Former Justice Secretary Advocates Open Prisons to Alleviate Overcrowding
David Gauke suggests moving offenders to open prisons to reduce overcrowding and aid rehabilitation efforts
David Gauke, Open Prisons, Overcrowding, UK, Prison Reform
London: A former justice secretary, David Gauke, is pushing for a shift of thousands of prisoners to open prisons. He believes this could help tackle the serious issue of overcrowding and better prepare inmates for their eventual release.
Gauke, who’s leading a government review on sentencing, thinks this approach could save money and lower the chances of reoffending. He pointed to Spain as a model, where many prisoners can leave the prison during the day for work or education.
Right now, only about 5,143 out of 86,000 prisoners in the UK are in these lower-security category D jails. These facilities allow inmates to spend time outside, which can help them adjust to life after prison.
He mentioned in an interview that being able to work during the day and return to sleep at night can help inmates get back into a routine. It’s also a chance to rebuild family ties, which are crucial for rehabilitation.
Category D jails mainly house non-violent offenders and those nearing the end of longer sentences. Even if the Parole Board suggests a transfer to open conditions, the justice secretary can still decide whether to approve it.
Interestingly, it costs about £27,348 a year to keep someone in an open prison, compared to £51,108 in a secure facility. However, increasing the number of open prison spaces would need some investment since there are only about 1,000 available right now.
Gauke’s comments come after he visited Spanish jails, where the prison population has dropped significantly over the past decade due to measures like open prisons and community sentences.
His review, expected to be published in the spring, will likely recommend more use of these strategies and even explore tech options like electronic tagging.
The government started this review after releasing many inmates early to ease overcrowding. Gauke, who served under Theresa May, sees this as a chance to rethink the current approach to sentencing.
He believes the UK has reached a point where longer sentences aren’t effectively reducing crime and are just piling on costs. Other countries have successfully reduced their prison populations, and he hopes his review will offer practical solutions.
Gauke is aware that not everyone will agree with his recommendations, but he’s determined to push for changes that could make a real difference.