What a Waste!

 

There’d always been a hope against hope that the new Labour government might change course on penal policy. Up until yesterday's statement and strategy on prison capacity.

To their credit, they’ve commissioned a comprehensive re-evaluation of the sentencing framework designed to make greater use of punishment outside prison.

But just as the Independent Sentencing Review led by David Gauke has started work, the Ministry of Justice has anyway pledged to continue with the last government’s prison building programme. It’s a match made in haste they may well repent at leisure.

While the rate of imprisonment in England and Wales is already twice as high as in Germany and the Netherlands, the government has decided that yet more people should be locked up for longer, regardless of the financial, social and ethical costs.

So much for an administration that promises a test and learn culture to tackle the biggest challenges; or a Finance Ministry that will take an Iron Fist against waste.

Before signing off the spending, has anyone there asked if this is the best way of protecting the public and reducing reoffending? Last month three former Lord Chief Justices told the Howard League that the answer was a resounding no. 

Surely at least some of the money earmarked for new prison places would be better used to make existing ones decent; or better to strengthen alternatives to prison- through more hospital beds, drug treatment or probation hostels.

Or better still to fund properly activities which can prevent serious youth violence - like mentoring and therapy – or those which can deal more constructively with crime- like restorative justice.

Even if Mr Gauke recommends more approaches like this, the government won’t be able to fund them.

Older readers may know Ian Dury and the Blockheads’ 1978 hit “What a Waste.”  I was reminded of the lines

“I could be the catalyst that sparks the revolution,
 I could be an inmate in a long-term institution”.

More of the latter than the former in these disappointing announcements.

 

 

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