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30/01/2008
Future of 'Titan Jails' In Doubt
The Justice Secretary Jack Straw has expressed doubts over whether plans to build huge new so-called "Titan" jails in England and Wales - expected to house up to 2,500 inmates each - will definitely get the go ahead from Government.
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Straw was speaking in response to the publication of the annual report from the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, in which she said the plan to build Titan jails ignored evidence that smaller prisons worked better than larger ones.
The Justice Secretary had originally proposed that one of the so-called Titan jails, which will be larger than any prison currently used in Britain, will be in service by 2012. The other two were expected to be built by 2014.
Following a review of overcrowding in jails, Straw said a building programme would take prison place numbers up to 96,000 from the current 81,000 by 2014.
Ms Owers said she did not think "prison building should be driving our prison policy".
Resources needed to be freed up to support people after jail and to "prevent people getting there in the first place", she said.
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing. The government is running a special emergency early release scheme to ease pressures on cell places. It is also using police cells for hundreds of inmates a week.
(GC)
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Straw was speaking in response to the publication of the annual report from the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, in which she said the plan to build Titan jails ignored evidence that smaller prisons worked better than larger ones.
The Justice Secretary had originally proposed that one of the so-called Titan jails, which will be larger than any prison currently used in Britain, will be in service by 2012. The other two were expected to be built by 2014.
Following a review of overcrowding in jails, Straw said a building programme would take prison place numbers up to 96,000 from the current 81,000 by 2014.
Ms Owers said she did not think "prison building should be driving our prison policy".
Resources needed to be freed up to support people after jail and to "prevent people getting there in the first place", she said.
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing. The government is running a special emergency early release scheme to ease pressures on cell places. It is also using police cells for hundreds of inmates a week.
(GC)
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16 February 2007
Home Secretary to announce new prisons
The Home Secretary John Reid is to announce plans for two new prisons, providing an extra 1,300 spaces. The prisons, which will reportedly cost more than £160m, will be located near Ashworth high security mental hospital in Merseyside and next to Belmarsh prison in Woolwich, south east London.
Home Secretary to announce new prisons
The Home Secretary John Reid is to announce plans for two new prisons, providing an extra 1,300 spaces. The prisons, which will reportedly cost more than £160m, will be located near Ashworth high security mental hospital in Merseyside and next to Belmarsh prison in Woolwich, south east London.
24 April 2009
Government 'Abandons' Proposed Titan Prisons
Plans for a massive prison scheme are to be abandoned by the Ministry of Justice, according to media reports. Three 'Titan' prisons facilities, with the capacity for 2,500 offenders, will now not proceed. It is believed the Justice Secretary Jack Straw will instead introduce plans for five smaller jails, two of which will be built very soon.
Government 'Abandons' Proposed Titan Prisons
Plans for a massive prison scheme are to be abandoned by the Ministry of Justice, according to media reports. Three 'Titan' prisons facilities, with the capacity for 2,500 offenders, will now not proceed. It is believed the Justice Secretary Jack Straw will instead introduce plans for five smaller jails, two of which will be built very soon.
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