BRITAIN'S only 'boot camp' has earned high praise from the Chief Inspector of Prisons and could serve as a role model for other juvenile jails.

Yet the achievements of staff and inmates on the High Intensity Training pilot scheme, says Sir David Ramsbotham, are not the only positive aspects of Warrington's Thorn Cross Young Offenders' Institution.

Sir David said: "The Prison Service is to be congratulated, not only for preserving the integrity of the HIT programme but for the fact that Thorn Cross is now well-established as a successful open Young Offenders' Institution, providing a full and meaningful day for all its young prisoners.

"The HIT pilot is not the only example of good work being done at Thorn Cross. The juvenile wing is also developing in line with the recommendations put forward in our review 'Young Prisoners'.

"It will be interesting to see what impact the regime at Thorn Cross, including the HIT pilot, has in terms of inmates offending again."

Reacting to the inspector's findings, Thorn Cross governor Iain Windebank said: "It is a very good report.

"There were two main areas which were really pleasing. The first is the acknowledgement that what Thorn Cross is doing is good work with young offenders and we are at the leading edge of the Prison Service.

"It also acknowledges the hard work of the staff who have achieved that."

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