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HMYOI Rochester - Considerable Progress

15 August 2006

HMYOI Rochester has made considerable progress over recent years, although there is much more to do, said Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an announced inspection of the young offender institution.

Rochester now holds only sentenced young adults and as a result is a more focused and positive establishment.

Inspectors found that Rochester was performing well or reasonably well on three tests – safety, respect and resettlement – but was not doing well enough in relation to purposeful activity:

• progress had been made in safer custody and violence reduction, though staff resources were limited and arrangements to combat bullying under-developed;
• staff-prisoner relations were good, though black and minority ethnic prisoners perceived some areas of disadvantage and foreign nationals felt less safe than others;
• there was too little work and what there was tended to be menial, with too few vocational qualifications on offer to aid prisoners in their search for employment on release;
• prisoners spent too long locked up in their cells and exercise and association needed to be increased; and
• resettlement services were struggling to keep pace with the expansion in prisoner numbers, with gaps in sentence and custody planning - though there were some good housing, employment and substance use services.

Anne Owers said:

“Rochester has come a long way in recent years. The establishment has evidently benefited from a clear focus on young adults and, despite rapidly rising numbers, has ensured a generally safe and respectful environment. Purposeful activity, in particular, as well as resettlement and reintegration services have yet to catch up with need. However, clear progress has been made and this should now be sustained and built upon.”

Phil Wheatley, Director General of the Prison Service, said:

“It is due to the hard work and commitment of the governor at Rochester and his staff that the prison is safe and respectful and offers prisoners an excellent chance of resettlement back into the community.

"Managers at the prison are aware that lack of purposeful activity is a problem and are currently looking at ways to increase constructive time out of cell for the young men at Rochester.

"The progress made by Rochester in creating a decent environment for prisoners is to be commended - I am confident that this progress will continue."

 
NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The full announced inspection of HMYOI Rochester took place from 9 -13 January 2006.
2. HMYOI Rochester is a young offender institution holding convicted young men aged between 18 and 21 years.
3. Inspectorate reports and releases are available at http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons. (new window)
4. Anne Owers has limited time available for interviews. For an electronic copy of the report, or to request an interview with Anne Owers, please call 020 7035 3852.
   

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