HM Prison Rochester

HM Prison Rochester is a correctional facility in Rochester that houses young offenders and adult men in secure conditions. The institution operates as a Category C prison with structured daily programs and organized facilities for its residents.

The facility was founded in 1874 and later became a place for young offenders to serve their sentences. The methods developed here in the early 1900s became models for youth detention across the United Kingdom.

The facility runs education and training programs that help people prepare for life after release. Work in workshops like carpentry and painting is part of the daily routine and gives inmates practical skills they can use later.

People who want to visit someone inside must register beforehand and arrange an appointment well in advance. It helps to understand the visit requirements early and allow plenty of time for the booking process.

The word 'Borstal' for youth detention centers came from this facility and spread across the British Empire in the 1900s. The term became the standard name for such places worldwide, showing how much this place shaped youth justice systems elsewhere.

Inception: 1874

Official opening: 1874

GPS coordinates: 51.37000,0.48861

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:46