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Prison education must be 'overhauled', Michael Gove says Prison education must be 'overhauled', Michael Gove says
(about 4 hours later)
Education in prisons must be overhauled in order to reduce re-offending and make prisoners more employable, the justice secretary has said. Education in prisons must be overhauled to reduce re-offending and make prisoners more employable, the justice secretary has said.
Michael Gove suggested "earned release" for inmates in England and Wales who work hard on their education. Michael Gove suggested "earned release" for inmates in England and Wales who work hard and gain qualifications.
Prison officers said they had heard similar "rhetoric" before and questioned how the plans would work.Prison officers said they had heard similar "rhetoric" before and questioned how the plans would work.
Labour said it had long argued for better prison education, but detention conditions also needed improving.Labour said it had long argued for better prison education, but detention conditions also needed improving.
Mr Gove also spoke about closing "ageing and ineffective" prisons and giving more powers to governors. Mr Gove also spoke about closing "ageing and ineffective" prisons and giving more powers to governors - citing Pentonville in London, which inspectors recently found was overcrowded and where most inmates felt unsafe, as "the most dramatic example of failure".
Earlier this week, chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said the government's "rehabilitation revolution", launched five years ago at the outset of the coalition, had not even started. But in his first major speech since being appointed justice secretary in May, Mr Gove said there were "technical and complex policy questions" about how change should be implemented.
He said in his annual report that prisons were in their worst state for a decade and some jails were "places of violence, squalor and idleness".
In his first major speech since being appointed justice secretary in May, Mr Gove said there were "technical and complex policy questions" about how change should be implemented.
How educated is the prison population?How educated is the prison population?
Source: Ministry of Justice, 2012Source: Ministry of Justice, 2012
Speaking at the Prisoner Learning Alliance, Mr Gove said society was collectively to blame for the failure to "redeem and rehabilitate" offenders and called for an end to the "idleness and futility" of prison life. Speaking at the Prisoner Learning Alliance, Mr Gove, a former education secretary, called for an end to the "idleness and futility" of prison life.
The justice secretary said he wanted to look at "earned release" for offenders who are committed to education and gain qualifications that are respected by employers. The proposals could be piloted first or introduced in a more radical way, he said.
He said the proposals could be piloted first or introduced in a more radical way and said no decisions had been made yet. If prisons moved to a system of "earned release", it would be a major change from the current policy under which most prisoners are automatically released on licence at the halfway point of their sentence.
If prisons moved to such a system, it would be a major change from the current policy under which most prisoners are automatically released on licence at the halfway point of their sentence.
AnalysisAnalysis
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny ShawBBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw
The prison problems Michael Gove faces are the same as his predecessor, Chris Grayling - overcrowding, rising violence and drug-taking - but his tone is markedly different.The prison problems Michael Gove faces are the same as his predecessor, Chris Grayling - overcrowding, rising violence and drug-taking - but his tone is markedly different.
Mr Gove referred to St Matthew's Gospel and quoted Churchill as he spoke of the need to transform the "soul" of prisoners through rehabilitation.Mr Gove referred to St Matthew's Gospel and quoted Churchill as he spoke of the need to transform the "soul" of prisoners through rehabilitation.
He believes education is the key.He believes education is the key.
But his plans - more control to governors over education provision and "earned release" for offenders who gain skills and qualifications - are far from fully formed.But his plans - more control to governors over education provision and "earned release" for offenders who gain skills and qualifications - are far from fully formed.
Civil servants are working on the proposals, perhaps with a pilot scheme at some point.Civil servants are working on the proposals, perhaps with a pilot scheme at some point.
Letting inmates out early if they become trained or qualified would be politically very tricky for a Conservative justice secretary, so Mr Gove will want to ensure it isn't seen as a soft option or a mechanism simply to reduce the prison population.Letting inmates out early if they become trained or qualified would be politically very tricky for a Conservative justice secretary, so Mr Gove will want to ensure it isn't seen as a soft option or a mechanism simply to reduce the prison population.
Labour's shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer welcomed the government's "change of tone" on the issue but said "the right learning conditions" also needed to be in place. Shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer welcomed the government's "change of tone".
"How can prisons focus on improving the quality of education when violence and drug-taking are rife, there is persistent overcrowding and serious assaults on staff are rising?" he said. But he added: "How can prisons focus on improving the quality of education when violence and drug-taking are rife, there is persistent overcrowding and serious assaults on staff are rising?"
Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "The challenge now is to translate this marked new reflective tone set by the Justice Secretary into sensible policy and to create a just, humane and effective penal system." Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "The challenge now is to translate this marked new reflective tone set by the justice secretary into sensible policy."
Prison education, work and re-offendingPrison education, work and re-offending
'Missed opportunity''Missed opportunity'
Jonathan Robinson, who was jailed for 17 weeks for theft in 2011 and now campaigns for education in prisons, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there were "a great many prisoners" who were "dying to engage" in training. Jonathan Robinson, who was jailed for 17 weeks for theft in 2011 and campaigns for education in prisons, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was "thrilled" Mr Gove had "flagged education".
He said: "During a totally deserved prison sentence I saw missed opportunity after missed opportunity after missed opportunity for rehabilitation in prison via education. "During a totally deserved prison sentence I saw missed opportunity after missed opportunity after missed opportunity for rehabilitation in prison via education," he said.
"I am thrilled that Mr Gove's initial toe in the water on his prison policy is that he's flagged education as the key." Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association union, "cautiously" welcomed the proposals but said clear policies and resources were required.
Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association union, "cautiously" welcomed the proposals but said "the devil will be in the detail". He said the "root causes" of people going to prison, such as drug and alcohol dependency and mental illness, also needed to be addressed.
"I've been around the prison system a long time, in excess of 25 years, and I've heard all of this rhetoric before over 25 years and it's always failed.
"Now in order to make it work there's got to be clear policies, a clear understanding and the resources given to it to make it work."
He added that it was also important to address the "root causes" of people going to prison, such as drug and alcohol dependency and mental illness.
Prison closuresPrison closures
Mr Gove said there had been a "persistent failure to reduce re-offending". In his speech, Mr Gove said: "In prisons there is a - literally - captive population whose inability to read properly or master basic mathematics makes them prime candidates for re-offending.
"In prisons there is a - literally - captive population whose inability to read properly or master basic mathematics makes them prime candidates for re-offending," he said. "Ensuring those offenders become literate and numerate makes them employable and thus contributors to society, not a problem for our communities."
"Ensuring those offenders become literate and numerate makes them employable and thus contributors to society, not a problem for our communities. Mr Gove proposed giving governors more control and rewarding them if offenders do well.
"The failure to teach our prisoners a proper lesson is indefensible." Earlier this week, chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said the government's "rehabilitation revolution", launched five years ago at the outset of the coalition, had not even started.
Mr Gove said there were not the "right incentives" for prisoners to learn and proposed giving governors more control and rewarding them if offenders do well. He said in his annual report that prisons were in their worst state for a decade and some jails were "places of violence, squalor and idleness".
He also suggested that some ageing Victorian prisons should close.
He said the current prison estate was "out of date, overcrowded and, in far too many cases, insanitary and inadequate".
The money raised from selling off sites would be "significant" and could be reinvested in a "modern estate", he added.