The Guardian has run a feature written by myself and freelance colleague Richard Cookson looking at how the public sector may seek to outsource more work to prisons as the Coalition cuts begin to bite.
It follows on from a piece we did a year ago where we were the first to full reveal the scale of contracts between the prison service and outside compnies - with prisoners getting as little as £4 a week.
We've been battling to get niformation released on this through Freedom of Information requests and it looks like the Ministry of Justice has given in as my last request resulted in a list of all contracts as of January this year. Download it here
The issue has been much in the news with Ken Clarke's announcement on getting prisoners to work more and better. Though this hasn't met with universal approval from the right.
The Howard League for Penal Reform put out a statement:
The Howard League for Penal Reform welcomed the plans to turn prisoners into taxpayers by introducing real work to prisons. The charity has campaigned for this radical change for more than ten years, starting with the first research into prison workshops and running a prototype business inside Coldingley for three years.
Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform said, “We welcome this radical shift from the coalition government that will turn prisoners into tax payers. Bringing real work into prisons is the most important reform to the prison system in two centuries. Prisoners must pay tax which is the best way to support victims, families and for the first time, be asked to contribute to the common good. We must get prisoners to take responsibility for their actions and work is the best way to achieve this.
“There are real challenges ahead, but the Howard League's experience of being the only organisation ever to have run a business inside a prison will be invaluable. It is essential that prisoners are paid the rate for the job so that the prison industries do not undercut local businesses - prison work must be competitive. Why not bring back the outsourced industries currently being sent abroad?
"Everyone will gain from this new policy. It will enable prisoners (overwhelmingly men) to contribute to families so that we could reduce the benefits bill and this will help to keep families together. It could reduce prison costs as prisoners can pay for the luxuries just like the rest of us have to.
"Prisoners must take responsibility for their actions and the Howard League asked its prisoners employed in the pioneering graphic design studio in Coldingley prison to make voluntary donations to victims charities.
"Staff will benefit in safer prisons as violence and conflict is reduced. I particularly welcome the secretary of state's call for a 40 hour working week which means that prisons will be busy and productive places for the first time in history."
“This will have a phenomenal impact in reducing reoffending. There will be less crime on release and will dramatically improve safety for the public.“
“This could be the biggest change to the prison system in 200 years and Kenneth Clarke should go down in history as the greatest penal reform after John Howard.”
Frances Crook also has a blog post on this issue.
Image from Flowizm uder Creative Commons Licence
Good afternoon
Have you heard of CAP? It's the latest "mandatory" Workfare scheme which is being compared to community sentences handed out to criminals - only much harsher.
The mandatory CAP, or Community Action Programme, is being tested in selected areas of England at present, with its national unleashing due in 2013. It is intended to conscript those people who remain unemployed after spending 2 years on the controversial Work Programme - and that sounds like an early admission of the failure of the latter to deliver its intended employment targets!
CAP is longer in duration than the average community sentence handed out (by the courts) to convicted criminals, being for six months at 30 hours per week, which gives a total sentence of 780 hours!
You might also find the International Labour Organisation and its definition of forced or compulsory labour interesting reading - whether applied to unemployed people or indeed to convicted criminals. ILO Convention 29, article 2, defines forced or compulsory labour as follows:
"ALL WORK OR SERVICE WHICH IS EXACTED FROM ANY PERSON UNDER THE MENACE OF ANY PENALTY AND FOR WHICH THE SAID PERSON HAS NOT OFFERED HIMSELF VOLUNTARILY".
But, look at this, according to ILO Convention 29, Article 2, (2), (c), even convicted criminals should only be doing forced or compulsory labour "provided that the said work or service is carried out under the supervision of a PUBLIC authority and that the said person [criminal] is not hired to or placed at the disposal of PRIVATE individuals, companies or associations".
Are the ILO guidelines adhered to with convicted criminals these days?
Even more interesting is the recent UK legislation dealing with forced or compulsory labour. Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and Section 47 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, both outlaw forced or compulsory labour. The wording of these two Acts is the same; the reason for there being two Acts is because English Law is separate from Scots Law.
Under that new legislation, it appears if "Person A" requires another person to perform forced or compulsory labour, then a (criminal) offence is committed - and if various mandatory Workfare schemes are not forced or compulsory labour under the menace of a penalty, what in fact are they?
There also appears to be a reluctance in the Press to air this subject - I've had several letters about it rejected! Even some "prisoners" organisations are rather taciturn!
Your own response to my comments would be welcome back here.
Thank you for your attention.
Tobanem
Posted by: Tobanem | Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 17:34