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Labour sees sense on prison reform - Beeb


Rob W
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Clarke unveils prison reform plan

 

Sending fewer criminals to jail is the key to improving prison and probation services in England and Wales, Home Secretary Charles Clarke has said.

 

Effective community sentencing, with unpaid work at its core, was not a "soft option" he told BBC Radio 4. He is due to unveil a five-year plan for the criminal justice system, but keeping dangerous criminals in jail. Prison reform groups backed the plans but said proper funding was needed to ensure prison populations stay down.

 

 

We want to get the toughness into the community sentence

Charles Clarke, Home Secretary

 

The public and those involved in the criminal justice system needed to have confidence in the system, which it currently did not have, he told the programme.

He said there needed to be a "visible payback" by offenders with the aim of rehabilitation being central.

 

"I do not think it (community sentencing) is a soft option," he said. "We want to get the toughness into the community sentence."

 

Among other proposals, Mr Clarke said prisoners would be made to sign contracts pledging not to re-offend in return for help with housing and jobs on release. What makes the difference in halting re-offending is a prisoner's "state of mind", he said.

Prisoners who committed to "sorting themselves out" would get the help to get on that path, he said.

 

Private sector

 

He said the new five-year plan would give "clarity" to improving the criminal justice system, agreeing that this had sometimes caused "confusion". He also brushed off suggestions that there was backbench rebellion towards the idea of any future involvement of the private sector.

 

Most MPs wanted an effective system to stop people re-offending and get them back into society, not any particular "ideological" view, he maintained .Help from the voluntary and private sector could be incorporated to achieve this aim, he said.

 

Figures compiled by a prison reform group last month suggested England and Wales had a higher proportion of the population behind bars than any other western European country.

 

According to the Howard League for Penal Reform, 140.4 people in every 100,000 of the population are in jail - double the rate of Scandinavian countries. Last October Home Office figures revealed there were 77,800 inmates - just 373 short of the total capacity.

 

Mr Clarke said that there were "segments" in the numbers in prisons where the numbers were too high, including foreign nationals, those on remand, women, young people and those on short sentences. He is due to explain further the idea of "community jails" where prisoners on shorter sentences would be incarcerated closer to their families.

 

Juliet Long from the Prison Reform Trust gave a broad welcome to the government's plans. "I think what they're trying to do - and it is right - is to rebalance the system, to use prison for the most serious, the most violent people," she said.

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and agrees with Rob W :lol:  :razz:  :razz:  :yes

91354[/snapback]

 

 

What do you class as prison offences?

91492[/snapback]

 

 

"prison for the most serious, the most violent people" sounds about right

 

Paedophiles, murderers, rapists, people who cause serious bodily harm, people who use guns, organised crime, drug dealers................

 

Not people who haven't paid their TV licences or who have shouted "bollocks" at T Blair

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and agrees with Rob W :lol:  :razz:  :razz:  :yes

91354[/snapback]

 

 

What do you class as prison offences?

91492[/snapback]

 

 

"prison for the most serious, the most violent people" sounds about right

 

Paedophiles, murderers, rapists, people who cause serious bodily harm, people who use guns, organised crime, drug dealers................

 

Not people who haven't paid their TV licences or who have shouted "bollocks" at T Blair

91525[/snapback]

What about burglars Rob, shoudln't they go?

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As I said...safer.  Where do you stand on tax evaders?

91561[/snapback]

 

 

they should be forced to pay the money they owe, plus an enormous fine and have to pick up litter in the West End with flourescent jackets with "I am a loathsome tax evader" on the back - that's what they do in Singapore - where Happiness is our Way of Life of course

 

Why spend more of our money banging them up FFS

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As I said...safer.  Where do you stand on tax evaders?

91561[/snapback]

 

 

they should be forced to pay the money they owe, plus an enormous fine and have to pick up litter in the West End with flourescent jackets with "I am a loathsome tax evader" on the back - that's what they do in Singapore - where Happiness is our Way of Life of course

 

Why spend more of our money banging them up FFS

91575[/snapback]

 

And burglars, drug dealers, accountants of organised criminals, why waste money on them?

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Burglars should definitely go to prison in my view, it's a despicable crime. And, I've never been a victim of it, in case anyone thinks that's swayed my view.

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I had drug dealers on my "inside" list to be fair......................

91604[/snapback]

 

Yeah, that's why I mentioned them, I thought you might be able to explain your position. I don't like Leazes' politics but at least he's consistent. Yours are increasingly the delusional ramblings of a mad old fart tbh.

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I had drug dealers on my "inside" list to be fair......................

91604[/snapback]

 

Yeah, that's why I mentioned them, I thought you might be able to explain your position. I don't like Leazes' politics but at least he's consistent. Yours are increasingly the delusional ramblings of a mad old fart tbh.

91613[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

(You know you are winning when all they can do is call you names - and its only Thursday :angry:B):nufc: )

 

I'm not talking about people like you and I who might occasionaly need to make a few $$ selling to friends and relations and the police but the big importers

 

Don't see what is delusional about that TBH

 

 

And any mad man like Leazes is consistent - he doesn't allow reality to intrude into his bizarre world

 

I, on the other hand, use my vast age and experience (and TBH intelligence and good looks) to take a view on each issue. It may not look simple to the uneducated but the world is a very complex place and you should be thankful I am willing - nay, keen- to try and help out you youngsters :lol::razz::razz::yes

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(You know you are winning when all they can do is call you names - and its only Thursday  :angry:  B)  :nufc: )

 

I'm not talking about people like you and I who might occasionaly need to make a few $$ selling to friends and relations and the police but the big importers

 

Don't see what is delusional about that TBH

 

 

And any mad man like Leazes is consistent  - he doesn't allow reality to intrude into his bizarre world

 

I, on the other hand, use my vast age and experience (and TBH intelligence and good looks) to take a view on each issue.  It may not look simple to the uneducated but the world is a very complex place and you should be thankful I am willing - nay, keen- to try and help out you youngsters  :lol:  :razz:  :razz:  :yes

91667[/snapback]

 

You make a lot of assumptions for a well travelled man.

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Street performers too.

91610[/snapback]

 

 

upside down in the scorpion pit as Mr Pratchett suggests

91670[/snapback]

Stick that tiresome cunt in the stocks while you're at it.

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Stick that tiresome cunt in the stocks while you're at it.

91689[/snapback]

 

:lol: Did he make wrong love with you when you were young, or something?

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