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Ken Clarke's comments a welcome step forward (14 June 2010)

Commenting on Justice Secretary Ken Clarke's comments on prisons policy, reported in today's Daily Mail, Jon Collins, Campaign Director for the Criminal Justice Alliance, said:

‘Ken Clarke’s comments on the future of the criminal justice system are a welcome step forward in the debate on prison reform.

‘At long last a politician is facing up to the unsustainable cost of our prison system. We simply cannot afford to keep building endless new prisons as more and more people are sent to prison at huge cost to the taxpayer. Since Ken Clarke was last in charge of the justice system the prison population has nearly doubled, warehousing thousands of people who could be dealt with more cheaply and more effectively in the community. Ken Clarke is right, keeping more of these people out of custody would save money and free up space and resources in the prison system to better rehabilitate those people who do need to be there.

‘The criminal justice system needs a total overhaul. Less use of prison, treatment for addicts and strengthening the probation service would reduce crime and save money. Ken Clarke’s comments should be the first step towards making this new approach a reality.’