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Britain on verge of prison overcrowding crisis say experts (18 March 2014)

Date: 18/03/2014
Duncan Lewis, Crime Solicitors, Britain on verge of prison overcrowding crisis say experts

Prison overcrowding is reaching dangerous levels and it is at its worst since 2008 according to new figures published Monday, which have put added pressure on Justice Secretary Chris Grayling ahead of planned emergency measures.

In an attempt to avert the crisis, Mr Grayling has asked the private sector to fill its prison cells with more inmates. However, despite the fact that there are currently just 265 free spaces remaining out of a capacity in excess of 85,000 in jails across England and Wales, those plans have been called irresponsible by prison experts.

Fourteen privately run prisons will be asked to house the inmates during the next six months. However, experts have revealed that such crowded conditions could spark violence with riots, a likely outcome that could hinder long-term rehabilitation. The current situation is the most severe since the coalition took power in 2010, with prisons now within a mere one per cent of capacity.

There appears to be no respite, with the prison population set to surge again when the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill is passed in to law. Mr Grayling is hopeful that his plan of accommodating two prisoners in one-prisoner cells is a more cost-effective solution than renting from the police but critics believe the system is “as close to the brink as has been in recent times.”

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