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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jails at crossroads says report | Jails at crossroads says report |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Chief Inspector of Prisons says the system has only staved off disaster from overcrowding because of expensive emergency measures. | The Chief Inspector of Prisons says the system has only staved off disaster from overcrowding because of expensive emergency measures. |
| In her annual report, Anne Owers said that the prison system was struggling to cope with population pressures and was at a "crossroads". | In her annual report, Anne Owers said that the prison system was struggling to cope with population pressures and was at a "crossroads". |
| She said the crisis in prison numbers had been "predicated and predictable". | She said the crisis in prison numbers had been "predicated and predictable". |
| The government has responded by promising more prison places and a "clear strategy" to solve overcrowding. | |
| Record high | Record high |
| During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing. | |
| The government is running a special emergency early release scheme to ease pressures on cell places. It is also using police cells for hundreds of inmates a week. | |
| Ministers have announced plans for more prisons, including three so-called "Titan" super jails which will be the largest in the country. | Ministers have announced plans for more prisons, including three so-called "Titan" super jails which will be the largest in the country. |
| While Ms Owers' report praises work in healthcare, education and managing offenders, she said these gains were at risk because of the overcrowding across England and Wales. | While Ms Owers' report praises work in healthcare, education and managing offenders, she said these gains were at risk because of the overcrowding across England and Wales. |
| The risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons | The risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons |
| She said figures showed there had been 40% more self-inflicted deaths over the year - particularly at the critical stage of reception. | She said figures showed there had been 40% more self-inflicted deaths over the year - particularly at the critical stage of reception. |
| The government's use of police cells to house some prisoners was undermining work to cut suicides, she said. | The government's use of police cells to house some prisoners was undermining work to cut suicides, she said. |
| "During the reporting year, the prison population went from one all-time high to another, staving off disaster only by a series of short-term, often expensive, emergency measures, together with the crisis management skills of those working within the prison system," she said. | "During the reporting year, the prison population went from one all-time high to another, staving off disaster only by a series of short-term, often expensive, emergency measures, together with the crisis management skills of those working within the prison system," she said. |
| "Training prisons, as well as local prisons, felt the strain, with more suicides, poorer resettlement outcomes and in many cases insufficient activity. | "Training prisons, as well as local prisons, felt the strain, with more suicides, poorer resettlement outcomes and in many cases insufficient activity. |
| "The management and use of indeterminate sentences continued to strand those prisoners in inappropriate prisons, and drive up the population. | "The management and use of indeterminate sentences continued to strand those prisoners in inappropriate prisons, and drive up the population. |
| "Even male juvenile prisons - the best-resourced male establishments - performed less well as a whole than those we inspected the previous year." | |
| 'Close down' warning | 'Close down' warning |
| Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April was fraught with risk. | Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April was fraught with risk. |
| The cuts would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning, she said. | The cuts would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning, she said. |
| She also attacked the planned Titan jails, saying a building programme should not come at the expense of re-offending schemes, reforming women's prisons, probation and mental health services. | She also attacked the planned Titan jails, saying a building programme should not come at the expense of re-offending schemes, reforming women's prisons, probation and mental health services. |
| "Our prison system is at a crossroads," she said. "There are signs of a more effective and measured approach to policy and strategy, some new initiatives, and plenty of good operational practice to build on. | "Our prison system is at a crossroads," she said. "There are signs of a more effective and measured approach to policy and strategy, some new initiatives, and plenty of good operational practice to build on. |
| "But, on the other hand, the risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation." | "But, on the other hand, the risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation." |
| We must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg | |
| Responding to the report, Prisons Minister David Hanson said: "I recognise the challenges and we have set out a clear strategy to address them. | Responding to the report, Prisons Minister David Hanson said: "I recognise the challenges and we have set out a clear strategy to address them. |
| "In December we set out our response to Lord Carter's review of prisons, and Baroness Corston's review of women in prisons. | "In December we set out our response to Lord Carter's review of prisons, and Baroness Corston's review of women in prisons. |
| "This will see more prison places, alongside a cross-government strategy to tackle the issue of women in prisons. We know there is more to do and we will of course examine the chief inspector's report with great care." | "This will see more prison places, alongside a cross-government strategy to tackle the issue of women in prisons. We know there is more to do and we will of course examine the chief inspector's report with great care." |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This breathtaking report shows Britain's prisons are on the brink of disaster. | |
| "The staggering number of suicides shows just what a mess our prisons are in. | |
| "This isn't a problem we can simply build our way out of...Instead we must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment." |