Wednesday, August 13, 2003

Fewer jail sentences 'would ease overcrowding' (UK)
Story at the Guardian - "More offenders should receive community service instead of jail sentences to cut record levels of suicide and overcrowding in Britain's prisons, according to a report published today. The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) warned that an immediate reduction in the prison population was needed to halt rising drug abuse, mental health problems and staff sickness in a system where 85 out of 138 jails (62%) in England and Wales are overcrowded." The report itself isn't yet available in the "Justice and Victims" section of the Home Office web site - though you will find a number of useful recent reports at a Research Development Statistics index, such as Prisoners’ drug use and treatment: seven research studies and Substance use by young offenders: the impact of the normalisation of drug use in the early years of the 21st century.