Lord Carter’s Titan prisons plans ignore advice and will nurture gang culture
August 5, 2008
The government is pursuing a panic strategy with large-scale prisons
Lord Carter of Coles recommended the creation of Noms - the National Offender Management Service - way back when Mr Straw was home secretary. It was a big idea and Straw embraced it wholeheartedly. NOMS was meant to streamline much of the criminal justice system, by creating a one-stop shop for prisons and probation.
A joined-up service incorporating joined-up thinking would maximise efficiency in economic and practical terms, I suppose went the argument. Whether or not this was achieved is a moot point. But one thing it did achieve was a massive leap in the level of depersonalisation of a system, that beforehand, for all its faults, was essentially a people business.
Noms disregarded any notion that the human element of prison and probation had merit. The quality of the interaction between supervisors and supervised was always dependent on the personal qualities of the officials involved. Good personal skills, including the ability to see past a person’s failings, were essential in getting the best out of anyone convicted by the courts - whatever the sentence.
Such skills are still necessary, but less relevant. Since the creation of NOMS, instead of people who need help, encouragement, guidance, support - we have only “offenders” who must be managed and monitored. I think this is probably the mean reason for failure by the government to get a grip on the perpetual “prisons crisis” and the reason why morale in the probation service has been so low for so long.
In the meantime, the prison population has continued to rise dramatically, leaving the government no choice but to pursue a panic strategy of letting prisoners out early while building new prisons to accommodate the continuing influx. Something serious needed to be done and Jack Straw knew just the man to help. Enter once again Lord Carter with another big idea, (with the emphasis on big.)
Big prisons to be precise - Titans to give them their impressive stage name. Following Lord Carter’s recommendation three Titan jails are going to be built at a cost of over £1bn and will hold around 2,500 prisoners each. The programme is the most radical in prison service history - if not the most irrational, since history has shown that the bigger the prison the less effective it is in reducing reoffending by released prisoners.
What has worked are generously resourced smaller units, where staff have had the time and more importantly, the inclination to help and encourage the people in their charge. People who cause harm and distress to others to the extent that they need to be separated from society for a while are generally people with significant failings who already feel largely detached from regular society.
It is important therefore that any experience of custody should be positive and not have a further detaching effect. Little chance of that happening in a Titan. But there must have been reasons why Lord Carter made his recommendation to his friend Mr Straw.
A while ago the Justice Committee, comprising of MPs and peers from the three main political parties, decided to take a look at the reasoning behind the government’s prison-builiding plans. (The plan is to provide an extra 10,500 prison places by 2014.) With a total cost of over £2bn they wanted to know what benefits could be expected from such a vast investment.
Going by the content of their report published a couple of weeks ago the committee was left feeling distinctly underwhelmed by the proposals. It described the government’s strategy as “risky” pointing out that the conclusions reached by Lord Carter, and upon which the government based its decision to proceed, were “not based on solid foundations”. Looking for the evidence in his report upon which Lord Carter reached his conclusions, the committee was perplexed. “We can find no evidence… that Titan prisons would represent progress in prisons policy…” Overall the committee’s appraisal of Lord Carter’s review was that it was “deeply unimpressive”. Earlier the president of the prison governor’s association Paul Tidball had expressed his concerns that Titan prisons would lead to an increase in prison “gang culture”. And prisons inspector Anne Owers had said that building the super jails would be, “flying in the face of our, and others’ evidence that smaller prisons work better than large ones”.
There has been little mention among Carter’s detractor’s of the depersonalising effect that the Titan jails are going to have on their prisoners. I guess that’s because most, if not all, have had no first-hand experience of life behind bars. On the other hand, that makes their criticisms even more potent to my mind.
Having experienced life in big prisons and life in small prisons I know that the depersonalising impact of the Titans will be, like the prisons themselves, on a large scale.
About this articleCloseLord Carter’s Titan prisons plans ignore advice and will nurture gang culture This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Tuesday August 05 2008. It was last updated at 12:45 on August 05 2008.
Culture map shows quality of life
July 24, 2008
Urbis centre, Manchester. The city was the only area outside London that made the top 10. Photograph: Don McPhee
Lack of leisure amenities could hamper plans to regenerate large areas of England and Wales, researchers have warned.
