IAPDC responds to emergency measures to ease prison overcrowding
Today’s announcement by the Lord Chancellor that thousands of prisoners will be released early testifies to the serious and enduring challenges faced by the prison service. While we recognise the regrettable need for immediate action to address the current overcrowding crisis, these measures are simply a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
What we desperately need is a robust, joined-up plan to deliver the comprehensive reform that will prevent this situation from happening again and ensure the prison service can deliver the healthcare, support, and meaningful regime that is needed to keep prisoners safe. The Panel welcomes plans for a 10-year capacity strategy which we believe must include the establishment of non-negotiable ‘redlines’ that custody numbers will never be permitted to exceed safe capacity.
Additionally, we wholly welcome the decision to recruit an additional 1,000 probation officers to support the release of offenders. The probation service also has a vital role to play providing effective pre-sentence court reports and supervision to maximise the use of community sentences and ensure the most vulnerable offenders get the right support. This remains vital to bringing down the consistently high and unacceptable rate of deaths in custody.