Relationships between staff and inmates are praised

The assessment said suicide prevention, anti-bullying, resettlement, vocational training and cleanliness all need to be addressed at HMP Maidstone.

Governor Jane Galbally said she was not surprised by the findings but said improvements would be made.

The prison changed from a category B jail to category C in October 2003.

The only thing I wasn't expecting was the reference to cleanliness Jane Galbally, Governor

The downgrading of HMP Maidstone means it no longer holds long-term inmates or those serving life sentences, and as a result now has a faster turnover of offenders.

Despite the criticisms, inspectors said the prison was found to be safe and relationships between staff and offenders were good.

Mrs Galbally said of the report: "The only thing I wasn't expecting was the reference to cleanliness.

"The rest I was because they quite rightly criticised us for not looking at sentence planning and resettlement."

'Commit more crime'

She added that the prison would turn itself around in the next 12 months.

Bob Brenton who has been an inmate at Maidstone for the past year said staff do their best but there was not enough funding available to help prisoners take vocational courses that will help with rehabilitation.

He said: "As far as training goes, just nothing happens at Maidstone at all.

"Half these young lads have nothing to look forward to when they get out... and with no training the first thing they'll do is commit more crime."

But Christopher Goodchild, head of learning and skills, said half the 550 inmates were now receiving some sort of education .