Urgent improvements are to take place at a prison where “endemic” drug use and increasing violence was found by inspectors, a Government minister has said.
Staff training and the refurbishment of cells in “squalid” conditions are among the measures announced for HMP Rochester in Kent.
The prison received an “urgent notification” earlier this month as concerns were raised by the chief inspector of prisons.
According to the Ministry of Justice, this warning marked the first category C prison, and fourth prison overall, in the last year to receive the worst possible result under the prisons inspection framework.
Following the visit, inspectors flagged that the facility was failing in its rehabilitative purpose with less than a third of inmates in purposeful activity during the working day, while accommodation was said to be “some of the worst conditions seen in recent years”.
Prisons minister Lord James Timpson said: “This report is yet another example of the prison crisis we inherited. Violence and illicit drug use is at dangerously high levels and cells are in squalid conditions.
“We are taking immediate action to improve conditions at HMP Rochester, offering additional support for our hard-working staff and addressing the drivers of violence.”
The prison is creating a new curriculum to get more prisoners into training and education, and priority cells, showers and windows will be refurbished immediately for staff and inmates, a spokesperson said.
The Prison Service will also assess the prison’s security measures to tackle drug use and give extra urgent support to senior leaders, the spokesperson added.
The urgent notification process was introduced in 2017 to make sure immediate action was taken to address serious concerns raised by inspectors.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel