-security wing of a women's prison, called "H Division" within "The Wentworth Detention Centre", which was set in a fictional suburb called "Wentworth" in Melbourne, Victoria, numerous scenes also took place outside the compound exploring the lives of the inmates and staff outside of the centre, and in particular "Driscoll House", a half-way house where inmates were housed after being released, or neighbouring correction institutions like "Barnhurst" and "Blackmoor".