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'Weekend prison' scheme scrapped 'Weekend prison' scheme scrapped
(30 minutes later)
The Home Office is to abandon pilot schemes for "weekend prison" to free up prison places for serious offenders.The Home Office is to abandon pilot schemes for "weekend prison" to free up prison places for serious offenders.
Intermittent Custody Orders were launched in January 2004 for people who had committed an offence but were not judged high risk.Intermittent Custody Orders were launched in January 2004 for people who had committed an offence but were not judged high risk.
When they were not in prison, they were under the supervision of probation officers, either working, looking for a job or doing unpaid community work.When they were not in prison, they were under the supervision of probation officers, either working, looking for a job or doing unpaid community work.
The sentences will be withdrawn on 20 November, the Home Office said.The sentences will be withdrawn on 20 November, the Home Office said.
The decision comes as jails in England and Wales are so overcrowded that Home Secretary John Reid was forced to house prisoners in police station cells.The decision comes as jails in England and Wales are so overcrowded that Home Secretary John Reid was forced to house prisoners in police station cells.
'More serious offenders' 'Sentence overlooked'
Home Office minister Lady Scotland said although there were some benefits to the three-year pilot, the people it dealt with were not a priority. Home Office minister Baroness Scotland said although there were some benefits to the three-year pilot, the people it dealt with were not a priority.
"All of our attention, energies and resources must go into protecting the public from the most and more serious offenders," she said."All of our attention, energies and resources must go into protecting the public from the most and more serious offenders," she said.
The scheme was launched by the then Home Secretary David Blunkett at Kirkham Prison in Preston and Morton Hall prison in Lincoln. A research report, released by the Home Office, suggested some courts overlooked the sentence, cells were under-used and the pilot may not have been cost-effective.
Offenders spent weekends or weekdays in jail, and the rest of their time in the community supervised by probation officers. The scheme was unveiled two years ago by the then Home Secretary David Blunkett at Kirkham Prison in Preston and Morton Hall prison in Lincoln.
If they failed to behave, they could be given full-time custody. Since then, 447 people have been served intermittent custody orders, the Home Office said.
At its launch, Mr Blunkett said it could punish offenders while at the same time allowing them to participate in programmes to address their behaviour and made reparations to the community. Intermittent custody can play a key role by punishing offenders at the same time as ensuring they undertake programmes to address their behaviour and make reparation to the community David Blunkett
Of those, 323 were male prisoners and 124 were women.
The sentences were used for criminals convicted of violent crimes, theft, public order offences, fraud and forgery.
Offenders spent weekends or weekdays in one of the 78 cells in specially constructed residential units, outside the main perimeter fence of both jails.
The rest of their time was spent in the community supervised by probation officers. If they failed to behave, they could be given full-time custody.
At its launch, Mr Blunkett said: "Intermittent custody can play a key role by punishing offenders at the same time as ensuring they undertake programmes to address their behaviour and make reparation to the community."
But the scheme, which cost £4m in total, did not take off as anticipated.
'High compliance'
The report by researchers at King's College, London, showed that some units for part-time prisoners were left empty during the week.
It said 88% of sentences were ordered for weekend custody, meaning weekday custody was "considerably underused".
Judges who used the sentence were enthusiastic about applying it to offenders with jobs or childcare duties, the report said.
Figures up until July last year showed compliance was high with less than 10% breaching the conditions.
But it added that courts tended to overlook the sentence while training and publicity needed to fill spaces may not be cost effective.
The scheme has been criticised by the Conservatives, amongst others.The scheme has been criticised by the Conservatives, amongst others.
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said "weekend prisons" were inappropriate because there was no such thing as a "weekend criminal".Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said "weekend prisons" were inappropriate because there was no such thing as a "weekend criminal".