Prisons across the UK are in a state of profound crisis. The rising rates of violence, self-harm, and drug abuse in overcrowded prisons are alarming. According to officials, these problems have led to British prisons being declared at breaking point for many years in a row. In the face of the Crisis in British prisons, the UK government has turned to broader use of the “open prisons” scheme. The British government is using the “open prisons” scheme as a solution to reduce pressure on the British penal system. This article will examine the unsatisfactory state of British prisons in various dimensions. It also discusses the Starmer government’s approach to addressing current problems in British jails.
Crisis in British prisons
The prison overcrowding crisis in Britain has a long history. The problem has been exacerbated in recent decades by rising prison populations and cuts to public funding for the justice system. Figures provided by the UK Ministry of Justice on the state of the country’s prisons show the extent of the crisis in these centres. The statistics were released while the justice minister announced emergency measures to reduce the Crisis in British jails. The recent violent unrest in Britain and the numerous prison sentences issued in the wake of it have once again created a crisis in prisons. The Starmer government has announced plans to build 500 new cells. The British government will provide new prison cells to provide space for detainees.
Significant increase in violence in prisons
According to the latest figures provided by the UK government on the state of the country’s prisons, the scale of the chaos in British prisons begins in young offenders’ detention centres. There has been a significant increase in self-harm and violence crises in young offenders’ detention centres. Human rights campaigns warn that exposing prisoners to violence and psychological distress is detrimental to efforts to rehabilitate them. Meanwhile, weapons seizures in British prisons have also increased by 24% compared to the previous year.
Self-harm in prisons rises.
The number of violent incidents in prisons has increased by nearly a third in 2023. The number of violent incidents has reached its highest level since the Corona outbreak. There has been a worrying increase in drug and weapon seizures in British prisons. Drug seizures in the country’s prisons have increased by 44% in the past 12 months. Statistics show an increase in the rate of self-harm in juvenile detention centres, up 119 per cent from last year.
On the other hand, the rate of self-harm in British adult prisons has reached its highest level since the relevant data was recorded. The number of self-harm incidents that require injured prisoners to be transferred to hospitals has increased by nearly a quarter. The rate of self-harm in British women’s prisons is more than 8 times higher than in men’s prisons. These statistics indicate the depth of the Crisis in British jails.
The problems of British prisoners after their release
The crisis in Britain’s prisons is not limited to issues within these institutions, as a high proportion of British prisoners enter homelessness directly after release. The situation in Britain’s prisons is, of course, affecting women released from prison at a higher rate. On the other hand, adult convicts have a recidivism rate in the UK. This rate has increased by 57% for adults released in less than 12 months. One reason for this is the unemployment of released prisoners; among the affected group, prisoners of Asian descent face more serious problems.
The British government’s use of the open prison scheme
David Gauke, responsible for reviewing British judicial policies, recently spoke of an approach according to which some prisoners with non-intentional and low-risk crimes would be transferred to open prisons. This policy would allow them to leave prison daily for work or education. According to statistics, the prison population in England and Wales has reached an unprecedented 87,900, which is very close to the maximum capacity of the country’s prisons. The UK Ministry of Justice has predicted that if the current trend continues, existing prisons’ capacity will not meet the population increase. Open prisons are also not a new concept in the British penal system, but they have been used in a limited way. Former British Justice Secretary David Gauke suggested that the British government should use the open prison mechanism more widely.
Arguments of opponents and supporters of the open prisons plan
Gauke’s comments about open prisons have drawn mixed reactions. On the one hand, a group of members of parliament have assessed this measure as a positive step towards better management of the penal system. Also, some members of parliament have expressed concern about the consequences of this policy. As a result, they believe that implementing an open prison policy may reduce public trust in the judicial system. The Prison Service has warned that this plan will not be successful without increased funding and improved working conditions.
The British government is looking to build 14,000 prison cells.
The British government has promised to build 14,000 new cells by 2031. Judicial experts believe that increasing capacity alone cannot solve the Crisis in British prisons. Shabana Mahmood, the British Justice Minister, has also warned that the continuation of the current state of the justice system is exposing the country to a serious crisis. The British Labour Party, which took office in July 2024, has turned to solutions such as the early release of prisoners and their transfer abroad. Under the early release plan, 5,500 prisoners have so far been released to prevent the collapse of the justice system.
Starmer unable to solve the Crisis in British prisons
There have been numerous reports on the Crisis in British prisons. These reports state that the critical situation in prisons is the result of intertwined crises of staff shortages and overcrowding of prisoners. Rising rates of violence, self-harm, and drug abuse in overcrowded prisons have brought the country’s prisons to the brink of collapse. The British government is trying to use every solution to manage the current situation of the Crisis in British jails. Experience has shown that implementing new models, such as open prisons, requires careful planning and appropriate infrastructure. Infrastructure is not available in the current conditions. The prison system in Britain has failed, and this is an unprecedented legacy that the Conservative Party has left. The Starmer government has also not taken significant action to solve the multiple crises in British prisons.
