This week a government committee issued a report issued saying the UK prison population should be drastically reduced to be more in line with other European countries. Also that it will cost £4bn to create 10,000 more spaces or £400k a space.
From the data above reducing the population sounds an attractive idea. But there is no explanation of why France and Germany have lower prisoner numbers. If it’s as unsuccessful as adapting European drinking laws in the UK then it might be a bad idea. Do those countries have other more expensive ways of handling offenders or are they just a more decent lot?
The evidence in the UK doesn’t appear on the surface to warrant relaxing prison terms. Issues such as knife crime show no sign of going away. On that basis alone I’d support more prison places and an instant place should be offered to anyone doing so little as carrying a knife without very good reason.
That prisons are probably a place where people of similar mind can exchange ideas and offers no aspiration also means that reform is needed to the way prisoners are handled. The unfortunate thing about that is the people who get involved in such exercises are usually too well meaning and tie themselves in knots trying to be politically correct. So it’s probably not going to happen.