Howard League responds to Ten Prisons Project analysis

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to the Ministry of Justice’s analysis of its Ten Prisons Project, published today (Thursday 22 August).

Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “Reducing violence in seven of the 10 prisons is welcome, but how the money was spent, and whether it could have been better spent, requires a proper review.

“Tightening security in a few troubled prisons is all well and good, but ministers will have to take a different approach if they want to tackle the problems in more than 100 jails across the country. With a flurry of announcements to the media, Boris Johnson has put himself at the front and centre of the fight to keep drugs out of prisons and prevent crime.

“The Prime Minister splurging cash on security measures will fail to deliver if prisoners are given nothing to do and released with nowhere to live. Without a fundamental change in approach and reducing the number of people held behind bars, prisons will continue to be like polluting factories, spewing out more and more crime into the communities around them.

“The Howard League is working on a programme to explore how to inject justice and fairness into prisons. Locks and scanners are not enough.”

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.

2. The results of the Ten Prisons Project can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/results-from-the-10-prisons-project

Contact

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

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