Legal news update
Funds designated for the criminal justice system could be reinvested in other areas of social care as part of an inquiry by the House of Commons Justice Committee into whether the £5bn prisons and probation budget could be better managed.
The inquiry, announced shortly after the launch of a government consultation into the use of £1.3bn “titan” prison building project, is using an online forum to consider whether the current policy of warehousing prisoners is working with regard to high reoffending rates.
Alan Bleith MP, chairman of the Justice Committee, says: “The facts on the effects of prison make unhappy reading—latest figures show that after prison or a community sentence, 45% of violent offenders go on to commit more crimes, and in the case of burglary and theft offences that rises to well over 70%. Those new offences cost the public further vast amounts of money. Are we getting value for money for that £5bn or could it be better spent some other way that would reduce crime?”
The commit tee is considering the possible use of trials of an American “Reinvesting Justice” project where data is analysed to determine what is driving increases in population and how to manage prison growth.
The committee is encouraging the public to contribute to the online forum debate.
