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| Straw aims for cut in reoffending | Straw aims for cut in reoffending |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| The justice secretary has said fresh prison reforms will cut reoffending rates, reduce drug use in jails and give more skills to offenders. | The justice secretary has said fresh prison reforms will cut reoffending rates, reduce drug use in jails and give more skills to offenders. |
| Jack Straw said he wanted to press ahead with three huge "Titan" prisons - one each in south-east England, the north-west and the West Midlands. | Jack Straw said he wanted to press ahead with three huge "Titan" prisons - one each in south-east England, the north-west and the West Midlands. |
| Criminals would also be encouraged to go on behaviour programmes, he said. | Criminals would also be encouraged to go on behaviour programmes, he said. |
| But the Liberal Democrats claimed better drugs rehabilitation and mental health provision were "years" overdue. | But the Liberal Democrats claimed better drugs rehabilitation and mental health provision were "years" overdue. |
| It comes as it emerged that 16,197 prisoners in England and Wales were released early due to jail overcrowding since June - under an emergency scheme which releases people up to 18 days before their sentences end. | |
| On Wednesday, Mr Straw suggested that the "Titan" jails might not go ahead because the government did not have planning permission for them. | On Wednesday, Mr Straw suggested that the "Titan" jails might not go ahead because the government did not have planning permission for them. |
| "We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, prompting suggestions of a government U-turn. | "We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, prompting suggestions of a government U-turn. |
| Removing 'barriers' | Removing 'barriers' |
| But later Prime Minister Gordon Brown said they would be built, after consultation. | But later Prime Minister Gordon Brown said they would be built, after consultation. |
| Mr Straw said in a written statement that the government's plans signalled "a major drive to overcome some of the barriers to the rehabilitation of offenders". | Mr Straw said in a written statement that the government's plans signalled "a major drive to overcome some of the barriers to the rehabilitation of offenders". |
| Providing enhanced vocational training to prisoners is instrumental in helping offenders turn away from crime Jack Straw, Justice Secretary | Providing enhanced vocational training to prisoners is instrumental in helping offenders turn away from crime Jack Straw, Justice Secretary |
| He said: "These measures are focused on tackling drug use among offenders and providing opportunities for offenders to learn the new skills which might help them to a life away from crime outside prison." | He said: "These measures are focused on tackling drug use among offenders and providing opportunities for offenders to learn the new skills which might help them to a life away from crime outside prison." |
| A project to train prisoners in installing voice and data cabling was to begin at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London involving companies including Cisco, Bovis Lend Lease and Panduit, Mr Straw said. | A project to train prisoners in installing voice and data cabling was to begin at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London involving companies including Cisco, Bovis Lend Lease and Panduit, Mr Straw said. |
| He said "enhanced vocational training" would help prisoners turn away from crime and give them back "stability, discipline and responsibility". | He said "enhanced vocational training" would help prisoners turn away from crime and give them back "stability, discipline and responsibility". |
| Targeting drugs | Targeting drugs |
| Ministers will consider further measures to reduce the drug flow into prisons, such as reviewing the way visits are conducted, more rigorous searches and an increase in sniffer dogs. | Ministers will consider further measures to reduce the drug flow into prisons, such as reviewing the way visits are conducted, more rigorous searches and an increase in sniffer dogs. |
| The flip-flopping on the so-called 'Titan' prisons betrays the lack of forward planning in the department David Heath, Liberal Democrats' justice spokesman | The flip-flopping on the so-called 'Titan' prisons betrays the lack of forward planning in the department David Heath, Liberal Democrats' justice spokesman |
| And more of those serving sentences of less than a year would be given "community-based punishments" rather than spells in prison, combining unpaid work, behaviour programmes and electronic monitoring, all of which would be intensively supervised. | And more of those serving sentences of less than a year would be given "community-based punishments" rather than spells in prison, combining unpaid work, behaviour programmes and electronic monitoring, all of which would be intensively supervised. |
| Mr Straw said there would also be "a competition for a new prison ship" and added that a consultation had begun for a new jail at the former RAF Coltishall airfield in Norfolk. | Mr Straw said there would also be "a competition for a new prison ship" and added that a consultation had begun for a new jail at the former RAF Coltishall airfield in Norfolk. |
| 'Flip-flopping' | 'Flip-flopping' |
| But the Liberal Democrats' justice spokesman, David Heath, insisted that "extra investment in drugs rehabilitation and mental health provision should have been introduced years ago". | But the Liberal Democrats' justice spokesman, David Heath, insisted that "extra investment in drugs rehabilitation and mental health provision should have been introduced years ago". |
| "The flip-flopping on the so-called 'Titan' prisons betrays the lack of forward planning in the department, he said. | "The flip-flopping on the so-called 'Titan' prisons betrays the lack of forward planning in the department, he said. |
| Labour had provided 20,000 more prison places, Mr Straw said | Labour had provided 20,000 more prison places, Mr Straw said |
| "This is a government desperate to find a way out of a crisis of its own making. I suppose that we should be grateful that at least some of the ideas Jack Straw is grasping at have been Liberal Democrat policies over many years, but I hope they are given the resources to make them work." | "This is a government desperate to find a way out of a crisis of its own making. I suppose that we should be grateful that at least some of the ideas Jack Straw is grasping at have been Liberal Democrat policies over many years, but I hope they are given the resources to make them work." |
| And Jackie Worrall of crime reduction charity Nacro said the government's proposals were "certainly not new". | And Jackie Worrall of crime reduction charity Nacro said the government's proposals were "certainly not new". |
| "Opportunities for tackling drug addiction and making links with employers on the outside have existed for some time, but long-term overcrowding has severely hampered access to the programmes," she added. | "Opportunities for tackling drug addiction and making links with employers on the outside have existed for some time, but long-term overcrowding has severely hampered access to the programmes," she added. |
| Record high | Record high |
| Chairman of the Prison Officers' Association Colin Moses said the whole prison system was in crisis and while Mr Straw's statement was a "step in the right direction" - more money was needed to deliver results. | Chairman of the Prison Officers' Association Colin Moses said the whole prison system was in crisis and while Mr Straw's statement was a "step in the right direction" - more money was needed to deliver results. |
| He said "efficiency savings" imposed on the prison service meant staff cuts, prisoners held in their cells for longer and behaviour programmes cancelled. | He said "efficiency savings" imposed on the prison service meant staff cuts, prisoners held in their cells for longer and behaviour programmes cancelled. |
| And Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said it was right to focus on getting prisoners a job to help them lead law-abiding lives. | And Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said it was right to focus on getting prisoners a job to help them lead law-abiding lives. |
| But she added: "The key to success in bringing down re-offending rates will be whether ministers are willing and able to reduce the enormous number of people in prison who do not need to be there." | But she added: "The key to success in bringing down re-offending rates will be whether ministers are willing and able to reduce the enormous number of people in prison who do not need to be there." |
| Last year the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing. | Last year the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing. |
| There are currently 1,200 spare places, with an additional 1,000 coming on stream in April and 2,600 during 2008. | There are currently 1,200 spare places, with an additional 1,000 coming on stream in April and 2,600 during 2008. |