News

The record prison population is preventing prisons and young offenders institutions from providing adequate purposeful activity and resettlement work for prisoners, according to a new report, writes Clare Jerrom.

Overcrowding is causing prisons to fail in the provision of sufficient work, education, offending behaviour programmes and resettlement advice, the Prison Reform Trust study reveals. Some prisoners are also prevented from seeing their families because they are being held a long distance from them.

The findings are based on a study of boards of visitors, which are independent watchdogs appointed by the home secretary to monitor prison conditions. Seventy seven boards of visitors said the prison they monitored is adversely affected by overcrowding.

The population is having an impact on the safety of the prisoners and staff. In some prisons, the level of assaults and incidence of self-harm has increased.

Prisons are also being forced to hold inmates inappropriately in wrong security conditions or in unsuitable parts of the prison.

The report warns that urgent action is needed to reduce the prison population. It warns that unless less serious offenders are diverted away from prison and into supervision in the community, any attempts to prepare prisoners for release into the society will be severely undermined.

'Prison Overcrowding: The Inside Story' is available from 020 7251 5070.