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Press releasesREF: PR/07/07 DATE: 24th January 2007 To: ALL POLITICAL PRESS RELEASE Prisons Bursting at the Seams?The announcement by the Home Secretary Dr John Reid to open a wing at Norwich prison which has been deemed not fit for purpose following the announcement last week to open a wing at Pentonville prison has caused concerns within the leadership of the POA. The problem in respect of the prison population has been a live issue for several years and one that the Government has failed to address in real terms. It is clear that if cellular accommodation which is fit for purpose is to be used, significant investment in public sector prisons is paramount with new public sector prison places brought on line as soon as possible. The POA have identified the problems with categorisation of prisoners and accused the Prison Service of shoe-horning prisoners into open prisons when they are not suitable for this type of establishment and therefore placing the public at risk. The requests of judges and magistrates to only jail the most dangerous and persistent criminals in a bid to relieve prison overcrowding will not address the real underlying problems. The current prison population of almost 79,375 according to NOMS once again reiterates the problems within prisons. Colin Moses National Chairman of the POA said: “It is clear that the Home Secretary is attempting to paper-over the cracks of a crumbling prison service. We can only assume that this knee-jerk policy is an attempt to manage a prison service in crisis. We stand ready to assist the Home Secretary to maximise the use of existing prisons to deal with the prison population providing the accommodation is fit for purpose, the prison is fully staffed and adequate resources are in place to address offending behaviour. If the Home Secretary believes that radical action is needed then he should introduce an early release programme to ease the pressure on prisons”. Brian Caton General Secretary of the POA said: “Prisons in England and Wales have and continue to be bursting at the seams. The Service is being mismanaged and the POA is appalled that the Home Secretary steadfastly refuses to meet with the leadership of this union. We wish to put forward sensible and safe policies to ensure public support and trust is maintained in respect of public sector prisons, but this is not possible whilst people refuse to discuss the problems and possible solutions with this union. The cost to the taxpayer to continue to use police cells has to be justified, it appears to be a coincidence that today spaces appear within open prisons when several weeks ago there were no spaces to be had in this type of establishment. Is this because of the public pressure that has been placed on the Home Office due to media interest or is it the fact that the Prison Service accepts the categorisation policy is not fit for purpose”?
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