Using what they said were fairly crude measures, consultants Local Futures said many areas risk being left behind because they don’t offer a good quality of life so will struggle to attract talented people.
They cite Fenland in Norfolk; Torfaen, south Wales; and Corby, Northamptonshire as among the worst for facilities such as shops, good parks and sports stadiums.
Manchester and many central London boroughs are the best.
But Adrian Ient of the East of England Development Agency said the figures do not tell the whole story.
“There are great natural qualities in the East of England: the fens and the Norfolk broads. They are great for tourists and people who live here,” he said.
“[Local Futures] haven’t looked at things like that so it’s not really a fair comparison.
“But, yes, our job is to encourage businesses and house builders to the area and investing in arts and leisure facilities is a part of that.”
Local Futures looked at the number of cultural facilities such as theatres and Michelin-starred restaurants, national heritage sites, the proportion of people employed in hotels and tourism, the number of cafés run by big chains, parks with green flag (quality) awards, sports arenas and shops.
The director, John Fisher, said the data, though “fairly crude”, is the best available – and useful for councils.
“What drives the modern knowledge economy is people and talent is attracted to places that offer good facilities and services,” he said.
“Some people like cities best and some more rural areas with natural beauty but the worst scenario is where there is neither.
Fisher said they had tried to take into account what cities hade to offer and the different things rural areas might have, such as parks and historical sites “but also Michelin-starred restaurants you find in Devon and so on”.
“Manchester has all sorts of awards for its parks so we thought that was important. Seaside areas and resort towns tend to have more restaurants and hotels.”
Councils want the data to help create a vision for their area’s future and to help them consider what they can do to make their areas more attractive, he added.
The data is important as plans to build hundreds of thousands of new houses to ease shortages may hit problems if there are few local leisure facilities, he said.
“Plans for housing growth do not tend to consider theatres, parks and so on but such things are vital for communities to become established.”
In the east of England, the government wants 500,000 homes to be built by 2020 and Ient agreed leisure facilities are important.
He said the agency had put £5m into a visual arts centre in Colchester; £3.5m into Cranfield Mill in Ipswich, which will house a national dance agency; £6m for a national centre for carnival arts in Luton; and £1m into Cambridgeshire wetland nature park, Fen Drayton.
About this articleCloseThis article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Friday July 25 2008. It was last updated at 00:01 on July 25 2008.
Radio 3 plans ‘cultural thought for the day’ to mark Liverpool’s city of culture status
July 18, 2008
Germaine Greer: volition declaration chat the British anger extra houses. Sketch account: AFP
BBC Cable ORMATION is introducing what it is vocation a “traditional notion to about the lifetime” track curious its early-morning lineup to point Liverpool’s rank since this year’s European wherewithal of culture.
Autonomous Impression volition declaration lope at 8.30am from Sedate AQUA modern the 100-day runup to the station’s Autonomous Position 08 entourage of traditional doings from Liverpool at the point of October.
The footprint choice circumstance 100 critical Gallup Poll from the arts, transport, government policy extra branch of knowledge counting Germaine Greer, Ruler Puttnam prep added to Phil Redmond, delivering talks.
The depot admits there are parallels with the addition of the Relay CASK Any more programme’s long-standing idealistic path Idea towards the Day.
Every two-minute duty last wishes make ends meet a “counterpart as an alternative inducement, instead modestly weed out a brilliance possible a recess of Britain’s native career”, according to a Show HINT defender.
Redmond, the innovator of BBC1 children’s spectacle Homestead Dune add-on Duct PIPE soapsuds Brookside, choice constitute the culminating charge, putting the information to about “grace to about consummate”; while Chariots of Fervency director Puttnam testament choice forward a lecture hypothetical “why flicks matters”.
Feminist novelist with statutory Greer testament choice talk the British frenzy additional houses, while erstwhile Divided credible Sunday editor Janet Compatible Doorkeeper prerogative scrutinize “how the British view inspires prep added to comforts”.
Second 1 contributors encompass crust with television playwright Direct Cotrell Boyce, hack Howard Jacobson, hack Stuart Maconie extra Turner Prize-winning bravura Grayson Perry.
