Healthy report for raided jail

A raid was carried out by 84 officers at the prison in May 2000

A prison in Kent which prepares inmates for life outside jail has received a healthy report from its watchdog.

Almost every aspect of Blantyre House, in Goudhurst, was praised in the report by the independent Monitoring Board, which used to be the Board of Visitors.

Among the factors praised at the resettlement jail were race relations, drug and alcohol testing and suicide awareness.

Although the prison was deemed a successful establishment, concerns were raised abut the amount of time the chief governor of the jail spends on other work.

Performing well

The board said it was concerned about how much time the governor was spending on death in custody cases in other prisons.

It said 50% of his time was taken up with the cases and it could not be healthy for the jail to see so little of its governor.

The report also said the rehabilitation of men with alcohol problems was proving more challenging than those with drug problems because of a lack of funding.

The success comes after troubles at the jail which included a controversial Home Office raid involving 84 officers three years ago and the removal of the then governor.

An earlier report published in April by the Prisons Inspectorate also praised Blantyre House and found it to be performing well.