Justice Secretary Jack Straw has hinted that the government may not go ahead with plans to build huge new so-called "Titan" jails in England and Wales.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw has hinted that the government may not go ahead with plans to build huge new so-called "Titan" jails in England and Wales.
Mr Straw told the BBC: "We're not definitely going to go ahead."
Mr Straw told the BBC: "We're not definitely going to go ahead."
It came as Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers warned in her annual report the system was at breaking point.
It came as Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers warned in her annual report the system was at breaking point.
She attacked the Titan plans, saying a building programme should not supersede re-offending schemes, reform of women's jails, probation and mental health.
She attacked the Titan plans, saying a building programme should not supersede re-offending schemes, reform of women's jails, probation and mental health.
She says disaster from overcrowding has only been staved off because of expensive emergency measures and the crisis in prison numbers had been "predicated and predictable".
She says disaster from overcrowding has only been staved off because of expensive emergency measures and the crisis in prison numbers had been "predicated and predictable".
Planning permission issue
Planning permission issue
In her annual report, Ms Owers said the prison system was struggling to cope with population pressures and was at a "crossroads".
In her annual report, Ms Owers said the prison system was struggling to cope with population pressures and was at a "crossroads".
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing.
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing.
We are not definitely going ahead with them Jack StrawJustice Secretary
We are not definitely going ahead with them Jack StrawJustice Secretary
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.
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 had announced plans for more prisons, including three "Titan" super jails, housing 2,500 inmates each.
Ministers had announced plans for more prisons, including three "Titan" super jails, housing 2,500 inmates each.
However, Mr Straw admitted there was doubt over the scheme.
However, Mr Straw admitted there was doubt over the scheme.
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France."
"We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France."
Self-inflicted deaths
Self-inflicted deaths
Ms Owers said she did not think "prison building should be driving our prison policy".
Resources needed to be freed up to support people after jail and to "prevent people getting there in the first place", she said.
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
"We also need effective prisons and if we look across the Channel we see the French who built one of these kinds of prisons in the 1980s and have never done so again.
"We do need to learn from evidence."
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.
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 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 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.
'Feeling the strain'
"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."
"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
Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning.
Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April was fraught with risk.
Early release?
The cuts would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning, she said.
"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 Nick CleggLib Dem leader
We must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment Nick CleggLib Dem leader
However, Mr Straw said under Labour crime has fallen and the number of prison places provided has risen by 20,000.
However, Mr Straw said under Labour crime has fallen and the number of prison places provided has risen by 20,000.
"We have got spare places - about 1,200 - and that's more head room than we had last summer," he said.
There are currently 1,200 spare places, with an additional 1,000 coming on stream in April and 2,600 during 2008.
"We also have 1,000 places coming on stream by April and 2,600 during the course of this year."
Mr Straw said overcrowding was "a problem", but he denied this would automatically lead to the early release of prisoners.
Mr Straw said overcrowding was "a problem", but he denied this would automatically lead to the early release of prisoners.
"I sincerely hope not," he said, adding: "You can never ever completely rule these things out."
"I sincerely hope not," he said, adding: "You can never ever completely rule these things out."
Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the report was "a powerful indictment of the government's mismanagement of our prisons and it should shame ministers".
Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the report was "a powerful indictment of the government's mismanagement of our prisons and it should shame ministers".
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This breathtaking report shows Britain's prisons are on the brink of disaster.
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."
"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."
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Do you work in the prison service or have served a sentence in prison? What's your reaction to this story? Send us your comments by filling out the form below.
