A JAIL which was the scene of riots in the 1980s is today praised as "a model prison".

In 1989, there were two sieges at the Kirklevington Detention Centre, in Yarm, Teesside, and the regime was criticised for being too lax.

Now renamed Kirklevington Grange and used as a resettlement prison for inmates coming to the end of their sentence, the establishment has been praised for the way it is run and the good relationship between prisoners and staff.

The report, by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons, is published this morning.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Sir David Ramsbotton, describes the prison as having "the best personal officer scheme that we have seen anywhere in the prison system".

The personal officer scheme ensures each prisoner has a specific officer assigned to them when they arrive to prepare them for life outside.

One prisoner quoted in the inspectors' report says: "This is the way to rehabilitate offenders. I have seen lads who haven't a penny to their name when they arrived and, once they have a job and save money, they leave with dignity and respect.

"It's far better than throwing them out with nothing. I think the governor does a fantastic job and should be commended for it."

Plans by the staff to establish a chaplaincy in the prison are also praised by the report, as is the mentoring system where experienced prisoners help newcomers to settle in.

The report says: "There was an excellent atmosphere throughout, with staff and prisoners on first-name terms."

The main complaint from the inspectors is that there is no evaluation system in place at the prison, so no one knows if prisoners stay away from crime once they are released.

Sir David also criticises the extra pressure put on Kirklevington staff by the lack of work in other prisons to prepare offenders for release and by the large amounts of paperwork.

He says: "There is an appalling amount of paperwork with which Governors and staff are literally bombarded by Prison Service headquarters. These are demanding on large establishments but virtually bring small ones, such as Kirklevington, to their knees.

"The excellence of Kirklevington Grange is not generally recognised by all those in authority.

"I hope that its reputation locally as a model prison will be spread nationwide.