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3rd July, 2009, 05:00 AM
I?ve come across thousands of criminals in my career and the only thing they all feared was prison
John Stalker, former Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police
Criminals are treated too severely and we shouldn?t lock them up, says Cherie Booth.
The wife of ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair heads a commission which claims criminals are treated ?harshly and excessively?.
It urged that instead of jail they should be handed community sentences.
The Commission on English Prisons accuses Labour of turning prisons into ?warehouses? where people with mental health problems and those with drug and alcohol addictions are ?dumped?.
But Tory MP Ann Widdecombe said: ?Community punishments have been proven to not work. The protection of the public must be the first concern and if someone sets out to commit crimes the sooner they are off the streets the better.?
And John Stalker, former Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, added: ?I?ve come across thousands of criminals in my career and the only thing they all feared was prison.
?When you look in the eyes of a hardened criminal you know that sticking him in the community is not going to punish him. In the same week statistics show we are one of the most at-risk people in the world of being the victim of violent crime, we are also being told not to stick criminals in jail. This commission is well out of touch.?
The report also claims that closing prisons would save money and cut re-offending.
Commission president Cherie said: ?This final report should be a road-map for long term and fundamental reform. The commission proposes that justice is more local.?
But a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ?Prison is a central part of our policy and always will be.
?By describing prisons as ?vast warehouses? the report both distorts reality and overlooks the superb work of prison officers and other staff who work so hard to protect the public and help offenders to change their lives.?
John Stalker, former Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police
Criminals are treated too severely and we shouldn?t lock them up, says Cherie Booth.
The wife of ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair heads a commission which claims criminals are treated ?harshly and excessively?.
It urged that instead of jail they should be handed community sentences.
The Commission on English Prisons accuses Labour of turning prisons into ?warehouses? where people with mental health problems and those with drug and alcohol addictions are ?dumped?.
But Tory MP Ann Widdecombe said: ?Community punishments have been proven to not work. The protection of the public must be the first concern and if someone sets out to commit crimes the sooner they are off the streets the better.?
And John Stalker, former Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, added: ?I?ve come across thousands of criminals in my career and the only thing they all feared was prison.
?When you look in the eyes of a hardened criminal you know that sticking him in the community is not going to punish him. In the same week statistics show we are one of the most at-risk people in the world of being the victim of violent crime, we are also being told not to stick criminals in jail. This commission is well out of touch.?
The report also claims that closing prisons would save money and cut re-offending.
Commission president Cherie said: ?This final report should be a road-map for long term and fundamental reform. The commission proposes that justice is more local.?
But a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ?Prison is a central part of our policy and always will be.
?By describing prisons as ?vast warehouses? the report both distorts reality and overlooks the superb work of prison officers and other staff who work so hard to protect the public and help offenders to change their lives.?