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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Prisons set to hit full capacity | Prisons set to hit full capacity |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Prisons in England and Wales are set to be full by next week with room left for fewer than 200 prisoners. | |
| At the present rate, the current figure of 79,806 inmates is on course to reach the planned capacity of over 79,900. | At the present rate, the current figure of 79,806 inmates is on course to reach the planned capacity of over 79,900. |
| Home Secretary John Reid is meeting prison and immigration officials to discuss options including deporting some of the 10,000 foreign prisoners. | Home Secretary John Reid is meeting prison and immigration officials to discuss options including deporting some of the 10,000 foreign prisoners. |
| The Home Office said capacity is set to rise to 80,400 by the end of the year, with a further 8,000 places planned. | The Home Office said capacity is set to rise to 80,400 by the end of the year, with a further 8,000 places planned. |
| Early release | Early release |
| The Prison Officers' Association (POA) has suggested there are just 42 places currently available in prisons in England and Wales. | |
| Mr Reid's meeting is with members of the National Offender Management Service and Immigration and Nationality Directorate. | Mr Reid's meeting is with members of the National Offender Management Service and Immigration and Nationality Directorate. |
| Moves under consideration to ease the pressure on the system are the early release of prisoners and the use of about 500 police cells, known as Operation Safeguard. | Moves under consideration to ease the pressure on the system are the early release of prisoners and the use of about 500 police cells, known as Operation Safeguard. |
| The facts and figures behind prisons in the UKIn detail | The facts and figures behind prisons in the UKIn detail |
| The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) confirmed the cells plan is in place but has not yet been activated. | The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) confirmed the cells plan is in place but has not yet been activated. |
| Prison Governors' Association general secretary Charles Bushell said conditions could not be "squeezed" any further to try to create more places. | |
| "The problem is that as you get fuller and fuller, more and more of your prisoners have to be whisked around the country," he said. | |
| "And the problems that we have got in England and Wales are that we have now reached bursting point. | |
| "I have to say that those are replicated, as far as I'm aware, in Scotland and in Northern Ireland." | |
| Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon called for decisive action from the home secretary. | Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon called for decisive action from the home secretary. |
| "Faced with a crisis largely caused by successive home secretaries talking tough but failing to come to grips with effective prison policy, John Reid must now act decisively to divert petty offenders into enforced community work, addicts into treatment and the mentally ill into healthcare," she said. | "Faced with a crisis largely caused by successive home secretaries talking tough but failing to come to grips with effective prison policy, John Reid must now act decisively to divert petty offenders into enforced community work, addicts into treatment and the mentally ill into healthcare," she said. |
| New prisons | New prisons |
| The Home Office said "all options are open" to deal with prison overcrowding. | The Home Office said "all options are open" to deal with prison overcrowding. |
| It has a target limit - which is described as a good, decent standard of accommodation - of 72,669 prisoners. | It has a target limit - which is described as a good, decent standard of accommodation - of 72,669 prisoners. |
| A spokesman said there were plans to build new prisons and expand existing ones through next year. | A spokesman said there were plans to build new prisons and expand existing ones through next year. |
| In August the POA warned of rising tensions at HMP Manchester, formerly Strangeways, where there was a 25-day riot in 1990. | In August the POA warned of rising tensions at HMP Manchester, formerly Strangeways, where there was a 25-day riot in 1990. |
| The prison was housing nearly 300 more inmates than recommended, said the POA. | The prison was housing nearly 300 more inmates than recommended, said the POA. |
| It was also reported in August that the Home Office was also drawing up plans to release thousands of prisoners 10 days early to free up cells. | It was also reported in August that the Home Office was also drawing up plans to release thousands of prisoners 10 days early to free up cells. |
| Edward Leigh, head of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, has called for more foreign prisoners to be deported. | Edward Leigh, head of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, has called for more foreign prisoners to be deported. |