BLANTYRE House Prison at Goudhurst continues to have an enviable record of success and mutual trust between prisoners and staff, according to the latest report by the prison's Independent Monitoring Board.

The board, formerly the Board of Visitors, noted that many more of the 122 inmates now being sent to the semi-open resettlement prison were classified as having a high risk of re-offending. But the prison, operating largely on a trust system, was still working well.

Each new prisoner has to sign a "compact" with the prison management and other inmates, promising to observe core standards of behaviour. These include no violence, no drugs, no alcohol, and no harassment.

The report, published on Tuesday, covers the year ending June 30. It noted that the prison had continued to fare well in spot inspections.