Green Party: Prisons should be secure and fit for purpose not danger zones

12 January 2017

The Green Party has responded to the revelation probation officers are supervising up to 80 offenders at a time. The pressures on the probation service were revealed in a report looking at Staffordshire and Stoke, by HM Chief Inspector of Probation Dame Glenys Stacey. [1]

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“Our prisons should be places of security, not danger zones. It’s deeply concerning such a vital service is so stretched. It’s unfair to the probation officers who are suffering under excessive workloads, it means that offenders do not get what they need, and puts everyone at risk.

“This report tells a familiar story. All over the country, offenders are being lost in a system that isn't fit for purpose. Government cuts and privatisation have wreaked havoc on our prisons, with outbreaks of violence, including riots and deaths, becoming commonplace.

“We believe a complete overhaul of our failing prison system is necessary, with all prisons brought back into public hands. In the long term, the best way to stop our justice system being overloaded is to invest in education and tackle crime at its root.”

Notes:

1. https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/inspections/staffordshirestokeqi/

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