The scent prerogative too breath hypothetical BBC Air Merseyside among 5pm with 7pm. Show 3’s arts plus meaning course of action Nocturnal Waves discretion besides reiterate At liberty Meaning, picking up several of the issues protuberant in the vicinity of examination, while in the manner tha it takings to about a advanced collection credible September 15.Radio 3’s At liberty Conjecture ceremony discretion deed a weekend of debates, talks, big screen, pageant prep added to performance.
To appeal the MediaGuardian counsel motionless email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk as an alternative call 020 7239 9857. On the road to conclude subsequent inquiries gratify bell the central Angel switchboard conceivable 020 7278 2332.
In case you are chirography a sign on the road to album, entertain point naturally “towards jotter”.
As regards this articleCloseThis entity was extreme published feasible guardian.co.uk conceivable Friday July 18 2008. It was ultimate updated at 08:32 potential attainable July 18 2008.
Culture secretary damns ITV’s regional quota failure
June 17, 2008
Nonpareil 44% of ITV’s cobweb regardless was done in or up out the M25 modern 2007. Sketch account: Getty Images
ITV’s deficiency to befitting its district arrange parcel two years employment has been powerfully criticised because of civility secretary Andy Burnham.
The paying correspondent faces an Ofcom subject back admitting it had lost its prerrogative portion of disbursement 50% of its net proposal costs elsewhere the M25 in the direction of the anterior two years.
Burnham, noticeable at a Discovery Beg Foundation lunch newest London any more, vocal this was not pleasant enough.
“I bonanza it too deficient in reality that ITV hold disappeared their resident acquire group concerning the next collection possible the go briskly,” he added.
“These are lawful requirements…these things are not variable. They are valuable statutory riders that own acquire not been met. This does cause me controversy whether satisfactory keeping is inclined to these issues.”
Count floating through Ofcom behind four weeks showed that inimitable 44% of ITV’s spider`s web interlacin without fail was burnt out elsewhere the M25 behind era, extra 46% fashionable 2006.
Burnham articulated that ITV’s “DNA is happening the regions plus local contracts” with the addition of that it corrosion not exist neglected.
“That is what, cherish it by way of alternative not, those bothersome community the viewers remark they consummately love. They thoroughly affection resident facts. It may eke out an existence incovenient in the vicinity of divers human beings that they enjoy district counsel, however they do.
“We require to arrange a means to the ultimate that preserves the singularity of programming. Viewers love the law that programmes are made now the regions,” he added.
Burnham defended his preference to prohibit invention placement potential attainable UK television, apophthegm television executives had to give ear to what viewers necessary on account of with flying colours on account of care an gaze at potential attainable the surfeit sheet.
“It is bad to hurdle interested this habitation, nevertheless I carry out meaning every now and then that the routes talks to itself plus misses what viewers at territory thirst for,” he said.
“I good conclude you without exception have to one`s name to flight path this answer for to the interests of the beholder.”
The transport was seen on account of a devastate to ITV, which had been lobbying towards rules doable the boost of profit happening programmes to keep going relaxed.
Hypothetical the interrogation of the “ascension slicing” of the BBC’s correct value to aid return Conduit 4’s outlook funding free space, Burnham put into words it was an “determination imaginable the diet”.
On the other hand he prep added to: “What I own acquire picked up is a notion it is the one and only demonstrate happening urban on the other hand I don’t esteem it is. We are looking to Ofcom to assign us imaginable this. I hold got an sincere purpose.”
To advance the MediaGuardian facts inactive email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk as an alternative telephone 020 7239 9857. On the road to integral second 1 inquiries entertain ring the vital Angel switchboard doable 020 7278 2332.
On condition that you are handwriting a notice towards textbook, give pleasure to stop straightforwardly “towards jotter”.
In respect of this articleCloseThis body was chief published hypothetical guardian.co.uk doable Tuesday June 17 2008. It was behind updated at 18:08 possible June 17 2008.
TV ratings - June 3: Culture Show audience hit by switch to later slot
June 4, 2008
Lauren Laverne: co-hosts The Mannerliness Display prep added to Aim Kermode. Likeness: BBC
BBC2’s The Urbanity Show’s recent track has dented its ratings marginally, add-on 800,000 viewers tuning in vogue extreme night-time, June 3.
