On Friday the prison population stood at 85,375, which is 1,124 below the
"useable operational capacity".
The level has almost doubled since the early 1990s and remained around the
mid 80,000s mark in recent years.
Ministers have resisted calls for direct measures designed to bring about an immediate cut in the prison population, instead focusing on driving down re-offending rates and improving confidence in non-custodial punishments.
Ms Albutt will say: "Currently our prisons are full to bursting. The
Government must be brave and reduce the prison population and don't worry about
votes. Don't dabble, just do it - because morally it is the right thing to
do."
Describing sentences of a year or less as "pointless", she will say: "This
cohort must be dealt with in a different way in the community.
"Executive Release is possible. We have prisoners on IPP (Imprisonment for
Public Protection) sentences years past their tariff but still in prison."
Jails are holding "old and infirm" inmates who are no longer a danger to
society, as well as "far too many mentally ill people where prison is absolutely
the worst place for them", she will tell conference.
Ms Albutt will express doubts over a Government commitment to provide 10,000
new prison places by 2020, describing the target as a "distant dream".She is also expected to warn that staffing issues mean prisons are unable to
deliver a rehabilitative regime.
The Government has launched a drive to add 2,500 new frontline officers and,
although Ms Albutt will acknowledge that the picture is improving, she will also
flag up the "attrition rate" in staffing levels.
She will say prisons have seen a year of "concerted indiscipline", with many
low level incidents happening daily.
Highlighting the impact of psychoactive substances, Ms Albutt will say they
"remain a constant threat to stability, reducing already depleted and sometimes
critical staffing levels further as prisoners are taken to A&E suffering
from the effects".
A Prison Service spokesman said: "The Justice Secretary has been clear that
our wide-ranging prison reforms will continue unabated and we will tackle the
challenges facing the estate head on.
"We have already taken immediate action to stabilise prisons; including
investing £1.3 billion to modernise the estate and significantly increasing
staff numbers by recruiting a net 2,500 extra prison officers.
"We are on track to meet this target by December 2018?
"In addition, we have empowered governors so they have more freedom to
innovate and make the best decisions for their prisons.
"By next year every governor will be able to tailor education and training to
the needs of their prisoners, providing offenders the right support and
challenge to help turn their backs on crime."
Andrea Albutt In a highly critical assessment, she will describe violence, suicide and self-harm statistics as "the worst we have ever seen" and raise the alarm over staffing levels.Penal reform campaigners frequently warn that
efforts to stabilise the estate will fail unless the number of inmates is
reduced.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/864284/Prisons-full-up-Britain-to-cut-number-behind-bars-prison-governors-Andrea-Albutt
http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/national/article/Government-urged-to-cut-prison-population-at-full-to-bursting-jails-a692f918-30fb-4dad-b1fe-ed9e6a245e1c-ds
On Friday the prison population stood at 85,375, which is 1,124 below the
"useable operational capacity".
The level has almost doubled since the early 1990s and remained around the
mid 80,000s mark in recent years.
Ministers have resisted calls for direct measures designed to bring about an immediate cut in the prison population, instead focusing on driving down re-offending rates and improving confidence in non-custodial punishments.
Ms Albutt will say: "Currently our prisons are full to bursting. The
Government must be brave and reduce the prison population and don't worry about
votes. Don't dabble, just do it - because morally it is the right thing to
do."
Describing sentences of a year or less as "pointless", she will say: "This
cohort must be dealt with in a different way in the community.
"Executive Release is possible. We have prisoners on IPP (Imprisonment for
Public Protection) sentences years past their tariff but still in prison."
Jails are holding "old and infirm" inmates who are no longer a danger to
society, as well as "far too many mentally ill people where prison is absolutely
the worst place for them", she will tell conference.
Ms Albutt will express doubts over a Government commitment to provide 10,000
new prison places by 2020, describing the target as a "distant dream".She is also expected to warn that staffing issues mean prisons are unable to
deliver a rehabilitative regime.
The Government has launched a drive to add 2,500 new frontline officers and,
although Ms Albutt will acknowledge that the picture is improving, she will also
flag up the "attrition rate" in staffing levels.
She will say prisons have seen a year of "concerted indiscipline", with many
low level incidents happening daily.
Highlighting the impact of psychoactive substances, Ms Albutt will say they
"remain a constant threat to stability, reducing already depleted and sometimes
critical staffing levels further as prisoners are taken to A&E suffering
from the effects".
A Prison Service spokesman said: "The Justice Secretary has been clear that
our wide-ranging prison reforms will continue unabated and we will tackle the
challenges facing the estate head on.
"We have already taken immediate action to stabilise prisons; including
investing £1.3 billion to modernise the estate and significantly increasing
staff numbers by recruiting a net 2,500 extra prison officers.
"We are on track to meet this target by December 2018?
"In addition, we have empowered governors so they have more freedom to
innovate and make the best decisions for their prisons.
"By next year every governor will be able to tailor education and training to
the needs of their prisoners, providing offenders the right support and
challenge to help turn their backs on crime."
Andrea Albutt In a highly critical assessment, she will describe violence, suicide and self-harm statistics as "the worst we have ever seen" and raise the alarm over staffing levels.Penal reform campaigners frequently warn that
efforts to stabilise the estate will fail unless the number of inmates is
reduced.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/864284/Prisons-full-up-Britain-to-cut-number-behind-bars-prison-governors-Andrea-Albutt
http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/national/article/Government-urged-to-cut-prison-population-at-full-to-bursting-jails-a692f918-30fb-4dad-b1fe-ed9e6a245e1c-ds
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