December 6, 2007: Napo On The Carter Report

Probation union Napo does not agree that England and Wales is progressing towards American-style imprisonment, warehousing large numbers of prisoners, following the publication of the latest Carter Report on Prison Efficiency.

Commenting on latest Carter Report, Harry Fletcher of probation union Napo said:

"The report signals clearly that the UK will not go down the US road of a huge increase in incarceration. To have done so would have meant the prison population would have more than doubled and jail would be used, in effect, as a sentence of first resort.”

“The Carter reforms will involve greater use of community penalties, greater balance in sentencing, and in the long-term more efficient use of the prison estate for men and women. However, there are huge resource implications for Probation, Prisons and health support services. Currently the Ministry of Justice is having to implement a £1 billion budget cut by 2010/11. The Probation Service is looking at a reduction in resources of up to 13% by 2010/11 and will struggle to fulfil its statutory duties let alone take on any new work. It is therefore extremely difficult to see how these changes and reforms can be implemented without the necessary money.”

He added:

“The decision to build three large “Titan” prisons is extremely controversial. It goes against all previous advice, which has been for smaller units close to where prisoners live. It would be difficult to find sites, obtain planning permission, and manage and recruit staff for these super prisons."

"Napo welcomes diverting more offenders with mental health and related problems to more appropriate accommodation, but this will require considerable extra resources, which are currently not available. Napo also notes the recommendation that more individuals will be placed on rigorous community penalties, particularly when prisons are full, but again there does not appear to be any additional resources. With the Probation Service already experiencing major cut backs and struggling to meet its statutory duties, the creation of thousands more community penalties without additional resources will be untenable.”

Referring to the decision to limit the imposition of indeterminate sentences, Fletcher added:

“Napo has been warning for many months that indeterminate sentences were being used inappropriately and as a consequence hundreds of prisoners were unable to access the courses they needed to qualify for parole. This reform will make some difference and acknowledges miscalculations that were made by Ministers three years ago.”