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Prisoners 'must work harder' for privileges Prisoners 'must work harder' for privileges
(about 2 hours later)
Male prisoners in England and Wales must work harder for privileges such as TVs in cells, the government has said.Male prisoners in England and Wales must work harder for privileges such as TVs in cells, the government has said.
From November, inmates must "actively earn privileges" and are being warned a simple absence of bad behaviour will "not be enough". Inmates will be made to wear a uniform during their first two weeks in jail and their access to private cash to call home will be restricted.
Satellite and cable TV channels, currently available in some private prisons, will be banned altogether.Satellite and cable TV channels, currently available in some private prisons, will be banned altogether.
The Prison Reform Trust said "getting rid of tellies" was not going to cut reconviction rates.The Prison Reform Trust said "getting rid of tellies" was not going to cut reconviction rates.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "In the past, we've sent the wrong message." Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "I want the arrival in prison for the first time to be an experience that is not one they'd want to repeat.
Other changes to the Incentives and Earned Privileges schemes will include: "That means an environment where they arrive [where] standards are pretty basic and then they start to gain extras by contributing... and if they won't do it, then they can't expect to start gaining those privileges."
The Ministry of Justice said there would also be a change to prison rules "increasing our power to recover money from prisoners to pay for damage to prison property". Other changes to the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) schemes from November will include:
The changes follow a review of the prison incentives scheme. The Ministry of Justice said it would also strengthen prisons' powers to recover money from inmates who damage their property.
Officials are still working on possible changes to the privilege scheme for female prisoners.
'Lose things'
Mr Grayling said: "I want a regime that sends the right messages - turn your life around and there'll be some incentives in prisons, but if you don't engage, if you behave badly, then you'll lose things."
When the new system is introduced, existing prisoners will not lose the privileges they already have unless their status is reviewed.When the new system is introduced, existing prisoners will not lose the privileges they already have unless their status is reviewed.
But they will lose any cable or satellite TV in private prisons.But they will lose any cable or satellite TV in private prisons.
Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said it was "perfectly reasonable" to remove subscription TV channels as well as to stop inmates, "some of whom have committed violent crimes", from watching 18-certificate films. Officials are still working on possible changes to the privilege scheme for female prisoners.
"No-one wants to see 'doing time' equal wasting time," she told BBC News. Ben Gunn, who spent 32 years in prison for murder, told the BBC Mr Grayling was putting newly incarcerated people at risk.
"But the word 'privileges' is misleading and it implies there is a lot of luxury in prison, whereas that really is not the case." "To actually bring people into prison and in their first two weeks, when they are at their most vulnerable and prone to suicide and self harm, to then throw them in uniform so they're marked out from the rest of the population and restrict the money they can spend to phone home to talk to friends, family and lawyers is just absurd.
She said the important thing was "always to focus on what's effective - not what sounds tough". "It's positively harmful."
"There is no evidence at all to show that a so-called tough approach works," she added. But Max Chambers, from the right-leaning Policy Exchange think tank, said the moves were "exactly what taxpayers would expect from our prison system" and would bring about the sort of behaviour change needed in jails.
"But to be more effective, you have to focus on employment and skills training, on making sure people have safe housing to go to and that they have good contact with their family. Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said it was "perfectly reasonable" to remove subscription TV channels but there was no evidence to suggest that a "so-called tough approach" would improve rehabilitation.
"Those are the three things that cut reconviction rates… not getting rid of tellies." "But to be more effective, you have to focus on employment and skills training, on making sure people have safe housing to go to and that they have good contact with their family."
The Howard League for Penal Reform, meanwhile, said it was "bizarre" to introduce "new layers of red tape which will only add to the cost of prison and demands on staff time".The Howard League for Penal Reform, meanwhile, said it was "bizarre" to introduce "new layers of red tape which will only add to the cost of prison and demands on staff time".
"It is also astounding that the justice secretary spends his time policing what prisoners watch on DVD, to the point that Scary Movie 2 or series three of The Inbetweeners will be banned," chief executive Frances Crook said."It is also astounding that the justice secretary spends his time policing what prisoners watch on DVD, to the point that Scary Movie 2 or series three of The Inbetweeners will be banned," chief executive Frances Crook said.
"Instead, Chris Grayling should look at taking our prison population back to a manageable level - giving non-violent people community sentences so something productive can be done with those who remain in prison.""Instead, Chris Grayling should look at taking our prison population back to a manageable level - giving non-violent people community sentences so something productive can be done with those who remain in prison."
Last month, MSPs warned that prisoners in Scotland's jails were spending too much time watching TV instead of taking part in activities to cut reoffending.Last month, MSPs warned that prisoners in Scotland's jails were spending too much time watching TV instead of taking part in activities to cut reoffending.
The Scottish Parliament's justice committee said it was concerned some prisoners had "unlimited opportunity to watch television" and recommended guidelines on "the appropriate amount of television viewing time".