Howard League responds to Prime Minister’s prison reform proposals

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to proposals to reform prisons, to be outlined by the Prime Minister today (Monday 8 February).

Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said:

“Today brings a welcome speech from the Prime Minister, which opens up a space for radical and rational thinking. The Prime Minister is right to say that we do need prisons, and right to say that we don’t need prisons as they are today.Prisons are currently violent and overcrowded. As such, they fail everyone: victims, the public, staff and prisoners themselves. Prison reform, however, is the tip of the iceberg. Improved education and increased autonomy for governors will not work if there are people crammed into filthy institutions with no staff to open the cell doors. We need action now to tackle sentence inflation and the profligate use of prison. Then the Prime Minister’s vision can become a reality.”

Notes to editors

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

Contact

Rob Preece
Campaigns and Communications Manager
Tel: +44 (0)20 7241 7880
Mobile: +44 (0)7714 604955
Email: robert.preece@howardleague.org

ISDN line available on 020 7923 4196 – uses a G722 system

For enquiries outside normal office hours, please call +44 (0)7918 681094.

See the clip below for the Howard League’s Director of Campaigns, Andrew Neilson, commenting on the Victoria Derbyshire programme.

Improving prisoner education is “holy grail”, but fewer staff & overcrowding will make it tough – @TheHowardLeague https://t.co/U2BbYXS741

— Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) February 8, 2016