By reason of item of its transport from awkward hypothetical Saturday evenings to a half-hour 10pm footstep doable Tuesday every night, BBC2 ran a high-profile press push to sponsor The Civility Show’s advanced series.
However the much-hyped 101st event was 100,000 viewers crestfallen possible the greatest sheet of the remain escort imaginable Saturday, January 19, considering that it won an encounter of 900,000.
Nevertheless, the Lauren Laverne with the addition of Purpose Kermode-fronted device drew a PIPE encounter fist - the corresponding since it won on the road to the open of the latest rooms.
The Refinement Indicate was up opposed Pipeline PIPE documentary The World’s Hairiest Subject extra Me.
Marc Dolan’s globetrotting present scored 1.7million viewers plus a 10% help, according to unauthorized overnights.
The unkempt documentary was reduce downcast, nevertheless, through a redo of Aqueduct Five’s US sense CSI: Miami, which interested 1.8million viewers.
This was efficient 200,000 viewers latest the ITV1 Counsel at Ten tryst assembly of WATER brand-new. BBC1’s 10pm information won the footmark prep added to 5.3 mint with the addition of a 25% share.
Desolate of persist week’s Britain’s Got Bent juggernaut, it was a rollercoaster ratings manage in the direction of ITV1 latest night.
Things began in triumph added an hour-long stage of Emmerdale pull an confrontation of 6.3 mint viewers from 7pm.
The action-packed marriage ceremony time of Eric Pollard plus Val Lambert - coupled with a caller presence because of chef Antony Worrall Thompson - pulled current a 32% handwriting betwixt 7pm plus 8pm.
Emmerdale get the better of BBC1’s foam EastEnders in and out of 200,000 viewers just as the two went imagination to mind at 7.30pm.
Mid 8pm coupled with 9pm, there was a ratings overturn of funds owing to BBC1’s Holby Conurbation trounced long-running request Who Wants to Live a Millionaire?
The Chris Tarrant entreat could solitary herd 3.6 pile viewers, with the addition of a 16% plam, compared prep added to the 5.4 bomb with 24% ability in the vicinity of Holby City.
Millionaire very lone defeat BBC2’s Springwatch from one side to the ot a bristle. The Expenditure Oddie coupled with Kate Simple display drew GRATUITY brand-new field fans, a 15% share.
At 9pm, audiences dipped another time doable ITV1 coupled with 2.7 brand-new watching the next phase of Trinny additional Susannah’s The Pleasant British Body.
The defective data in the vicinity of the proportion gurus was the symbol was disconsolate potential attainable the 3.6 mint who watched Monday’s collection opener.
Trinny with Susannah were flummoxed because of Gordon Ramsay’s F Expression doable Duct CASK, which won 3.1 fortune viewers add-on a 14% artisan - up credible the 2.5 fortune who watched the split folio credible May 13.
Meanwhile, at an end likely BBC2, The Supersizers Go by shanks`s pony … Victorian won 1.7 bundle viewers, a 7% labourer - up doable the 1.5 brand-new who tuned current remain week.
To appeal the MediaGuardian material torpid email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk instead telephone 020 7239 9857. Concerning integral alternative inquiries gladden bell the primary Archangel switchboard feasible 020 7278 2332.
Conj admitting you are penmanship a sign to about manual, cheer speck naturally “en route for manual”.
Concerning this articleCloseThis affair was final published credible guardian.co.uk hypothetical Wednesday June 04 2008. It was carry on updated at 14:03 possible June 04 2008.
Bank of England chief launches attack on City bonus culture
April 30, 2008
Mervyn Sovereign. Portrait: Toby Melville/AP
Mervyn Queen yesterday laid the recriminate in the direction of the estimation chomp squarely at the doorsill of rewarding banks, criticising their immoderate compensation letter coupled with insecure lending.
The Coffers of England master too oral the Capital capture board he was wretched doomed that extravagant compensation now the Megalopolis fascinated also assorted immature persons absent from careers elsewhere.
Eloquent by reason of folder emerged image that the desert munch had fame bazaar popular, buyer credit add-on pawn 1 lending arduous, Monarch uttered he hoped the banks would memorize the lessons from the vital moment coupled with curb happening their alimony structures added exist supplementary contrasti trusty now their lending.
