A rehabilitation revolution

Further to our earlier report on the new Tory prisons policy and its emphasis on providing more prison places a much bigger theme of prisoner rehabilitation emerged from today's launch conference with David Cameron and Nick Herbert:

The most tabloid-friendly announcement from this morning's policy paper - Prisons With A Purpose - was the proposal that those offenders on community service should wear "high visibility overalls" when cleaning up graffiti or undertaking other work in public view.  Mr Cameron said that this would reassure the public that community sentences were real.  ITV's Libby Wiener wondered if the prisoners would look like Guantanamo inmates.  Mr Cameron said that they would not but that there was nothing wrong with offenders being marked out.

Less newsworthy but more important is a Tory commitment to double expenditure on rehabilitation to £259m or £2,500 for every discharged prisoner with the aim of reducing reoffending by 20%.   The reduction in reoffending, Mr Herbert hoped, would pay for the extra rebab.  Key to making the rehabilitation work will be a revolution in incentives.  Prison governors will be paid - not just for 'warehousing' prisoners but will be paid a premium if released prisoners haven't reoffended two years later.  The Tory Justice team hope that this will encourage the prison authorities to invest seriously in rehab and invite the best voluntary providers into their institutions.

The deportation of foreign prisoners coupled with the provision of extra prison places - to combat overcrowding - would provide the prison service with the extra room that it needs for proper rehabilitation.

Two new terms are set to join the political lexicon.  Judges will have to issue MinMax sentences - specifying the minimum period an offender must stay in prison and a maximum sentence.  The better behaved an offender the shorter the sentence but it will never be less than the minimum.  If the prisoner works hard and undertakes rehab they will be entitled to Earned Release.

Tories dispute that the wrong people are in prison but are persuaded by many of the recommendations of the Corston Report on women prisoners and the ongoing Bradley Review for those with mental health problems and that these categories of prisoners may need more specialist attention.

At least 60% of the earnings made by prisoners will go to a new Victims' Fund.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: The Prisons With A Purpose document is a huge encouragement to all of us who hope for a thoughtful and radical Conservative government.  The paper offers a comprehensive approach to reducing the huge problem of reoffending by revolutionising the incentive structures facing prisoners and the prison authorities.  Half of all crime is currently committed by previous offenders.  This paper is a serious attempt to increase public safety by both ending Labour's early releases and increasing rehabilitation.  As previously noted, Nick Herbert and Michael Gove are star performers in the shadow cabinet team.  David Cameron was astute to promote them both so quickly.

Comments

[True Blue]

I can't believe it! The front bench have actually adopted the policy suggestion or financial incentives for prisoners not reoffending. Brilliant. I hope this it wasn't just coincidence that I suggested it back in 2006.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2006/04/_the_last_few_d.html

[Andrew Woodman]

Good policy. How long before Labour nick it?

[Andrew Bridgen]

Labour will nick the policy in about five days time judging by their recent averages.

[Richard Weatherill]

These proposals are a breath of fresh air and a good example of the 'and theory' in action. The idea of a Victims' Fund financed from prisoners' earnings is much better than the £15 Victims' Surcharge which the courts are now forced to impose whenever they fine anyone.

[Patsy Sergeant]

Yes, the two Andrew's, but Labour would be incapable of implementing it in the same way as Mr. Cameron is proposing, you forget their priority is ALWAYS political i.e. VOTES, THEY would be more likely to say to a prisoner that they would get the prisoner signed up to a course (run by an agency!), provided the prisoner signed an undertaking to vote labour (if they have a vote of course)!

[Editor]

Yes, Andrew and Andrew: David Cameron joked at the conference that he expected Labour to nick these ideas. If they do and implement them properly (a very big if) the country at least benefits and the media see the Tories setting the agenda (again).

[bexie]

I like the idea of the little scumbags wearing orange overalls stating the crime they committed, scrubbing grafitti off subways or cleaning up gum from pavements. Excellent

{rubs hands in glee}

[CCHQ Spy]

I agree with ConHome on this. Herbert and Gove are outstanding but shouldn't Oliver Letwin get some credit for this too?

[Northernhousewife]

The simplest ideas are often the best!
These were very poorly reported on Radio 4's Today.
Yes and if they nick them, we will make it clear in blogland that everyone knows they did and we will hold them to account for their [likely] poor implimentation.
Brown is more of an empty vessel by the day and any serious journalist can see that.
The recent sanctioned attacks on Boris, trailed heavily in the media by Harman[the privately educated neice of a peer whose Early Day motion congratulates Castro] and Blears [oh I can't even be bothered, we all know what she isn't, ie a credable minister....] are clear signs that Gordon's moral compass is there alright, its just pointing in the wrong direction.

