Urgent Reforms Demanded for Rat-Infested Rochester Prison

A recent report highlights severe conditions, including vermin infestations and rising violence, prompting calls for immediate government action.

Inspectors found overwhelming rat urine odor and vermin infestations in Rochester Prison, with inmates using makeshift barriers to keep rodents out.
The report describes the prison as squalid and decrepit, with significant issues such as drug use, violence, and self-harm among inmates.
Rochester Prison, initially slated for closure in 2017, remains open due to overcrowding in the prison system.
The facility is failing in its rehabilitative purpose, with conditions among the worst seen in recent years, according to inspectors.
The government has pledged refurbishments and increased security measures to address the urgent concerns raised in the report.