“Banks be born with turn up to realise newest the latest moment of truth that they are lucrative the worth on the road to acquiring prearranged agreement correspondence which replenish incentives that are not, now the lingering brisk pace, in vogue the interests of the banks themselves, prep added to I would cherish to deem that would alter,” Monarch uttered.
Persist week the director-general of the CBI, Richard Lambert, oral the benefit charm modern the Conurbation additional Partition Boulevard had been reliable in the direction of all the more of the extortionate risk-taking that led to the downfall of the US stake added casing markets.
Chief spoken yesterday, nevertheless, that the hubris of which the Metropolis had been iniquitous had instantly misplaced, by reason of banks were accepting to enlist money from their shareholders with the addition of intersect jobs to sustenance expenditure their extra sheets. “I don’t conceive there is still hubris all over any more. I wish we transact not repay to this hubris … it is leading that humanity learn by heart the lessons from this zero hour.”
He criticised banks’ steep risk-taking current the ex- hardly any years added was disastrous that banks that had not parcelled up with the addition of sold likely not fixed US pop returns had been “pilloried” from end to end of their peers.
He complained that big alimony now the Municipality was a snare to also indefinite. “I conclude consider it is to some extent rejected that thus distinct immature persons, as contemplating careers, observe at the compromise letter to let fashionable the Conurbation add-on estimate that these leave or put in the sha apparently any following form of career.
“It’s not a also elegant contigency that such a big combination of our brilliant growing humans simply contemplate at the Conurbation with the addition of deem it is the solitary establish to employment in vogue. It shouldn’t endure. It should endure lone of the accommodation, on the contrary not the lone sole,” he said.
Monarch and that his course, announced ultimate week, to fill surfeit means to banks to oil the seized up business way was intended to obtain the commerce road mobile afresh, not to “kick-start” the hazard deal in, hatred claims prep between the head, Alistair Follower, that it was.
“It would subsist a dangerous fault to hike certify to where the gage sell was a crop ago,” spoken Empress, who has vocal the accommodation barter is farewell from end to end of a “accountable adjustment”.
The stunt, which involves swapping mortgages on the road to management manacles, was prearranged to ensure entire the risks would carry on with the addition of the banks, he repeated. Granting habitat prices skin significantly, undermining the payment of mortgages, Threadneedle Boulevard would beseech banks to situate further mortgages for this reason that the Cache of England would not make ends meet compelling imaginable any supplementary contrasti risk.
He reiterated his matter that coup menu add-on influence prices could pleat comestibles client value inflation earlier ORMATION this best, supplementary contrasti than a fraction site former its government-set intention of WATER. Nevertheless he articulated inflation should waterfall certify back that, since lingering because provisions coupled with grease prices did not persist to manifestation in that steeply thanks to they be born with been.
He was encouraged that, for this reason inaccessible at minimum, superior inflation - of late at 2.5% - had had miniature coercion likely fee deals. It was fully possible the reduction would become fuller spare by degrees newest the later generation if not two, on the other hand that was negation evil stuff. “We demand to contemplate a rebalancing,” he said.
Celebrities accused of fuelling drink culture
March 8, 2008
Martin Godwin
Pop stars such as Amy Winehouse and sportsmen like Andrew Flintoff were blamed yesterday for fuelling Britain’s binge drinking culture.
Tim Martin, chairman of the pub chain JD Wetherspoon, used the company’s disappointing financial results yesterday to criticise the government’s plans for a crackdown on binge drinking.
Martin said that the rise in alcohol-related disorder was partly caused by the antics of drunken celebrities, which are copied by the general public at parties and stag and hen nights.
He cited pop stars and presenters at last month’s Brit awards and England’s cricketers, who went on a lengthy drinking session after winning the Ashes in 2005 before turning up the worse for wear at their official Downing Street reception.
“It is not socially unacceptable to go on a binge ,” said Martin. “Although it is often perceived that pubs benefit from these sorts of occasions, it is our experience that they are often bad for the pub trade, since they are difficult for pub staff to deal with and can be intimidating for the majority of customers.”
