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Grayling's letter to laureate defends prison book ban | Grayling's letter to laureate defends prison book ban |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Justice Secretary has defended his policy on books being sent to prisoners in England and Wales, through an open letter sent to the poet laureate. | |
Carol Ann Duffy protested over the ban on prisoners receiving parcels - including books- which began last year. | |
Chris Grayling said the ban kept prisons free of drugs, but Ms Duffy said it hurt the "soul of the country". | |
The Howard League for Penal Reform said drugs were not originally cited as a reason for the ban. | |
'Undermine' | 'Undermine' |
In his letter Mr Grayling said he had only specifically made a decision about "the availability of books in prisons" once, and that was to allow the novel Fifty Shades of Grey to be circulated in female prisons, in a bid to encourage reading. | In his letter Mr Grayling said he had only specifically made a decision about "the availability of books in prisons" once, and that was to allow the novel Fifty Shades of Grey to be circulated in female prisons, in a bid to encourage reading. |
He said that allowing prisoners to receive regular parcels would "put in jeopardy the efforts of prison staff to keep drugs and other illicit materials out of prisons". | He said that allowing prisoners to receive regular parcels would "put in jeopardy the efforts of prison staff to keep drugs and other illicit materials out of prisons". |
"The arrival of thousands of unknown parcels in our prisons each day, whether containing books, essential items or anything else, would completely undermine these efforts," he said. | "The arrival of thousands of unknown parcels in our prisons each day, whether containing books, essential items or anything else, would completely undermine these efforts," he said. |
"It would be a logistical impossibility to check them all in the level of detail that is needed, to properly explore whether apparently innocuous items contain drugs or other illegal items." | "It would be a logistical impossibility to check them all in the level of detail that is needed, to properly explore whether apparently innocuous items contain drugs or other illegal items." |
Circumvent | Circumvent |
Mr Grayling also denied he or any other ministers have made specific changes about the availability of books in prisons. | Mr Grayling also denied he or any other ministers have made specific changes about the availability of books in prisons. |
"Despite some reports, we have not sought to include them in a list of privilege items that have to be earned by offenders - to do so would be wholly wrong," he said. | "Despite some reports, we have not sought to include them in a list of privilege items that have to be earned by offenders - to do so would be wholly wrong," he said. |
He went on to offer Ms Duffy an invitation to visit a prison so she could "see in more detail the scale of the smuggling" in prisons, and the attempts being made to circumvent the rules. | He went on to offer Ms Duffy an invitation to visit a prison so she could "see in more detail the scale of the smuggling" in prisons, and the attempts being made to circumvent the rules. |
'Stupid' | 'Stupid' |
But Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, described it as "bizarre" that a system which he said worked perfectly well until November last year when the new rules were introduced, was now described by Mr Grayling as "logistically impossible". | |
He said that concern about drugs was not cited as a reason to impose the restrictions when they were introduced last year. | He said that concern about drugs was not cited as a reason to impose the restrictions when they were introduced last year. |
"There are many ways that drugs get into prison, but few people would be stupid enough to pop them in the post," he said. | "There are many ways that drugs get into prison, but few people would be stupid enough to pop them in the post," he said. |
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a national charity which works towards for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison. | The Howard League for Penal Reform is a national charity which works towards for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison. |
Ms Duffy organised the protest at outside Pentonville Prison in north London on Friday, which was also attended by actress Vanessa Redgrave and author Kathy Lette. | Ms Duffy organised the protest at outside Pentonville Prison in north London on Friday, which was also attended by actress Vanessa Redgrave and author Kathy Lette. |