Pact CEO condemns plan to send UK prisoners overseas

Image: Gov.UK

Source: Pact

Andy Keen-Downs, CEO of Pact, which supports prisoners and their families, has condemned the news that the Government is considering renting prison places abroad.

In a statement on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announced new measures that will allow the government to rent prison cells overseas "to ensure dangerous offenders can be locked up for longer."

He said the government will now enter exploratory discussions with "potential partner countries in Europe to rent prison space abroad. The government will legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows to enable any future arrangements and will require that conditions are to the same standard as prisons in England and Wales.

Andy Keen-Downs, commented: "Renting prison places abroad is an indication that the capacity problem has now reached crisis point. It's the entirely predictable culmination of years of underinvestment in our prisons, coupled with a justice system that simply locks up too many people.

"This is a deeply embarrassing moment for the Government and raises all sorts of questions about how our political leaders have failed to grip the challenges within our criminal justice system.

"As well as considering the impact on prisoners' rehabilitation and the cost to the taxpayer, we should also pause to think about the families and children affected by this policy. How will family visits be maintained if we send prisoners abroad? How will wives, partners and children be able to stay in touch and support loved-ones through a sentence?

"Prisoners who stay in touch with family are 39% less likely to reoffend - anything that undermines family contact undermines efforts to cut crime and deliver safer communities for everyone."

LINKS

Pact: www.prisonadvice.org.uk/
Pact's Prisoners' Sunday Appeal: www.prisonadvice.org.uk/donate/prisoners-sunday-appeal