17/06/2013

Report Urges New 'Super-Jails'

A new report has called for the over 30 older prisons to be replaced with 12 new "super-jails".

Author of the report, ex-ministry of justice deputy director Kevin Lockyer has said that the new jails, each with the capacity for thousands of inmates, could save £600m a year in operational costs alone.

The report was commissioned by the think-tank, the Policy Exchange.

It is understood that the new prisons would be centred around a shared-service hub, with a campus-style design.

Reportedly saving a potential 20% of the current prison budget and 9% of the Ministry of Justice departmental budget, Mr Lockyer said: "We are busting the myth that small is beautiful when it comes to prisons. In fact, newer prisons outperform older ones, regardless of their size.

"We need to build larger, newer facilities that use the most up-to-date technology to monitor inmates.

"New hub prisons will not only reduce reoffending and improve safety, they will also deliver vast financial savings and better value for money for the taxpayer."

However, criticising the plan, the Prison Reform Trust described the proposed plan as a "gigantic mistake".

(MH/CD)

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