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| Top judge attacks sentencing laws | Top judge attacks sentencing laws |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The government's sentencing policy has forced overcrowding in jails to critical levels, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales has warned. | The government's sentencing policy has forced overcrowding in jails to critical levels, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales has warned. |
| Speaking at a Howard League for Penal Reform event, Lord Phillips said UK jails were "full to capacity", adding: "We simply cannot go on like this." | Speaking at a Howard League for Penal Reform event, Lord Phillips said UK jails were "full to capacity", adding: "We simply cannot go on like this." |
| He said legislation introduced in 2003 forcing judges to impose longer sentences had made the situation worse. | He said legislation introduced in 2003 forcing judges to impose longer sentences had made the situation worse. |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw welcomed his "important contribution". | Justice Secretary Jack Straw welcomed his "important contribution". |
| 'Not foreseen' | 'Not foreseen' |
| Lord Phillips told the audience that between 200 and 300 prisoners a night were being held in police cells in England and Wales because prisons were full. | Lord Phillips told the audience that between 200 and 300 prisoners a night were being held in police cells in England and Wales because prisons were full. |
| If you decide to lock up one man for a minimum term of 30 years, you are investing £1m or more in punishing him Lord Phillips of Worth MatraversLord Chief Justice Profile: Lord Chief Justice | |
| Jails, he said, were forced to close their doors to new admissions, with cells designed for one prisoner having to accommodate two. | Jails, he said, were forced to close their doors to new admissions, with cells designed for one prisoner having to accommodate two. |
| The problem, he said, was that consequences of the 2003 Criminal Justice Act - which led to longer sentences for murder and other serious crimes - had not been foreseen by ministers and MPs. | The problem, he said, was that consequences of the 2003 Criminal Justice Act - which led to longer sentences for murder and other serious crimes - had not been foreseen by ministers and MPs. |
| He added: "Unless parliament is prepared to provide whatever resources are necessary to give effect to the sentences that judges choose, in their discretion, to impose, parliament must re-examine the legislative framework for sentencing. | He added: "Unless parliament is prepared to provide whatever resources are necessary to give effect to the sentences that judges choose, in their discretion, to impose, parliament must re-examine the legislative framework for sentencing. |
| "I do not believe that these simple propositions have been fully appreciated by those responsible for formulating criminal policy." | "I do not believe that these simple propositions have been fully appreciated by those responsible for formulating criminal policy." |
| He called for more emphasis on fines and community rehabilitation as well as increased effort to tackle family breakdown. | He called for more emphasis on fines and community rehabilitation as well as increased effort to tackle family breakdown. |
| "If you decide to lock up one man for a minimum term of 30 years, you are investing £1m or more in punishing him," Lord Phillips continued. | "If you decide to lock up one man for a minimum term of 30 years, you are investing £1m or more in punishing him," Lord Phillips continued. |
| "That sum could pay for quite a few surgical operations or for a lot of remedial training in some of the schools where the staff are struggling to cope with the problems of trying to teach children who cannot even understand English. " | "That sum could pay for quite a few surgical operations or for a lot of remedial training in some of the schools where the staff are struggling to cope with the problems of trying to teach children who cannot even understand English. " |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw, said: "I welcome this significant speech. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw, said: "I welcome this significant speech. |
| "It makes an important contribution to a matter of great public interest." | "It makes an important contribution to a matter of great public interest." |
| Nick Herbert, the Conservative justice spokesman, said that the government had not paid attention to prison levels when setting the sentencing framework. | Nick Herbert, the Conservative justice spokesman, said that the government had not paid attention to prison levels when setting the sentencing framework. |
| He added: "We are now paying the price with grossly overcrowded prisons that do not rehabilitate offenders, rising reconviction rates and panic early release measures." | He added: "We are now paying the price with grossly overcrowded prisons that do not rehabilitate offenders, rising reconviction rates and panic early release measures." |