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| Reid to unveil prison crisis plan | Reid to unveil prison crisis plan |
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| Home Secretary John Reid is due to announce measures to reduce prison overcrowding in England and Wales. | Home Secretary John Reid is due to announce measures to reduce prison overcrowding in England and Wales. |
| The plans - to be announced in a Commons statement - could mean police cells being used to house prisoners and some inmates moving to open prisons. | The plans - to be announced in a Commons statement - could mean police cells being used to house prisoners and some inmates moving to open prisons. |
| David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said prison overcrowding was due to "serial neglect by the government". | David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said prison overcrowding was due to "serial neglect by the government". |
| Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said the use of open prisons will not expose people to dangerous criminals. | Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said the use of open prisons will not expose people to dangerous criminals. |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that, later today, the home secretary will make an announcement on measures he plans to take regarding prison spaces." | A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that, later today, the home secretary will make an announcement on measures he plans to take regarding prison spaces." |
| The facts and figures behind prisons in the UKIn detail | The facts and figures behind prisons in the UKIn detail |
| It appears increasingly likely that Operation Safeguard - the contingency plan for the co-ordinated use of police cells - will be activated in the near future. | It appears increasingly likely that Operation Safeguard - the contingency plan for the co-ordinated use of police cells - will be activated in the near future. |
| The prison population fell by 24 on Monday, according to official figures. | The prison population fell by 24 on Monday, according to official figures. |
| It had reached a record 79,843 this weekend, and in theory there were just 125 more spaces available. | It had reached a record 79,843 this weekend, and in theory there were just 125 more spaces available. |
| Prisoner numbers have risen by more than 600 in the past six weeks, and are likely to continue to rise until Christmas. | Prisoner numbers have risen by more than 600 in the past six weeks, and are likely to continue to rise until Christmas. |
| However, ministers will not sanction Operation Safeguard unless they absolutely have to - not least because of the cost. | However, ministers will not sanction Operation Safeguard unless they absolutely have to - not least because of the cost. |
| It is almost four times as expensive as holding an inmate in prison. | It is almost four times as expensive as holding an inmate in prison. |
| But even if cell space is found for the next couple of months, questions remain about capacity. | But even if cell space is found for the next couple of months, questions remain about capacity. |
| The government is promising an extra 8,000 prison places - but that will be enough only if the prison population rises in line with the Home Office's lowest forecasts. | The government is promising an extra 8,000 prison places - but that will be enough only if the prison population rises in line with the Home Office's lowest forecasts. |
| 'Human warehouses' | 'Human warehouses' |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said the Association of Chief Police Officers had a prepared plan and stations were ready to take the prisoners. | BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said the Association of Chief Police Officers had a prepared plan and stations were ready to take the prisoners. |
| It's going to take some time to persuade the public that if somebody isn't sent to prison they are still being punished John Denham href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4154&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments | |
| The home secretary is also trying to make it easier to allow foreign prisoners to serve their sentence abroad. | The home secretary is also trying to make it easier to allow foreign prisoners to serve their sentence abroad. |
| But our correspondent said Mr Reid would also increasingly come under pressure to focus more on rehabilitation schemes such as community service. | But our correspondent said Mr Reid would also increasingly come under pressure to focus more on rehabilitation schemes such as community service. |
| Mr Davis said the problem of overcrowding was a "very serious consequence of serial neglect on the part of the government". | Mr Davis said the problem of overcrowding was a "very serious consequence of serial neglect on the part of the government". |
| He told the BBC that prisons were becoming "human warehouses" because of overcrowding, which meant "rehabilitation programmes" were being disrupted because inmates were "being moved around to make room for other prisoners". | He told the BBC that prisons were becoming "human warehouses" because of overcrowding, which meant "rehabilitation programmes" were being disrupted because inmates were "being moved around to make room for other prisoners". |
| Mr Davis said a Conservative government would build more prisons as this was something which was "unavoidable". | Mr Davis said a Conservative government would build more prisons as this was something which was "unavoidable". |
| Public perceptions | Public perceptions |
| Labour MP John Denham, who chairs the government's home affairs select committee, said: "It's fairly obvious that we need to use more non-custodial sentences for the type of prisoners who need some punishment, but who don't have to be locked up to protect the public. | Labour MP John Denham, who chairs the government's home affairs select committee, said: "It's fairly obvious that we need to use more non-custodial sentences for the type of prisoners who need some punishment, but who don't have to be locked up to protect the public. |
| "But it's going to take some time to persuade the public that if somebody isn't sent to prison they are still being punished and they still actually do a sentence that means something." | "But it's going to take some time to persuade the public that if somebody isn't sent to prison they are still being punished and they still actually do a sentence that means something." |
| The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Maltravers, this weekend urged more use of community sentences, saying prison overcrowding made it difficult to rehabilitate inmates. | The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Maltravers, this weekend urged more use of community sentences, saying prison overcrowding made it difficult to rehabilitate inmates. |
| Some campaigners also contend prisoners who commit crimes to feed drug and alcohol addictions can often be better served outside jails. | Some campaigners also contend prisoners who commit crimes to feed drug and alcohol addictions can often be better served outside jails. |
| Juliet Lyon, the director of the Prison Reform Trust, told the BBC treating petty offenders in the community was "one of the ways in which you can begin to try and change the pattern of crime and offending". | Juliet Lyon, the director of the Prison Reform Trust, told the BBC treating petty offenders in the community was "one of the ways in which you can begin to try and change the pattern of crime and offending". |