Warning over high risk prisoners

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High risk prisoners are wrongly being sent to open prisons, the National Association of Probation Officers has warned the government.

It says 18 such offenders, including men guilty of robbery and GBH were transferred this month alone.

The Tories say the government is showing "a complete disregard for safety" by using open prisons to ease overcrowding in higher-security jails.

The government insists proper checks are made before prisoners are moved.

In October last year, the then Home Secretary John Reid said "maximum flexibility" would be used in transfers to open prisons in a bid to solve overcrowding.

Appropriate use

But police have been forced to issue a series of warnings about dangerous criminals on the run from such institutions since then.

Raymond Alvin Kennedy, serving an indeterminate sentence for kicking and beating a vagrant to death in 1991, was recaptured on Christmas Eve after three months on the run.

Harry Fletcher, Napo's assistant general secretary, said open prisons are an excellent idea but must be used appropriately.

"If staff are warning that individuals with a high risk of harm to the community are being referred their concerns must be listened to.

"It is essential that open jails are used for prisoners who have been properly assessed as non-dangerous, are near the end of their sentence and who will benefit from resettlement regimes."

Prison failure

Earlier this year the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, warned that the guidance on whether high or very high risk offenders should be in open prisons at all was "unclear".

Shadow Justice Minister Edward Garnier said: "Open prisons should be used as part of a considered sentence plan to get prisoners gradually back into the community.

"They should not be used to cover up the government's failure to plan and its serial incompetence in running the prison estate."

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "Our position has always been to safeguard the public.

"Any transfer to open conditions would be on the basis of a rigorous and individual risk assessment. This position has not changed."