[Votedave]

Excellent policy plans here.

[Afleitch]

'Tories to pay offenders' screamed the BBC at 6 today. It was both woeful reporting and misleading

[Richard North]

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no shortage of prison space. Up to 50 percent of inmates have recognisable mental health illness so the shortage lies is in adequate (secure) psychiatric hospitals, as a result of which prisons are having to take the load.

Build more hospitals and put some of the prisons budget into mental health and the overcrowding problems would be well towards a solution without a single new prison being built.

Secondly, we have one of the highest re-offending rates in the developed world. Look to Japan - which has one of the lowest - and you will see a system of volunteer probation officers, which allows releasees to have one-to-one supervision by "real world" probation officers.

These are the directions to look.

[Zen]

"I like the idea of the little scumbags wearing orange overalls". Gitmo fascism strikes again.

[Dave J]

Zen, how is putting prisoners to work in overalls and/or on chain gangs "fascism"? Should they just be allowed to lay about watching TV and enjoying their three hots and a cot without doing anything to pay back the taxpayers who are feeding and housing them?

[bexie]

Actually Zen, Facism is about punishing small businesses and the individual for expressing freedom. punishing people for breaking the law is not.

Not punishing people for law breaking is however part of the Marxist/leninist agenda for destroying society so that it can then be remade with ever more oppressive laws on the already law abiding.

[Yet Another Anon]

Up to 50 percent of inmates have recognisable mental health illness so the shortage lies is in adequate (secure) psychiatric hospitals, as a result of which prisons are having to take the load.
The types of mental illness among the prison population will vary, as it does among the general population, and so will the degree of impairment.

I am suspicious as well about moving people out of punishment on grounds of psychiatric illness, these days it is coming to the point where criminality itself is almost being defined by many psychiatrists and social scientists as being a form of mental illness, a sharp crook can fake mental illness - I don't want to see the chance of anybody escaping punishment simply because they have a knowledge of symptoms of many illnesses and are able to fool a psychiatrist and a court with an act.

If someone has a broken leg or cancer then it's a much more straightforward thing to decide on than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

[jailhouselawyer]

When those MPs who have had their grubby little snouts in the trough have experienced some imprisonment they might have something constructive to offer to the debate. Until then, perhaps they will desist from chopping down trees just to produce waste paper?

[ARISE AND SHINE PRISON MINISTRY]

ARISE AND SHINE PRISON MINISTRY.
P.O BOX 191, NITEL TRAINING SCHOOL
CAPPA, OSHODI. LAGOS STATE.
NIGERIA. W/AFRICA.
www.aspmnigeria.org

Dear Sir,

SOLICITING FOR YOUR SURPORT
Cavalry greetings to you in Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Peace and Blessings of our Lord Jesus be with you all. We use this opportunity to thank you and encourage you all for your effort so far, to see that the under privilege becomes privileged through your financial aid. May the Good Lord in His infinite mercy crown your effort with joy and success. Keep on keeping on for the Good Lord is on your side.

We are Interdenominational Christian Prison Ministry who take up the responsibility of going round the Nigerian Prisons and Police Cells to share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Ministry had being in existence since 1997. And the Lord Himself has been so faithful in backing us up financially and other wise no matter how rough it may.

Many Souls has been won and reconciled with God. Even though the Nigerian Government has killed many of them, due to the nature of their cases. But before they are killed, we make sure they are genuinely repented and led them to Christ.

We are in conjunction with some Ministries friends in America who knows much about us and have been sending us some Christian’s literature books and Tracts to share among these Prisoners. These Ministries are - THE WORLD MISSIONARY PRESS, INC, BIBLE HELP MINISTRY, and THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. All in U.S.A We also make sure we take care of their feeding at least (3) times a week, with Food, Water, Cloths, and Drugs etc. Above that we give them the food of the soul, that is the word of God it self.

Sir, we give glory to God that today our aims are achieved gradually. Many souls have been won to God through this Ministry. When you visit our web site you will understand it better. Even though we are not authorized to expose the Nigerian Prisoners to the world, but you can see little of them.

It would amaze you that we are the one giving them all these. It is because the Nigerian Government refused to provide the essential things of life for them. These gives us the bold steps to take it upon our selves as Christians to embark on this HEROIC work as a Ministry to take up the responsibility of providing the Inmates these essential things of life. Including nurturing their souls with the world of God.

