'Labour need to think outside the cell - early prison releases do not solve the crisis' - Mark Oaten
"Early release should be dependent on achieving a qualification or learning to read and write or speak English," says Mark Oaten
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“Lock them up and throw away the key” is arguably one of the most failed policies in the criminal justice system.
It has resulted in record levels of prisoners and had no impact on reducing crime levels. Previous Labour governments have avoided tackling the prison crisis for fear of looking weak on crime, so it was a surprise that Keir Starmer's first statement after becoming PM was to announce the early release of prisoners to reduce overcrowding.
Alongside this he also appointed a non-politician as Prisons Minister – entrepreneur James Timpson (yes of key cutting fame), who has a track record employing ex-offenders. It’s a bold and creative appointment. But it will take more than a few early releases to solve the underlying crisis.
We need to rethink what prison is for. Yes, it's punishment and yes, it’s to keep dangerous people locked up, but there is another overlooked role.
Rehabilitation is not just some soft liberal objective, it's actually the hard part- it’s the bit that stops prisoners from re-offending when they leave jail- and that is a really important task if we are to cut crime.
I remember when I was Shadow Home Secretary visiting a prison in Holland and asking why the place looked half empty- “Oh most of the prisoners are not here they are out working each day,” I was told.
The reoffending rates were so much better as the prison saw training and finding jobs for offenders as a function.
In the UK we have no real structure for training our prisoners. I remember a female prisoner asking me if I could try to keep her in jail for longer simply so she could finish her hairdressing qualifications, something she would not be able to do on the outside - a ridiculous situation.
So, we need to turn the whole sentencing and prison regime upside down. Tougher sentences for the few violent criminals, but for the vast majority sentences should be linked to a set of education and training standards.
For example, early release should be dependent on achieving a qualification or learning to read and write or speak English.
Prisons should be kept for dangerous offenders. New secure training centres should be established for anyone with a 2-year or below sentence.
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And the work does not just stop at prison, when a prisoner leaves there needs to be much more support. It's near impossible to get a bank account, find a place to live or work with the ex-offender tag, which just leads to a vicious cycle of offending again.
The Labour Party need to think out of the cell and take on the Daily Mail headlines. For anyone thinking this is soft on crime- it’s not- it’s tough to make an offender learn and get a job and then contribute to society- it makes our streets safer.
The real soft policy is to keep people locked away for 23 hours a day- that’s the lazy option and it doesn’t work.