User talk:Rjc241

FINNAMORE WOOD CAMP A FOND FAREWELL

As a former inmate of Finnamore wood camp open prison for young offenders I was sorry to read about its demise. It was to me the light at the end of a very dark tunnel and after my time there I went on to live a long and happy life. In my day 1967/8 places like Rochester borstal were mental hellholes. There was very little to be learnt or be gained. Most of the time you would be watching your back against other inmates some of which should have been in an asylum not Borstal. The re offending rate at the time was very high and lots of inmate would go on to spend the best parts of there life in one prison or another. Fortunately in the prison service at that time there were those who had a much more enlightened view of how to rehabilitate young offenders hence Finnamore wood Camp. As a young offender you had to earn your place at Finnamore wood. There was a selection process to go through done by the governor of Finnamore wood or his reprehensive you also had to be recommended by your present governor I didn’t even know the place existed until I heard one of the staff talking about it one day. Having had a belly full of Rochester Borstal and the nutters who were locked up there. I was determined to get on the interview list. I dully did and I passed the interview and soon found myself at Finnamore wood there were so many good things about that place I could probable writ reams on it but suffice to say words like fresh air, freedom, friendly people, support at all levels to name but a few. The local population supported and accepted the camp as well and some of the boys from the camp would go out and work on some of the local farms there were many privileges and if you were going to be rehabilitated then a place like Finnamore wood camp was the place to be. To get on in life you need to have self-awareness a determination and self-discipline amongst other things and the staff at the camp encouraged all the right qualities. I thank them very kindly as I look back down the years and know that if it wasn’t for them and people like them the world would be a much darker place.

Rob from Birmingham