This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/30/how-can-prisoners-work-harder

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
How can prisoners 'work harder' when they've got nothing to do? How can prisoners 'work harder' when they've got nothing to do?
(5 months later)
Opening today's papers, I was bemused to read about Chris Grayling's plans for prison reform. He says he wants to make prisoners "work harder" for their privileges, but doesn't give any details about what such "privileges" that reward good behaviour might look like. "Perks" like Sky TV are to be withdrawn, apparently, which struck me as quite strange, given that most prisons don't offer Sky TV anyway. Then it dawned on me: was the great privatising justice secretary perhaps having a pop at the private security companies that run some of his prisons?Opening today's papers, I was bemused to read about Chris Grayling's plans for prison reform. He says he wants to make prisoners "work harder" for their privileges, but doesn't give any details about what such "privileges" that reward good behaviour might look like. "Perks" like Sky TV are to be withdrawn, apparently, which struck me as quite strange, given that most prisons don't offer Sky TV anyway. Then it dawned on me: was the great privatising justice secretary perhaps having a pop at the private security companies that run some of his prisons?
I have visited more than 100 prisons, and I have only ever seen Sky Sports in the private ones. Some of the other so-called privileges Grayling attacks – like wearing your own clothes, or having the chance to earn more from prison jobs – are also only common practice in the private prisons. His new policy introduces an "entry" level for sentenced male prisoners for the first two weeks during which they are not to be allowed to wear their own clothes. But this is a perk that's only offered in private institutions. State jails hand out uniforms comprising sloppy track bottoms, underpants and worn-out sweatshirts – all previously worn by many other men.I have visited more than 100 prisons, and I have only ever seen Sky Sports in the private ones. Some of the other so-called privileges Grayling attacks – like wearing your own clothes, or having the chance to earn more from prison jobs – are also only common practice in the private prisons. His new policy introduces an "entry" level for sentenced male prisoners for the first two weeks during which they are not to be allowed to wear their own clothes. But this is a perk that's only offered in private institutions. State jails hand out uniforms comprising sloppy track bottoms, underpants and worn-out sweatshirts – all previously worn by many other men.
The reason that private prisons offer enhanced regimes is twofold. First, most of them are newly built, and therefore adhere to more modern expectations of decency than Victorian jails can hope to provide. Second, private prisons tend to have fewer frontline staff: so, for instance, at the end of 2012 Altcourse, run by G4S, had 315 staff to manage 1,200 male prisoners. In contrast Pentonville, with a similar prisoner profile, had 355 staff.The reason that private prisons offer enhanced regimes is twofold. First, most of them are newly built, and therefore adhere to more modern expectations of decency than Victorian jails can hope to provide. Second, private prisons tend to have fewer frontline staff: so, for instance, at the end of 2012 Altcourse, run by G4S, had 315 staff to manage 1,200 male prisoners. In contrast Pentonville, with a similar prisoner profile, had 355 staff.
And they tend to deal less directly with prisoners. Inspection reports tell a sorry tale of inactivity. Birmingham prison, the first of the Victorian establishments to be handed to the private sector, was taken over by G4S in 2011, but the inspection a year later showed that "too few prisoners were engaged in useful activity. A third of the prisoners were unemployed". Private prison staff are often paid less, and pensions tend to be less generous. This helps to explain the decision to award the contract for Birmingham to G4S: even though many sources indicating that the bid was not cheaper than that from the public sector in the short term, the latter's pension costs would have built up over years.And they tend to deal less directly with prisoners. Inspection reports tell a sorry tale of inactivity. Birmingham prison, the first of the Victorian establishments to be handed to the private sector, was taken over by G4S in 2011, but the inspection a year later showed that "too few prisoners were engaged in useful activity. A third of the prisoners were unemployed". Private prison staff are often paid less, and pensions tend to be less generous. This helps to explain the decision to award the contract for Birmingham to G4S: even though many sources indicating that the bid was not cheaper than that from the public sector in the short term, the latter's pension costs would have built up over years.
So fewer staff who are less experienced in jail-craft have to keep themselves and the prisoners as safe as they can by resorting to bribes like Sky Sports as the opiate of the (jailed) masses. It is not without irony that Chris Grayling's search for a good headline ahead of this week's local elections led him straight to the private prison sector, as they must have shown him round their gleaming new establishments full of mod cons such as flatscreen TVs in cells with great pride. Little did they know.So fewer staff who are less experienced in jail-craft have to keep themselves and the prisoners as safe as they can by resorting to bribes like Sky Sports as the opiate of the (jailed) masses. It is not without irony that Chris Grayling's search for a good headline ahead of this week's local elections led him straight to the private prison sector, as they must have shown him round their gleaming new establishments full of mod cons such as flatscreen TVs in cells with great pride. Little did they know.
If the Ministry of Justice really wanted to deal with the shocking inertia and inactivity in prisons it should continue the direction given by the former justice secretary Kenneth Clarke, who started to introduce work for prisoners. This was an idea pioneered by the Howard League as we drew attention to the 30,000 adult men serving long sentences who spend years on taxpayers' money lying on a bunk all day.If the Ministry of Justice really wanted to deal with the shocking inertia and inactivity in prisons it should continue the direction given by the former justice secretary Kenneth Clarke, who started to introduce work for prisoners. This was an idea pioneered by the Howard League as we drew attention to the 30,000 adult men serving long sentences who spend years on taxpayers' money lying on a bunk all day.
Inactivity, idleness and time-filling are the order of the day in both public-sector and private prisons, and it is likely to get worse as cuts in resources kick in. If the government really wants to get prisoners working and busy so that they can earn privileges, then it needs to invest in activities. You cannot punish someone for not doing something they can't do because it's not there in the first place.Inactivity, idleness and time-filling are the order of the day in both public-sector and private prisons, and it is likely to get worse as cuts in resources kick in. If the government really wants to get prisoners working and busy so that they can earn privileges, then it needs to invest in activities. You cannot punish someone for not doing something they can't do because it's not there in the first place.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.