Reduction in absconders

The number of prisoners who have escaped from the category D jail was 61 in the last full year to end of March.

This compares with 142 in 2003/04.

The big reduction is one of the improvements in performance which have put Ford '“ with 470-480 inmates and around 200 directly-employed staff '“ ahead of every other local prison.

Governor Fiona Radford said: 'When we look at other prisons in our Prison Service area, which includes all the prisons in Kent and Sussex, we are at the top of the league.'

Ford's performance against prisons around the country has also greatly improved.

Mrs Radford stated: 'Four years ago, we were second from bottom in the league table of all 134 prisons in England and Wales.

'Against all the measures now, we are second highest in the country.'

The Prison Service judges jails against set targets, how much they are improving and how they compare to similar prisons.

The past six months have seen Ford achieve a security audit of 86 per cent compared with 78 per cent last April and prisoners being released to settled accommodation rising to just under 92 per cent from last April's 89 per cent.

Staff training, meanwhile, has risen from 12 days in April to 147 six months later.