With its announcement last week that it intends to conduct a review of sentencing policy, the coalition government appears to be buying itself some time to consider the vexed issue of the prison population, and perhaps how to reconcile some of their contradictory election stances (and historical commitments).
Meanwhile, the political interlude has allowed the airing of some interesting perspectives on prison and sentencing policy over the last decade or so. For the latest, see today's comment by Lord Ramsbotham, former Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales 1995-2001 :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/may/24/prisons-policy-labour-crisis-probation
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks Fiona, that is a really interesting article and seems like Lord Ramsbotham's comments have come at a crucial time, when the new coalition government could choose to ignore the damage that this policy-making "on the back of a fag packet" can do and continue down this road, or they can move towards a more consistent long term approach. I wonder if the move towards a fixed-term of 5 years will, as the new coalition government have claimed, result in policy-making which is targeted towards laying the groundwork for a more stable future with consistent policy approaches, or whether they will inevitably fall victim to the cycle of reactionary punitiveness that we are used to. I suppose this will depend on the coalition approach to policy-making on the whole and whether the spirit of compromise and long-term, substantial approaches to change can continue, despite the significant differences and fringe-elements at play in both of the parties.
ReplyDeletein many ways Lord Ramsbottom is one of the usual suspects though - he can easily be dismissed by those who disagree with him by saying 'well he would say that wouldn't he?' Doesn't render his comments completely worthless though, it all adds to the drip drip background voices urging a change in direction. Interested parties seem to be using this interesting moment to put their message forward, see the prison reform trust briefing the other week too. If there is any time to change things, this is probably it.
ReplyDeleteShocking figures about the amount of time that probation officers actually spend with offenders though - 24%!! Also interesting to hear reoffending rates as a measure of 'public safety'. I wonder if that one will catch on..
I'm beginning to think this crime and justice hiatus could provide a very welcome pause for thought and reflection - assuming anyone's listening apart from the already converted. I see Lord Woolf, former Lord Chief Justice, has thrown his hat into the ring in today's Times, declaring himself delighted that there was no new criminal justice legislation in the Queen's Speech, and arguing against prison expansion.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7137358.ece