This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6248011.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ex-chief criticises crowded jails Ex-chief criticises crowded jails
(30 minutes later)
Former director general of the Prison Service, Martin Narey, has strongly criticised overcrowding in jails.Former director general of the Prison Service, Martin Narey, has strongly criticised overcrowding in jails.
The prison population in England and Wales hit an all-time high of 80,000 at the end of last year.The prison population in England and Wales hit an all-time high of 80,000 at the end of last year.
Mr Narey said the current situation was "like putting people in a hospital, not giving them any treatment whatsoever and expecting them to get better".Mr Narey said the current situation was "like putting people in a hospital, not giving them any treatment whatsoever and expecting them to get better".
He told Tory MPs and peers considering the National Offender Management Service Bill the approach was naive.He told Tory MPs and peers considering the National Offender Management Service Bill the approach was naive.
Mr Narey, who now heads children's charity Barnardo's, said "very modest" reductions in re-offending achieved during his time in charge had been wiped out by later rises in the jail population.Mr Narey, who now heads children's charity Barnardo's, said "very modest" reductions in re-offending achieved during his time in charge had been wiped out by later rises in the jail population.
"We have some people in prison who don't stay as long as they should, but we have many who don't need to be there at all," he said."We have some people in prison who don't stay as long as they should, but we have many who don't need to be there at all," he said.
'Costly resource''Costly resource'
Mr Narey told the committee of MPs and peers that in 1993 there were 29 shoplifters in jail at any one time. By 2003, that figure had risen to 1,500.Mr Narey told the committee of MPs and peers that in 1993 there were 29 shoplifters in jail at any one time. By 2003, that figure had risen to 1,500.
"I can't really believe that is a sensible use of a costly resource," he said."I can't really believe that is a sensible use of a costly resource," he said.
The former prisons chief argued the senior judiciary, through the Sentencing Guidelines Council, should be able to have more influence on criminal justice policy to ensure prison places were used more effectively.The former prisons chief argued the senior judiciary, through the Sentencing Guidelines Council, should be able to have more influence on criminal justice policy to ensure prison places were used more effectively.
"We have to ration healthcare and education - we also have to ration prison places," he said."We have to ration healthcare and education - we also have to ration prison places," he said.
Mr Narey became head of the Prison Service in 1998 and also headed the government's merged prison and probation service - the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).Mr Narey became head of the Prison Service in 1998 and also headed the government's merged prison and probation service - the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
The Sentencing Guidelines Council is an independent body which takes advice on a particular sentencing topic and uses this to formulate guidelines on the subject.