Cherie Blair mulls local justice lessons

Cherie Blair is president of the Commission on English Prisons

Friday, 05, Sep 2008 12:01

Plans to hand local communities more powers are being put forward for consultation by Cherie Blair's Commission on English Prisons today.

The commission is examining whether justice reinvestment initiatives from the US might work in Britain. The initiatives give local government far greater control over identifying areas where crime is most problematic and directing funds accordingly.

"Giving local communities more power and responsibility is increasingly attracting cross-party interest and support," Mrs Blair said.

Addressing the American scheme, Mrs Blair indicated such a system could result in a progressive penal system.

"In Connecticut, for example, the initiative found that a significant proportion of prison beds were occupied by people who had violated their parole and probation conditions - many of them on technicalities," she said.

"Funds were switched into providing more local parole and probation support, including help with mental health and addiction problems.

"The state found violation rates fell sharply, allowing Connecticut to scrap plans to increase prison places."

The Justice Reinvestment scheme adopts a holistic approach to penal reform, ploughing money from public, private and voluntary sectors into local health and housing plans, as well as expanding public spaces and improving educational and employment opportunities.

Critics say the plans have nothing to do with justice policy, but supporters claim these social and economic factors have an immediate and direct effect on crime levels.

Director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, said: "At the heart of this consultation paper are the questions: how is our money being spent and by whom?

"We spend more money on law and order as a proportion of our GDP than any other developed country, and have internationally high imprisonment rates, yet fear of crime has arguably never been higher."

Penal reform groups are currently engaged in a desperate attempt to fight off the government's Titan prison scheme, which has drawn almost universal disdain from prison charities and opposition parties.