HM Prison Standford Hill (Sheppey Cluster) is a Category D men's prison, located close to the village of Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Standford Hill forms part of the Sheppey prisons cluster, which also includes HMP Elmley and

HMP Swaleside HM Prison Swaleside is a Category B men's prison, located close to the village of Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Swaleside forms part of the Sheppey prison cluster, which also includes HMP Elmley and HMP Standford Hill. The prison is ...

. The prison is operated by

His Majesty's Prison Service His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) is a part of HM Prison and Probation Service (formerly the National Offender Management Service), which is the part of His Majesty's Government charged with managing most of the prisons within England and Wale ...

History

Standford Hill was opened on the site of an ex Royal Air Force station, and was first used as a prison in 1950. The complex has been redeveloped since then, and the current buildings on the site date from 1986. In December 2004, an inspection report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons stated that Standford Hill was not effective as a resettlement prison, and did not offer inmates worthwhile skills. The report also criticised the activities offered to prisoners. However inspectors did find "'significant' progress had been made in safety and respect" at the prison. Another inspection took place in December 2011 which found that outcomes were reasonable in most areas, yet there were still some significant areas of concern. The range of activities available was now considered to be good, but resettlement work was fragmented. In January 2013 three inmates escaped from the prison. A further two prisoners absconded in June 2014. Another prisoner escaped in August 2014.

The prison today

Standford Hill is a Category D open prison for adult males serving any sentence, with a maximum of 5 years to their release, and a maximum of 2 years to their parole eligibility date. The prison offers employment for inmates through its workshop, works, and horticulture departments, and also offers full and part-time education classes.

Notable former inmates

Jonathan Aitken Jonathan William Patrick Aitken (born 30 August 1942) is a British author, Church of England priest, former prisoner and former Conservative Party politician. Beginning his career in journalism, he was elected to Parliament in 1974 (serving unt ...

* Jim Devine *

Baron Taylor of Warwick Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

Stephen Jackley Stephen Jackley is a convicted British robber and author. He served time in American and British prisons from 2008 to 2015. He has Asperger's syndrome, and his book, ''Just Sky'', explores the impact of this condition on his life. Jackley has been ...

* Kenneth Noye

References

External links

Ministry of Justice pages on Standford Hill
{{Prisons in South East England Standford Hill Standford Hill Standford Hill Stanford Hill Standford Hill