MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
News Release (048/08) issued by The Government News Network on 5
June 2008
A consultation on
the development of up to three 2,500-place Titan prisons was
launched today by Prisons Minister David Hanson MP.
Plans to build the prisons were announced last year as part of a
further 10,500 places recommended in Lord Carter's review of prisons.
The Government is determined that the most serious, dangerous and
persistent offenders should be in prison, with less serious
offenders managed in the community where possible. It is committed
to providing sufficient prison places to hold those who are
sentenced and remanded by the courts. The current building
programme aims to bring overall capacity of the prison estate to
over 96,000 by 2014.
Ministers announced that they would consult on the development of
Titans and their place in the wider strategy for the prison estate
in the Prison Policy Update document at the beginning of the year.
David Hanson MP said:
"Our priority is to further reduce crime and to protect the
public, and we want to make sure that we get this right. This
consultation will allow us to hear from those with valuable views
and experience, to help ensure that these prisons are planned and
operated in the best way possible."
"We want Titan prisons to bring the resources we have to
reduce re-offending together in one place. Our aim is to provide
better value for money for the taxpayer and better opportunities
to rehabilitate offenders so that they don't offend again. We
have made clear from the outset these prisons will not be giant warehouses.
"They will include the latest developments in security
measures, will build in ways of developing work programmes for
prisoners and ensure that alongside a tough regime, offenders have
the opportunity to change their ways through treatment, work and learning."
The consultation document, published today:
* sets out the Government's proposals for the development of
a comprehensive strategy for the prison estate and the role which
Titan prisons might play in that strategy;
* gives examples of up-to-date technology, improved physical
security and intelligence sharing which could be built into Titans
to aid the provision of efficient and effective regimes, such as
biometric scanning, bar coding, and electronic door operation;
* develops Lord Carter's proposals for the specific
roles which Titan prisons would play in the prison estate and
describes the kinds of innovation in service delivery which the
Government is seeking to secure;
* seeks views on the role of Titan prisons in refreshing the
prison estate by providing opportunities to replace old
accommodation which may no longer be fit for purpose; and
* sets out the Government's thinking on how large
establishments should be managed in order to secure the maximum benefits;
The Government's strategy remains that the most serious
offenders should be in prison. Where a tough community sentence
can be more effective than a short prison sentence, it is right to
use that sanction because it contributes to falling crime.
Last December £1.2bn was announced to cover the capital and
running costs of additional prison places coming on stream in the
next spending review period, as well as funding for offenders to
be managed in the community. In March, £40m was committed to
ensure magistrates have tough community sentences at their
disposal, and earlier this month the Community Sentences document
was published to improve understanding of these disposals and
highlight their effectiveness in cutting re-offending.
The consultation on Titan prisons will last for 12 weeks and end
on 28 August. The results will be published before the end of the year.
Notes to Editors
1. The Titan consultation document was published at 9.30am on 5
June and is available on the Ministry of Justice website at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/cp1008.htm
2. A Written Ministerial Statement announcing the launch of the
consultation is available at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/announcement050608a.htm
3. Lord Carter's review of prisons gives options for
improving the balance between the supply of prison places and
demand for them and recommendations on how this could be achieved.
It was published on 5 December 2007 and is available at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/securing-the-future.htm
4. The Prisons Policy Update is a briefing paper which addresses
the prison building programme announced in December 2007, and
outlines the further steps to be taken in the specific areas of
drugs, prison work and alternatives to custody. It was published
on 31 January 2008 and is available at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prison-policy-update.htm
5. Since 1997 the government has increased prison capacity by
over 20,000 places. In 2007 total capacity increased by around
1,700 places, of which 1,500 places were new build. In 2008,
around 2,600 additional places will be delivered.
6. On 5 December 2007, in response to Lord Carter's review
of prisons, the Government announced a further 10,500 places on
top of 9,500 already announced. This includes up to three Titan
prisons as recommended by Lord Carter. This increase in capacity
gives the Government an opportunity to modernise the estate and
close 5,000 old inefficient prison places.
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