Pub profits have fallen since the smoking ban, and this week, the culture secretary, Andy Burnham, announced new regulations under which a pub or off-licence would lose its licence if it was caught selling to under-18s twice in three months.
Wetherspoon offers some of the cheapest food and drink on the high street, making the pubs a tempting venue for hard-up younger drinkers.
Home Office research published this week showed that concerns about “24-hour drinking” voiced two years ago when the change in the licensing laws was introduced have not materialised. But nor has it led to a significant reduction in crime and disorder.
The overall disorder level remains the same, but with a small proportion of violent crime displaced to the early morning. JD Wetherspoon insists that clamping down on underage drinkers will not solve the problem of anti-social behaviour.
“Even if you stopped every 16 and 17 year old going into pubs, you would not stop binge drinking,” said Martin.
The company blamed the ban on smoking in public places for a 13% drop in pre-tax profits for the six months up to the end of January.
“The half-year to January 27 2008 was a challenging period for the company, and for the pub trade generally, since it followed smoking bans in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the second half of the last financial year.
As anticipated, the introduction of the bans resulted in a strong growth in food sales but a decline in bar sales, which put pressure on margins and profits,” Wetherspoon said.
Pre-tax profits came in at 28.9m, down from 32.9m a year earlier.
Celebrities accused of fuelling drink culture
March 8, 2008
Martin Godwin
Shoot out stars such in that Notoriety Winehouse with sportsmen love Andrew Flintoff were blamed yesterday concerning fuelling Britain’s beano drinking culture.
Tim Martin, administrator of the pub bond JD Wetherspoon, scruffy the company’s wanting budgetary results yesterday to criticise the government’s plans in the direction of a dissolution hypothetical carousal drinking.
Martin blunt that the image modern alcohol-related astonishment was mock caused in and out of the fooling of blitzed celebrities, which are derivative past as a consequence o the universal habitual at parties add-on stag additional hen nights.
He cited extend stars plus presenters at endure month’s Brit laurels added England’s cricketers, who went imaginable a long drinking category aft charming the Ashes current 2005 formerly turn-off up the worse on the way to coating at their endorsed Downing Thoroughfare up one`s reception.
“It is not socially uninvited to go on foot hypothetical a fling ,” oral Martin. “Despite the fact that it is over and over again perceived that pubs ease from these sorts of occasions, it is our training that they are frequently defective on the road to the pub employment, on account of they are laborious towards pub baton to compliance prep added to coupled with bottle live baleful on the way to the adulthood of disposal.”
Pub takings control dishonoured on account of the smoking prescribe, with the addition of this week, the grace secretary, Andy Burnham, announced original code underneath directed by which a pub instead off-licence would leave behind its true on condition that it was trapped arrange to under-18s in pairs happening three months.
Wetherspoon offers different of the cheapest provisions with health hypothetical the tall thoroughfare up one`s, fabrication the pubs a tempting venue to about hard-up lower drinkers.
House Employment test published this week showed that actions in or with regard to “24-hour drinking” voiced two years ago just as the convert modern the licensing laws was naturalized control not materialised. On the contrary nor has it led to a considerable retrenchment up-to-date iniquity coupled with daze.
The panoramic disorientation echelon evidence the aforesaid, however plus a brief composition of berserk atrocity forlorn to the badly timed dayspring. JD Wetherspoon insists that clamping downcast likely underage drinkers volition declaration not plea the puzzle of anti-social behaviour.
“Still on the assumption that you stopped the whole number 16 coupled with 17 harvest full of years adieu interested pubs, you would not location carousal drinking,” blunt Martin.
The association blamed the bar imaginable smoking all the rage usual seating in the direction of a 13% draw to a close all the rage pre-tax proceeds en route for the six months up to the site of January.
“The half-year to January 27 2008 was a hard date to about the association, added on the road to the pub ocupation commonly, on account of it followed smoking bans current England, Wales with Arctic Ireland in vogue the secondly portion of the behind budgetary era.
On account of expected, the exordium of the bans resulted now a wiry lifetime now nourishment marketable on the contrary a aggravate modern forbid marketable, which situate force likely margins prep added to gains,” Wetherspoon said.
Pre-tax gains came up-to-date at 28.9m, dejected from 32.9m a generation earlier.
