Wise words from Lord Ramsbotham on our increasingly shambolic criminal justice system. Writing in the Independent, the former chief inspector of prisons makes it clear that much of the blame for the current state of affairs can be placed on the Government. He also highlights a shocking statistic: in the past five years, the rate of reoffending among adult males has increased from 55 per cent to 67 per cent.
He gives the following reasons for the current state of affairs:
- increase in crime legislation resulting in more prison sentences;
- failure to resource prisons to ensure that they provide work, education and training;
- low morale amongst the workforce;
- poorly drafted legislation;
- refusal of the Government to listen to experts;
- overworked probation services.
His suggestions?
- regional, as opposed to national, management of prisons;
- appointment in each prison of officers who will be responsible and accountable for each type of prisoner;
- redefinition of the role of Area Criminal Justice Boards to include a say in job training;
- local authorities to establish adult male offender teams to deal with low-level offenders, thereby leaving the more serious convicts to the probation officers.
I’m not sure I agree with all his suggestions, but they are at least a starting point for meaningful debate. I would add a further suggestion: build more prisons.
For more on prisons, check out the excellent PrisonWorks initiative.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
A damning indictment.
Smaller more local prisons are a good idea. For example I believe that Feltham is the only place for young offenders for the whole of London - thus making it easy for Mr Carty (Tom Ap Rhys killer 1) to execute an attack on Mt Brown (Tom Ap Rhys killer 2).
However, I’d also be quite happy with offshore prisons. That would be a deterrent.
November 30th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
Uncharitable of me to say, but I wouldn’t be particularly upset if the Carty v Brown scenario did ensue.
But your point is a valid one.
And as for offshore prisons, if executed properly, that should work wonders.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:43 pm
I don’t know the answers either, but the new figures are shocking, we should be very worried. A local newspaper today reports how 9 murderers have escaped from 2 prisons in Suffolk in the past six years, how many more murderers are on the loose?
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:48 pm
More prisons then led to the transportation to Australia solution. The solution is not more prisons but changing the mindset of the people back to a civilized code of values and away from rampant materialism. Of course, this will never happen so in the meantime, let’s build more prisons.