“What’s really changed this week, in other words, is that failings long hidden behind closed doors are now right out there in plain sight”: Out of sight, out of mind no more. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

The thirst for prisons is unquenchable. We don’t need capacity we need quality.

“You have to look at the appetite for risk aversion in the probation service. There were some very serious offences committed by people who’d been released from prison under probation supervision. So the culture of probation has become more risk-averse.” theguardian.com/society/2024/s…

Nostalgia is killing the prison service apparently

Inside Japan’s biggest prison: home to yakuza… and hundreds of old men theguardian.com/world/2024/sep…

Labour was 24 hours from telling police: no more arrests: the only response from the prison service so far is:”nothing to do with us, just let hundreds out’ thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

All this feeds an endless cycle of reoffending. And Labour fall into the same trap as Tories - taught learned helplessness by officials who actually believe they are the best in the world & yet more bullshiting 10 year strategies. From an agency with more pilots than Easyjet. 5/

Interesting discussion by Alexis Conran on Times Radio of the Scandinavian prison model & culture. Rory Stewart in his book describes how he wanted to appoint the head of the Swedish service as CEO here but was overruled- he hasn’t said by whom or why - an opportunity missed.

Here’s what we could have had and maybe we wouldn’t be in the mess we are ⁦Alexis Conran⁩ longfordtrust.org/longford-lectu…

Scotland's prison population higher after early release scheme - BBC News bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

UPDATE: Full sentencing remarks in the case of Huw Edwards are now available. Required reading for anybody expressing an opinion on this case. judiciary.uk/wp-content/upl…

Currently lots of talk about sex offender treatment programmes thejusticegap.com/still-in-denia…

Lots of debate around about how long sex-offenders should be locked up - no debate about what happens while they are incarcerated, not least given most get out eventually. We need an independent review of ‘treatment’ and ‘courses’ - there has never been one.

"an amazing human connection... the impact is truly marked... it can turn prisoners' lives around": our Vice President Professor David Wilson shares why he's backing our campaign to #KeepPrisonersConnected by making a donation this autumn: newbridgefoundation.org.uk/autumn-campaign #charity #prison

This is a very significant report and a damming indictment of the probation service. Pre-sentence reports are a vital component of the criminal justice system. Yet again no one is accountable.

Is this a factor in the increase in sentence lengths? My perception is that a good PSR will give the context of someone’s offending and offer if appropriate, alternatives and diversion. In other words, give sentencers options within sentencing guidelines.

Escape from Wandsworth ❌No media. Officer sex tape scandal ❌No media Child prison anarchy ❌No media Rocketing staff assault data ❌No media Early release blunders ❌No media No other public service leadership could avoid media scrutiny for this catalogue of failure. #HMPPS

I’ve discovered that ‘tagging’, a cornerstone of the government’s management of offenders, isn’t happening. spectator.co.uk/article/why-ar…

This is big news. We've always had problems with electronic monitoring - from incompetence to corruption - but surely Ministry of Justice must have been ahead of the risks at this point. We need to know if mass early release prisoners are being appropriately monitored. That's on The Labour Party.