Post Header

Motion for debate at February’s Assembly

Penal Reform sponsored by Colin Francis Sheffield

The Liberal Party recognises !o address the increasing number of prison inmates, since 1993 the population has risen to 84 405 that is an extra 41000 inmates a 92 percent increase in England and Wales on the failing prison system. (The following day is from the bromley briefing for the prison reform trust july 2016.)

Prison has a poor record for reducing re-offending 46 percent of adults are re-convicted within 1 year of release, this has risen to 60 percent for those serving a less than 1 year sentence.

48 percent of women leave prison are re-convicted within 1 year of release, this goes to 77 percent for women who have had 11 consecutive short sentences.,68 percent of under 18s are re-convicted within 1 year of release.

Short prison sentences are less effective than community sentences at reducing re-offending….they are 7 percentage points higher of re-offending than an offender serving a community sentence and they commit more offences than those on community sentences.

Re-offending costs the taxpayer billions per year between 9.5 and 13 billion per annum of which 7to 10 billion are spent on short sentence prisoners.

The use of release on temporay licence in 2012 only 26 cases involved prisoners being arrested on suspicion of committing an offence, that is a 99.95 percent success rate. Lately sadly RoTL are 37percent down being used and soe employers say they have recieved no one on RoTL saying that though when used it still is 99.93 percent success rate.

The Liberal Party see the prison system to rehabilitation of offenders rather just a form of punishment! Prisons need to punish the offenders but they should also be given appropriate assistance to prevent the offender being caught in the prison vicious cycle of being in and out of custody throughout their lives.

The Liberal Party will look to address the causes why people offend, offenders to have a planned care plan to help with drug addiction debt and gambling addiction programmes to be run. Mental health treatments to help offenders cope and manage their conditions. The goal of these reforms is to prevent people entering a lifestyle of crime and.if they had to prepare the person when they have served their sentence.

Prisoners to be given the opportunity to undertake meaningful employment, day release to work at actual companies, training and educationsl studies so on their release they have qualifications for potential employers or if they wish to become self employed advice given to them.

The Liberal Party to look at removing certain victimless offences from acts of criminality such as prostitution, offenders being given community sentences that will enable offenders to keep their jobs if they are employed but it will also help to keep the family unit together.

New or young offenders to not be just put in the general prison population but away from seasoned and hardened criminals who may coach and mentor these green inmates and encourage them not to better themselves but turn to a life of crime.

Prison officers to have the appropriate training so they can become effective mentors and role models to the offenders they care for.

Prison officers to be given the recognition, rewards, protection and tools to continue the hardwork and vitual service they do for society.

The Liberal Party seeks to ensure those guilty of victimnless criems like prostitution are not sent to jail but more appropriate measures