HMP Rochester wasn’t an easy prison to run but managers had clear plans for improvements, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an announced inspection of the prison and young offender institution in Kent.

HMP Rochester is a complex institution going through considerable change. An older part comprises the original borstal and a newer part opened in 2008. Rochester has long experience of managing younger offenders. From 2011 the establishment became dual purpose and now also holds a growing adult category C population. Inspectors had some concerns about safety, and insufficient progress had been made in providing respectful conditions, but the activity provided for prisoners had improved and resettlement services were satisfactory.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• prisoners were treated reasonably well upon arrival;
• self-harming prisoners were usually well cared for, although too many were held in segregation without justification;
• the approach to security had improved significantly with procedures now applied with greater proportionality;
• staff-prisoner relationships were mostly good;
• the provision of activity was much improved and prisoners spent less time in their cells;
• the management of learning and skills was now more strategic and working to an encouraging plan; and
• resettlement services generally were reasonably effective.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

• levels of violence and the use of force were reducing, but were still too high;
• strategies to reduce violence and bullying were in place but needed to be more rigorous;
• the approach to reducing violence among younger prisoners required improvement, although staff had moved decisively to tackle a recent brief spate of organised fighting in this group;
• the use of illicit drugs was too high;
• much of the older accommodation was in a relatively poor condition;
• the prison’s approach to the promotion of equality and diversity was lacklustre; and
• take-up of activity was still too low and inspectors still found too many prisoners on the wings during the working day doing nothing.

Nick Hardwick said:

‘Rochester is not an easy prison to run. It is a complicated and mixed institution where change feels ever present. The prison was heading in the right direction and managers seemed to be working to a clear vision and plan, although this had yet to translate fully into clear improvements in outcomes for prisoners. The prison faced a number of operational risks as it implemented its strategies which will require confident management.’

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), said:

‘I am pleased that the Chief Inspector has recognised the progress being made at Rochester.

‘The prison has improved during a period of considerable change, with rising levels of activity and good relationships between staff and prisoners.

‘The Governor and his staff are building on this good work by addressing the concerns raised in the report, particularly tackling the level of violence.’

Notes to editors:

1. Read the full report. (746 kB)
2. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment, and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
3. This announced full follow-up inspection was carried out from 21-25 January 2013.
4. HMP Rochester is a closed male and young offenders’ prison.
5. Please contact Barbara Buchanan at HMI Prisons on 0207 035 2102 if you would like more information.