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| British Prison Population Reaches New High |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/29/2002 |
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Jails in England and Wales now hold a record 71,480 inmates, and authorities have been forced to house prisoners in police cells for the first time in seven years, officials said recently. The Prison Service said jails in the West Midlands area of central England and in West Yorkshire in the north were full and arrangements had been made to hold prisoners in police cells. Authorities in other areas may soon follow suit. It has become necessary to make available police cells initially in West Midlands and West Yorkshire to accommodate prisoners, because these are the areas of the country where we are experiencing the greatest pressure on prison places. Efforts are being made to keep women and children out of police cells, he said. The number of inmates has increased by more than 5,000 since January and the Howard League for Penal Reform says jails now hold 7,000 more prisoners than normal maximum levels - overcrowding which will hinder inmates' rehabilitation, leading to more repeat offending and jail suicides. Prison reform campaigners oppose using police cells because inmates held there have no access to education or rehabilitation measures and little chance to mix with others. It is the first time prisoners have been routinely housed in police stations since 1995, although police cells have been used occasionally to ease overcrowding in recent months. The Prison Service says there are 1,000 police cells across England and Wales that it can use if necessary. Plans are underway to clear jail spaces by releasing some inmates early. Up to 1,500 offenders aged 12 to 17 are expected to be set free one or two months early, provided they are not serving sentences for violent or sexual offenses and behaved well inside. Most will be required to wear electronic tags after release, allowing parole officers to monitor their behavior. |
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