HM Prison Rochester

HMP Rochester

HM Prison Rochester, former Borstal Prison
Location	Rochester, Kent
Security class	C Cat Adult
Population	695(as of February 2023)
Opened	1874
Managed by	HM Prison Services
Governor	Dean Gardiner
Website	Rochester at justice.gov.uk

HM Prison Rochester (formerly known as Borstal Prison) is a male Young Offenders Institution, founded in 1874, and located in the Borstal area of Rochester in Kent, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and is located next to HMP Cookham Wood.

History

Rochester schoolroom and pupils, c.  1906

19th Century

HMP Rochester was founded in 1874 as Borstal Prison, which was a large convict prison. Borstal Prison was then an experimental juvenile prison of the reformatory type set up in 1902. Because it was the first detention centre of its kind in the UK, the word "Borstal" became synonymous with other detention centres for youths across the country, and elsewhere. ^{[ citation needed ]}

20th Century

The institution remained as a Borstal school until 1983, when it was converted into a Youth Custody Centre and renamed 'Rochester'.^{[ citation needed ]} the prison changed its role to operate as a remand centre for the Kent courts and sentenced category C and D adult males. ^[1] Rochester then became a mixed site prison for immigration detainees and a resettlement unit for adult male prisoners. The prison also operated as a remand and allocation centre for males under the age of 21. ^{[ citation needed ]}

21st Century

In January 2002, Rochester re-rolled to a prison solely for sentenced young men up to the age of 21.

In March 2003, Rochester Prison was criticised by its own Board of Visitors. The Board stated that there were few useful employment or educational opportunities for inmates, and so therefore they had few chances to gain qualifications or work experience. ^[2]

In August 2006, an inspection report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons declared that Rochester Prison was improving, but still had a number of unresolved issues. Inspectors found that HMP Rochester was generally safe, and had good staff-prisoner relations. However the prison was called on to do more to provide work for inmates, and to do more to combat bullying. ^[3]

In March 2007, it was announced that the capacity of Rochester Prison was to be doubled to 700. This drew severe opposition from local residents. ^[4] Construction had briefly begun in March 2007, but was on hold pending permission from Medway council, the local planning authority. ^[5] This was granted, and in September 2008 a further four accommodation units were constructed at the site.

The prison today

Rochester holds convicted, sentenced adults and YOI Prisoners and is a Category working Man's Jail. The Prison offers multiple rehabillative and reformative courses. Accommodation at the prison is split into two secure sites named "old site" and "new site" comprising a mixture of single- and double-accommodation cells. On the old Victorian site most cells are single occupancy with no showers within the cells. On the "new site" The cells on Ridley, Frinstead and Greatstone wings are all double accommodation cells with showers within the cell.

The "new site" also has an Enhanced Wing for "trusted" prisoners, consisting of single occupancy living on an incentivised drug free living wing with showers within the unit.

The "new site" also is currently being refurbished with a new wing being built with special POD's being built for the most trusted prisoners as these are super-enhanced accommodations for ways of living.

The prison offers offending behaviour courses, education, drug rehabilitation, NVQ-based work placements, weekend and evening association with access to gym- and sports-related activities. Various chapel-based courses are also available to inmates.

Notable former inmates

• Michael Boateng, former professional footballer jailed for conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation into match-fixing. Boateng has co-presented on a podcast called Banged Up talking about his time in Rochester. ^[6]
• J Hus ^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "Prison at Borstal". Chatham Standard. Associated Kent Newspapers Ltd. 2 September 1987. p. 46.
2. "Young offenders' institute 'fails' inmates". BBC News . 13 March 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
3. "Riot-hit prison 'reasonably safe'". BBC News. 14 August 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
4. "Prison expansion angers residents". BBC News. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
5. "Residents' fury over jail lights". BBC News. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
6. "'I was in prison, now I'm training Jadon Sancho'". BBC News. 15 June 2020.

External links

• GOV.UK page on Rochester Prison

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