Presently we have nothing less than (120,000) One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Inmates around the States of the Country Nigeria. Both in Police Cells and Prisons, suffering of Hunger, Nakedness, Denying of justices, and lack of Medications. And they are dying of all these on daily bases and it’s so sad.

Today we are appealing to you for your support, however little it may be the most important help we need from you is that we may not know the Group or the Body who may assist us financially to carry on these task, we are begging you to lead us to them by sending us their emails and addresses. Then we could write to them.

Sir our needs and challenges are enormous. Many of these Prisoners returned to us after gaining freedom for assistance. Some have nowhere to return to, some have no food to eat, no work to do. It is a general phenomenal that in this country Nigeria today, the ex- prisoners are rejected. Even their families reject them, private groups reject them, and Religious groups reject them also. The Nigeria Government has no plan for these ex-prisoners. But for the fact that we are the one meeting them, feeding them and giving them a word of hope, therefore when they are released from the prisons they fall back to us for help, and we can’t reject them as others do.

Sir, as already know, this Ministry is Non Profitable Organization, and Non Governmental. The Federal Government Of Nigeria is aware of all these, so they gave to us a Certificate of Operations through the CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSIONS (CAC). To go through all the Nigerian Prisons and rendered our help.

Now, these prisoners are more in numbers, and they need help. Especially in the area of feeding, and giving them Medications. And for the Ex-Inmates, we are still begging people like you to help us in getting lands for Rehabilitation Center. Though to get land is so expensive, but we know that with God on your side and you been for us to help these men through your kind gesture, all these shall be achieved.

Sir, we are officially appealing to you for your help. You’ve been helping, and we know God will surely bless you and your Ministry. We want you to be in collaboration with us, be our friend, and our benefactor to help these prisoners and the ex-prisoners and to give them a hope. At list to give them a new beginning, for them to smile again. We advice you visit our web sit, and then, you shall see things better.
All our phones are open for you to call for more inquiries, or through the e-mail.

Today the World is preparing to Celebrating Christmas and the New Year. And we want them to also feel the same atmosphere of Christmas, we want them to feel good, eat good food and drinks on that day. Get them good cloths to put on. And we are begging you to Please on behalf of these men and women, whatever you feel you could do to help us, please do.

You are the only one we have in mind for now to contact and to tell our problem to. Please Sir, on behalf of this Ministry, the Prisoners right in the prisons, those already released to the free world and in need of help of rehabilitations, kindly look up to God to support us to achieve these aim and objectives of this HEROIC Mission.
Sir, its possible there might be Forms to fill before we can be privileged to be part of your help, which we are ignorant of. Please be free and keep us informed. And we are ready to be part of your Organization so to assist these Men/Women suffering n the Prisons and Police Cells.

Please Sir; we have in this Ministry Laws that are check mating us. (1) Before you send to us any thing in cash or in kind, you are free to contact the Nigerian Government for inquiries about this Prison Ministry through the (CAC) if genuine or not. (2) Your help of Cash or in kind should be directed to nobody or individual name. But to be directed to the name of the Ministry; - (ARISE AND SHINE PRISON MINISTRY). (3) All your help in cash should be in CHEQUES in the Name of the Ministry then mail the Cheques through to us via our mail address. If you are to send your cash to the Bank, we maintain an Account with the First Bank Nig. Plc. Abule-Egba Branch, Lagos-Nigeria. & United Bank For Africa Plc. (UBA), Oba-Akra Branch Ikeja, Lagos. That is; you can send your help to any of these Banks in favour of (Arise And Shine Prison Ministry). (4) You are also requested to come to this Country to ask, inspect what your money is being used for. When you send any help either through mailed Cheques or directly paid to any of our Banks Account, But if you wish to send to us through the (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER). If any of these is done, please call or email us for information’s

We are serious minded Humanitarian Men and Women (Christians) who are ready to serve God through the PRISONERS. And to Rehabilitate and give hope to the hopeless EX- INMATES. We’re saying these for you to know that we are commissioned to help the Prisoners not for profit making. And we should be checkmated.

Sir we solely depend on you in helping us to take this mission to the greater height. And your name shall be well known all over this Country Nigeria for your work of mercy to the Prisoners in Nigeria.

Thanks in anticipation for your cooperation; patiently we are waiting for your reply and advice Sir.

Once again, may the Good Lord Bless you all.

Yours in His service,

SIR RAPHAEL FUNSO ADUMAZA.
The Executive Chairman (ASPM).