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Leader Live
3 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
Telegraph
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Prison recalls increase by 42pc following early release scheme
The number of ex-prisoners recalled to jail increased by more than 40 per cent after Data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on Thursday showed there were 9,975 recalls in the three months to September 2024, up by 42 per cent on the same period the previous year. It follows the introduction of an early release scheme by the previous Tory government. Sir Keir Starmer's Government introduced Under the current system, prisoners serving sentences for less serious crimes can be freed after serving 40 per cent of their jail terms, instead of the previous 50 per cent. One in seven inmates on recall The schemes have, however, led to a spike in the number of offenders being recalled to prison for reoffending or breaching their licence are growing concerns that it will lead to increasing numbers of cells being clogged up. The 'recall prison population' already accounts for one in seven of the 86,000 prisoners in England and Wales. A total of 13,382 prisoners were released from jail up to 70 days early between October 2023 and September last year under the Conservative government's early release scheme, which was called end of custody supervised licence (ECSL). Labour's new early release scheme freed more than 3,000 prisoners in two tranches last autumn after they had served less than half of their sentence in jail. It is called the standard determinate sentences 40 (SDS40) scheme. Of recalls in July to September 2024, about 73 per cent involved non-compliance with their licence conditions, 35 per cent involved failure to keep in touch and 23 per cent involved failure to reside at an agreed address. Just under a quarter (24 per cent) were recalled after reoffending. Probation chiefs say the biggest factor in determining whether an ex-prisoner is recalled is whether they have accommodation, with as many as a fifth leaving jail without a settled address. 'Excessive' licence conditions blamed Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, has blamed 'excessive' licence conditions that lasted for 'very extended periods of time' for causing the prison recall population to increase at 100 times the rate of the past 30 years. He said more needed to be done to The MoJ's The Prime Minister has blamed the previous government for the prisons crisis, saying: 'We have to release people early because otherwise we'll have an absolute crisis in our prisons.'
