Prison overcrowding is due to politicians posing as ‘tough on crime’, according to a report.
It seems the Independent Sentencing Review found governments over the past 25 years jailed more criminals, in the face of evidence that it does not prevent re-offending.
Basically, they put more people in jail than should actually have gone – because evidence showed that they would be less likely to re-offend if they paid a community penalty instead.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Here’s the BBC:
Despite an overall decline in crime since the mid-1990s, England and Wales’ prison population has almost doubled between 1993 and 2012, the review found, while reoffending has stayed stubbornly high.
England and Wales has one of the highest prison population rates in western Europe, according to the report.
The review, led by former lord chancellor David Gauke, also found there were “knee-jerk” decisions to issue longer sentences in an effort to show government action.
Mr Gauke warned that unless radical changes are made this year, prisons in England and Wales could run out of cells again by spring 2026.
It seems that after the government launched an early prisoner release scheme in September 2024 as part of an emergency plan to tackle overcrowding, it commissioned the report to examine how prisons became so full, and to consider ways to ease overcrowding by giving tougher punishments outside of prison. The panel’s recommendations are due in spring.
The review’s outcome is not surprising, as it reflects Gauke’s views. That’s not to say that he’s mistaken in his opinions, though.
He has argued that short prison sentences (under six months) are ineffective, often failing to rehabilitate and leading to high reoffending rates. He supported replacing them with community orders, electronic monitoring, or restorative justice programs for non-violent offences.
Gauke has cited research showing community sentences reduce reoffending more effectively than short custodial terms. He reckons this approach is both cost-effective and socially beneficial.
He advocates for improved prison conditions and access to education, vocational training, and mental health services to aid reintegration.
And he says there is a need to address the root causes of crime, such as addiction and unemployment.
He does accept that imprisonment is necessary for serious crimes, but suggests it should be reserved for criminals whose cases suggest they pose a significant risk to the public.
Of course, some of us have seen this coming for a long time.
This Writer can’t help wondering if another element has come into play, here.
Many prisons are now run by private companies. Were their populations inflated in order to make them profitable for those who were given contracts to run them?
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Prison overcrowding is due to politicians posing as ‘tough on crime’
Prison overcrowding is due to politicians posing as ‘tough on crime’, according to a report.
It seems the Independent Sentencing Review found governments over the past 25 years jailed more criminals, in the face of evidence that it does not prevent re-offending.
Basically, they put more people in jail than should actually have gone – because evidence showed that they would be less likely to re-offend if they paid a community penalty instead.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Here’s the BBC:
It seems that after the government launched an early prisoner release scheme in September 2024 as part of an emergency plan to tackle overcrowding, it commissioned the report to examine how prisons became so full, and to consider ways to ease overcrowding by giving tougher punishments outside of prison. The panel’s recommendations are due in spring.
The review’s outcome is not surprising, as it reflects Gauke’s views. That’s not to say that he’s mistaken in his opinions, though.
He has argued that short prison sentences (under six months) are ineffective, often failing to rehabilitate and leading to high reoffending rates. He supported replacing them with community orders, electronic monitoring, or restorative justice programs for non-violent offences.
Gauke has cited research showing community sentences reduce reoffending more effectively than short custodial terms. He reckons this approach is both cost-effective and socially beneficial.
He advocates for improved prison conditions and access to education, vocational training, and mental health services to aid reintegration.
And he says there is a need to address the root causes of crime, such as addiction and unemployment.
He does accept that imprisonment is necessary for serious crimes, but suggests it should be reserved for criminals whose cases suggest they pose a significant risk to the public.
Of course, some of us have seen this coming for a long time.
This Writer can’t help wondering if another element has come into play, here.
Many prisons are now run by private companies. Were their populations inflated in order to make them profitable for those who were given contracts to run them?
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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