My notes from Armley prison visit..

Armey prison: Gary boothroyd, pippa jones

Discussion of david davis views on reoffending & the riots

Management of a prison

×          Population protection & protecting society

×          Mission statement “protecting the public” doesn’t really fit with reoffending model.

×          Voids & population movement across UK - logistical problem as much as social.

×          12 month revolving door – 75% of prisoners in armley jail reoffend in 12 months.

×          “People feel well looked after in here”. The “prison operates on good will”

×          Average age is 24. 80% have a drug problem

×          They have random drug tests every week, and search everyone coming in & out. but 1,000 people have keys for the prison

×          The Manchester riots changed everything about prison conditions but it was only 12 years ago..

×          Vulnerable prison unit – 20 people at a time, for those who will get hurt.

Social impact bonds –

×          armley is the public sector being road tested.

×          Birmingham got road tested and is now in private hands

×          Peterborough has been outsourced

×          “There is a need to rebrand” Closer working with the third sector

×          “prisoners get to 35 and then decide to stop – the only question is how to speed this up”?

×          Resettlement wing is brand new.

×          Do we need a new compact between prisoners and prisons?

×          You get more drug help in prison than outside

×          CCTV is everywhere

×          Mental health problems are rife – is prison a storing house for system failure in other areas..?

       

Educing reoffending–

×          Prison used to be the ultimate goal of the police. Remove the problem.

×          Whose job is it to change behaviour? Probation, youth offending, police, voluntary sector. Who is responsible in a very expensive system?

×          How will targeting work? We know the most likely to offend. We know the most likely to reoffend. Isn’t this dangerous?

×          How does dispersal work – putting ex-offenders back where they were doesn’t work. There is still limited support for this

×          Three most important factors: Housing, work, drug rehabilitation

        

What is the point in short term sentences

×          Just long enough to become a proper criminal

×          They’ve got a Max Spielman outlet in Liverpool women’s prison

×          Thompsons keycutting placements, teach haircutting, making boxershorts, kitchen work

×          Why can’t prisons employ ex-prisoners?

×          What are the job needs of leeds?

Getting people back into society

×          Police reduce the survalance of new prisoners to give them a chance

×          Spent convictions over 10 years

×          Burlary is a lifestyle? Zero tolerance.

×          How much does the general population care if it’s a problem they don’t have to live with.

×          How much is it good people just in a bad place?

×          Remand is a big problem. Its not worth investing in people who may not end up staying (so no targets)

×          Data functions based on reoffending rates

×          Pay By Results needs innovation and then evaluation

×          Risk transfer model (£1.4m investors input).