Prisons out of control

10.15.30pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 7th Sep 2004

A report issued today by the Chief Inspector of Prisons has showed that conditions at Wandsworth prison are deteriorating.

Chris Coleman said: "The Home Secretary and the Labour Government should be ashamed of this report.

"It is clear that the prison service is spiraling out of control. The complete failure in Wandsworth to educate or retrain prisoners is made clear in the report. Sadly, this report could accurately describe conditions in many prisons across the country.

"We must concentrate on working towards a criminal justice system that ensures that prisoners do not re-offend when they are released. Currently, somewhere in the region of 70% of prisoners re-offend after release. The prison system is letting past victims of crime down. It is letting future victims of crime down also.

"Prisons under Labour have become expensive and inefficient institutions that increase criminal activity instead of cutting re-offending."