Prison inquiries

There seems to be a sudden rush to set up inquiries into prisons. First at the post was the Howard League, which has set up a Commission on English Prisons Today.

I happen to be one of the Commissioners, sitting with Oscar who also has experience of being a prisoner, amidst a gaggle of academics, including six Professors at the last count. Plus a Dame, a Baroness, a few media people and a businessman.

Perhaps the task for Oscar and I is to keep the humanity in focus amidst the academic debate. After all, this is about real people, like you and me, whatever their offence against society. People whose behaviour all too frequently results from being offended against by people they should have been able to trust.

We just get going and up pops Jonathan Aitken, another ex-con but in a slightly different league (millionaire, former cabinet minister) who found God in prison. He’s leading an inquiry for the Centre for Social Justice, run by former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, and he seems to think things can be done with no extra resources. The focus is on how volunteers could support prison literacy programmes and post-release mentoring. Coming from a Tory, one could suggest there’s nothing much new there.

Not to be outdone, the Conservatives announce the launch of their own separate official inquiry into the failing prison system which will examine overcrowding, and how more of the mentally ill and drug abusers can be kept out of prison. Sorry, but it can only be done if mental health and drug abuse issues and needs are properly resourced in the community.

No inquiry from Labour, the political carpet having been resolutely whisked from under them. But perhaps there should be an inquiry into their double-speak. Recently, the Minister for Justice, Jack Straw, said: “We recognise that prison is not a mere repository for those with mental health, educational, social, behavioural or drug problems, where no real attempt is made to rehabilitate or reintegrate offenders back into society.”

Jack, my condolences go to you this time: as it stands prison in this country is largely just that.