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10/04/2003
Extra funding secures 1000 more prison places
As the prison population lurches to another record level, the Home Office has welcomed the £174 million budget provisions that will add another 1,000 new jail places.
Of the total, £138 million will provide new prison places, including 80 in new Intermittent Custody Centres, giving prisoners the opportunity to maintain links with the community, care for their families and keep their jobs. This will push the England and Wales prison population to over 78,700 by 2006. The extra prison places will be available by the end of 2004 and are in addition to those announced in the Spending Reviews of 2000 and 2002 and last year's budget.
The remaining £36 million over three years will be spent on individual projects including the extension of Home Detention Curfew (HDC).
The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said: "This additional funding is particularly welcome because it gives us the chance to further improve and expand correctional services. We will increase the support given to prisoners to address offending behaviour and to maintain links with the community that we know keeps re-offending rates down."
The Home Secretary also announced that the maximum period prisoners may spend on HDC is to be increased from three to four and a half months. Only prisoners sentenced to less than four years imprisonment are eligible for HDC.
The scheme, which has seen over 60,000 prisoners complete curfews since its introduction in 1999, not only helps resettle offenders with greater effect but has a positive impact on the prison population – according to the Home Office.
It is anticipated that the extension means that at any one time up to 4,000 prisoners will be on HDC.
(GMcG)
Of the total, £138 million will provide new prison places, including 80 in new Intermittent Custody Centres, giving prisoners the opportunity to maintain links with the community, care for their families and keep their jobs. This will push the England and Wales prison population to over 78,700 by 2006. The extra prison places will be available by the end of 2004 and are in addition to those announced in the Spending Reviews of 2000 and 2002 and last year's budget.
The remaining £36 million over three years will be spent on individual projects including the extension of Home Detention Curfew (HDC).
The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said: "This additional funding is particularly welcome because it gives us the chance to further improve and expand correctional services. We will increase the support given to prisoners to address offending behaviour and to maintain links with the community that we know keeps re-offending rates down."
The Home Secretary also announced that the maximum period prisoners may spend on HDC is to be increased from three to four and a half months. Only prisoners sentenced to less than four years imprisonment are eligible for HDC.
The scheme, which has seen over 60,000 prisoners complete curfews since its introduction in 1999, not only helps resettle offenders with greater effect but has a positive impact on the prison population – according to the Home Office.
It is anticipated that the extension means that at any one time up to 4,000 prisoners will be on HDC.
(GMcG)
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Prisons face overcrowding crisis
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Prisons face overcrowding crisis
Prisons in England and Wales are under "enormous pressure" and are facing a "looming overcrowding crisis", according to a charity report. The Prison Reform Trust reported that prison numbers have crept up again since Christmas rising to over 77,000 again.
30 October 2003
Early deportation could save up to 400 prison places
Prisoners who are citizens of foreign countries are to be deported early, and so save around 400 prison places, under proposals outlined by Prisons and Probation Minister Paul Goggins today.
Early deportation could save up to 400 prison places
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28 August 2012
Most Prisons Are Overcrowded Statistics Show
Overcrowding and high reoffending rates are a fact of life in today’s prison system according to an analysis of recent prison population statistics by the Prison Reform Trust. Despite opening two new prisons this year with a capacity of 2,500 places, 59% of prisons in England and Wales are operating at an overcrowded level.
Most Prisons Are Overcrowded Statistics Show
Overcrowding and high reoffending rates are a fact of life in today’s prison system according to an analysis of recent prison population statistics by the Prison Reform Trust. Despite opening two new prisons this year with a capacity of 2,500 places, 59% of prisons in England and Wales are operating at an overcrowded level.
13 October 2005
Prisoner early release plan criticised
Home Office plans to release prisoners early under an electronic tagging scheme have sparked controversy. Under the plans, criminals sentenced to four years in prisons could be released after 18 months, while a two-year sentence would involve just six months in jail.
Prisoner early release plan criticised
Home Office plans to release prisoners early under an electronic tagging scheme have sparked controversy. Under the plans, criminals sentenced to four years in prisons could be released after 18 months, while a two-year sentence would involve just six months in jail.
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