Brixton prison ‘recycling prisoners’
Brixton prison can do little more than “recycle prisoners” without necessary reform, HM Inspectorate of Prisons has said. The Inspectorate’s report is so damning it questions whether Brixton is actually capable of performing its function as a local prison. “There are fundamental problems that prevent HMP Brixton from being an effective local prison” said Chief […]
Titan prison plans published
The government’s plans for a new generation of ‘Titan’ prisons capable of holding 2,500 prisoners have been published in a consultation document. Three of the jails will be constructed, bringing the UK’s jail capacity to 96,000 by 2014. But penal reform groups are objecting to the plans, saying the jails would make it harder for […]
Early release plans confirmed
Those serving at least four years in jail could enjoy laxer early release rules, under plans confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. Those convicted for four years or more but less than life will be released at the halfway point of their sentence under the provision, passed into law in the Criminal Justice and Immigration […]
Straw warns of media influence on sentencing
Judges and magistrates have a “responsibility” to ignore sensationalist media coverage and not exacerbate the rising prison population, the justice secretary has said. Jack Straw said sentencers did not operate in a vacuum and it appeared that calls in the media for tougher sentencing and the return of the death penalty had a “tangible effect” […]
Cameron promises new prison places and ‘reparations’
Almost everything about the prison system is wrong, the Conservative leader proclaimed today. Attacking the government’s record on criminal justice, David Cameron said he would boost capacity by building 5,000 more places and insure offenders serve tougher minimum sentences before they can be eligible for parole. The Conservatives’ plans would be in addition to the […]
“Crisis” hits overstretched prison system
The prison system faces a “genuine crisis”, the Conservative say, as the government admits prison numbers breach capacity. Latest figures show the prison population has exceeded normal capacity for the first time, reaching a record high of 82,068. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says going beyond its “useable operational capacity” does not mean the prison […]
Govt pays £459 a night for police cells
Prisoners are once again being held in police cells, at a cost of £459 a night. Prison reformers and opposition politicians criticised the figure, claiming taxpayers are paying the price for the government’s penal policy. The nightly cost compares to an average of £77 a night needed to keep a male prisoner in a category […]
Large rise in prisoners kept in police cells
There has been a 13-fold increase in the number of prisoners being held in police cells, it emerged last night. Figures show a significant rise in the number of nights in which prisoners were housed in police custody suites rather than prison cells. The Conservatives have condemned the practice, arguing it is an inappropriate use […]
Self-inflicted jail deaths rise
Overcrowded prisons are to blame for last year’s sharp increase in self-inflicted deaths among prisoners in England and Wales, it has been claimed. The Howard League for Penal Reform (HLPR) has attacked the government after statistics revealed yesterday showed the number of convicts attempting to kill themselves increased to 92 in 2007 from 67 in […]
Doctors attack prison healthcare
A year of “political failure” has led to prisons being turned into “just a holding pen for criminals”, the British Medical Association has said. A report published today attacks the government for neglecting the problems of prison doctors, blaming insufficient funding and the spread of illegal narcotics throughout UK prisons for exacerbating the crisis. “The […]
