Re: bliar's prison service continues in chaos.....

On Tue, 30 May 2006 02:59:12 +0200, abelard <abelard3@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/prisons/story/0,,1785585,00.html
"The most senior judge in the country makes wide criticisms of the
criminal justice system today and warns prison overcrowding is proving
"absolutely fatal" for efforts to tackle the treatment of inmates.

It seems there's a case for building new prisons to ease this
overcrowding.

I note these points from later in the article:

* "In a broad-ranging interview for the Guardian, his first on penal
matters, Lord Phillips warns that judges should not send people to
prison unless they really have to and that the "sensible place for
rehabilitation is in the community"."

That's fine if the offender does not present a risk to the community.
If they do, ISTM they should be in jail. Also, ISTM violent offenders
should not expect non-custodial sentences except in exceptional
circumstances.

* "He said one reason why prison numbers were rising was because drug
users were deliberately committing offences to get on prison help
programmes. "We need much better drug rehabilitation facilities in the
community," he said."It should not be necessary to commit an offence
in order to get drug treatment. I am afraid the reality in many parts
of the country is that it is.""

I agree that it is ridiculous and counter-productive for people
addicted to drugs to have to commit an offence in order to get access
to rehab services.

* "He also said:

· it was pointless to send people to jail for two-week sentences;

· there should be many more beds for prisoners with mental health
problems so that they could be taken out of jails;

· that the public would not tolerate community sentencing if it did
not involve "significant punishment";

· he had come across prisoners offered community sentences who
preferred to go to prison, so they could get treatment."

Fine as far as it goes... I'd add that "community sentencing" should
not put the public at risk.

James

--
James Hammerton, http://jameshammerton.blogspot.com/
Contributor to Magna Carta Plus: http://www.magnacartaplus.org/
Magna Carta Plus News weblog: http://www.magnacartaplus.org/news/index.php
.