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Friday 24 October 2014

Overcrowded and understaffed prisons causing “immense damage”

The Green Party have criticised the state of jails in England and Wales and demanded major improvements following the release of the Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick. Figures show that, in just one year, there were 85 self-inflicted deaths in male prisons alone and a further 17,474 incidents involving self harm (1,075 more cases than the previous year).

Alongside the rising levels of self-harm and violence, reports have recorded an alarming cut of prison officers by 30 per cent in three years coinciding with an overcrowding crisis and the closure of many prisons.

Responding to the latest figures, Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said: "Nick Hardwick rightly talks about the 'terrible toll' that prison suicides are taking in our overcrowded, understaffed, underresourced prisons. It is clear that prisons, which should be rehabilitating prisoners, helping them to prepare for their future lives and, where needed, providing mental health and addiction support, are in fact causing immense damage to the individuals in them. They are failing prison inmates, failing society, and failing to tackle the causes that lead to criminal behaviour."

The prison population total of England and Wales currently ranks 4th highest in Europe and, alarmingly, has the 17th highest total in the world but the proportion of prison officers to prisoners currently stands at nearly 5 prisoners to only one officer.

Ms Bennett concluded: "This is not only inhumane, and inappropriate for a decent society, but shortsighted. Investment in decent facilities, adequate levels of well trained staff and policies that only lock up individuals when necessary, would not only produce better outcomes, but save a great deal of money and human suffering."

The Green Party say it has a robust policy on prison reform, they say that retributive sentencing to be ineffective in reducing crime, and that a less punitive and more rehabilitative system would favour society, the taxpayer and prison officers.