28th February 2011
Northern Ireland Justice Minister, David Ford, today published the interim report by the Prison Review Team led by Dame Anne Owers, describing how the report once again makes "the compelling case that the prison service has to change and cannot continue in its current form.”
The report states that the reference point for the prison system is whether it is contributing to the creation of a safer society. It also states clearly:
"Prison is never a neutral experience: it can reinforce a criminal identity or lifestyle, or alternatively help to change the narrative of a life. That is a reason for using prison sparingly, and for using it positively."
Key recommended measures include:
Other recommendations dealing with include:
The Belfast Telegraph summarises the report as finding the NI prison service as "too costly; the number of prison staff outstrips the number of prisoners; the prison service is top heavy with management; there is a culture of security rather than reform within the system even though many of those in jail are there for crimes such as non-payment of fines; and even staff are demoralised and dysfunctional."
Read more:
Prison Review Team:
Established in July 2010, the members of the review team are:
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.