Former minister says, make more use of open jails

The man leading the government’s sentencing review has suggested the UK should “make more use of open prisons” to avoid overcrowding and reduce recidivism.

David Gauke told many times that “we are running out of space” in prisons and that there is “an opportunity” for change in the system if prisoners are given more freedom to leave prison to study and work during the day.

The former Conservative justice secretary has been called on by the government to review sentencing and tackle overcrowding.

His comments follow a visit to three prisons in Spain, where reforms have led to 25% of prisoners being held in open prisons.

He said the policy saved money and better prepared prisoners for release, making them less likely to reoffend.

Gauke served as Justice Secretary in Theresa May’s cabinet between January 2018 and July 2019.

Earlier this year he was appointed to lead the government punishment reviewIt is expected to consider scrapping short sentences as an alternative to prison and toughening up community orders.

The review was a Labor manifesto pledge and the party has also appointed Lord Timpson, the former head of a key-cutting chain that hires former criminals and head of the Prison Reform Trust, as its prisons minister.

“I think there’s a growing recognition that we’ve gone down the path of increasing sentences to such an extent that it’s not doing anything to reduce crime, but it’s causing significant costs,” Gauke told the Times. It is increasing.”

“It’s not about being soft on crime, it’s about reducing crime more effectively.”

the government has has already been released An emergency plan has been drawn up to free 5,500 prisoners from cells soon and prevent the justice system collapsing, and a sentencing review aimed at imposing more non-custodial sentences has also been announced.

The policy is to be reviewed in 18 months.

According to the latest Ministry of Justice figures released on 23 December, there are currently 85,877 people in prison in England and Wales. The current operational capacity of the prisons is 88,688.

The Justice Ministry has promised to find a total of 14,000 cell spaces in prisons by 2031.

About 6,400 of these will be in newly built prisons, which will cost £2.3 billion over the next two years.

But earlier in December, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that simply building more prisons would not solve the overcrowding crisis.

Asked whether the estate would run out of cells within three years, despite the 14,000 extra places, Mahmood said: “We will run out of all new supply, with the increase in prison population we will see as a result. ” “New supply doesn’t help you increase demand, because demand is still growing faster than any supply.”

Gauke also said building more prisons is not the solution Freeing up space requires a more “strategic” approach.

The sentencing review is expected to make its recommendations in the spring.