Expensive and Ineffective
The Prison Governors' Association and National Association of Prison Officers have called for greater use of community punishments, adding their voices to those of outgoing NOMS chief Phil Wheatley and prison minister Crispin Blunt, who say short-term sentences do little to rehabilitate offenders.The cost, meanwhile, to the family unit, is often inestimable as mothers may lose their children and economically burdened families may lose their homes - adding further costs to tax payers.
An estimated 55,333 people are currently serving six months or less at a cost of
£350m.
Latest news articles:
Visiting prisons survey -
03 September 2010:
Visiting prisons - survey finds there is room for improvement. Read more
Consultation information September 2010 -
01 September 2010:
The coalition government wants to hear your views.
Find out how to run a family friendly prison event -
01 September 2010:
Run a family friendly prison event
Tories defend their fiscal policy -
26 August 2010:
Poorest families affected by emergency budget?
The Marsh Award for Volunteers -
19 August 2010:
Do you know a volunteer who works with prisoners' families?
They could win £1,000
Opinions called for from voluntary sector! -
11 August 2010:
Minister of Civil Society wants to know what the voluntary sector thinks.
PSI 38 - important to family work -
27 July 2010:
Controversy around Crispin Blunt's speech concerns prison practitioners.
Good news for family work -
23 July 2010:
Crispin Blunt says prisoners families ties must be maintained.
Your Children, Your Rights -
12 July 2010:
A new series of briefings will inform mothers in prison about their family rights.
APF forum on alternatives to grant funding -
29 June 2010:
Alternatives to Grant Funding - Looking at Commissioning and Social Impact Bonds forum