On 11 February 2020 second year Level 3 in Public Services students visited HMP Rochester to learn more about the working prison as part of their Custodial Care unit.
The category C prison with over 670 male prisoners offered the students the opportunity to find out more about cell allocation, the search facilities and the prison workshops. Serving prison officers also inspired the students with the range of different career opportunities available to them within the prison service.
One student experienced a search that a new prisoner would undergo, including the BOSS chair, which detects contraband foreign material within a human body.
Public Services lecturer Darren Everitt said “Many students in the group are considering employment within the prison service as their future career, and this visit inspired and motivated them further to continue this passion.
The students are also able to see how the teamwork, communication and discipline skills they learn in class can be applied in real-life scenarios and the different uniformed services.”
They were able to find out more in-depth information about the day-to-day workings of the prison from a prisoner who is serving life for murder and view the contraband items that had been smuggled or created in prison from blades, tools and toothbrushes.
Students also visited a disused wing to view inside a cell, as well as the segregation area and de-escalation room where prisoners are placed to calm down in a safe manner after an altercation.
We would like to thank HMP Rochester for this insightful opportunity and information that they shared with our students.
Thinking of entering the public services or armed forces? Consider a Public Services study programme at College!
