THE hand-wringing associated with the current prison occupancy would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious.
The reason the UK incarcerates a higher proportion of its population that most other European countries, twice as high as France and Germany, is very clearly a result of this country’s Victorian attitude to criminal justice. A look inside virtually any UK prison confirms that.
This attitude is created and reinforced by politicians and by the popular press. The whole objective of the system is portrayed to be retribution. The idea of trying to minimise reoffending, which had been gaining traction in the post-war decades, has all but disappeared.
Decisions associated with years of austerity have contributed to this change in direction. Any investment available for the prison estate has been consumed by the requirement for additional capacity, at the expense of improving rehabilitation services. The disastrous, dogma-driven privatisation of the probation service in England clearly didn’t help matters.
When combined with rising poverty levels and deteriorating social service provisions, both of which contribute to the drift into crime and to the difficulties faced by ex-prisoners as they re-enter society, it’s obvious why there is an ever-rising prison population.
Only a complete rethink of the justice system, concentrating on crime prevention and eliminating the “lock ‘em up and throw away the key” culture that currently pervades the discussion, will actually solve the problems we see unfolding.
Cameron Crawford
Rothesay
INSIGHTFUL and thoughtful, George Kerevan is always a pleasure to read, and is one of the reasons I get The National every day (the other is Alison Phipps). All the more surprised and disappointed was I to observe a glaring omission in his imaginative piece “celebrating the anniversary of the successful referendum” (Sep 10).
Can I humbly offer to supply this?
“Following the successful referendum the new Scottish Government declared its intention to immediately sign the TPNW (Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons) and to join the 97 other states that have accepted its binding obligation to outlaw nuclear weapons. The Scottish Government duly notified the rUK government of the fact that Trident could no longer operate from the Clyde bases. This was from day one of independence.
“Initial suggestions that the rUK operate a Guantanamo-type solution and enforce Trident on Scotland by forcibly incorporating the territory of the bases into the rUK were fiercely resisted by the population and government, and were eventually abandoned.
“Since there was no place in the UK that could accommodate Trident, the rUK was left with a problem – it had nowhere to go. Suggestion that the “deterrent” could operate out of King’s Bay, Georgia would destroy any delusion of independence, so that was ruled out. Eventually the Labour Prime Minister decided to make a virtue out of necessity and agreed to support a nuclear-free Europe.
“Thus the independence of Scotland played a hugely significant role in the struggle to free the world from nuclear terrorism”.
Brian Quail
Glasgow
REGARDING the letter from Alex Beckett referring to Neil Gray initially lying about using his phone to queue for, of all things, Oasis tickets, whilst in a government meeting, I completely agree with Alex (Letters, Sep 6).
This was schoolboy behaviour from our Health Secretary and should not be tolerated from a supposedly serious and committed government minister. He should be removed immediately from his position as he cannot now be considered honest and trustworthy.
For goodness sake, how difficult is it to just hold up your hands and admit your guilt – and stupidity! You would get a lot more respect!
As an SNP supporter of more than 50 years I find that the current incumbents of the Scottish Government, apart from a few exceptions, are a bunch of career-driven incompetents with no pride or passion and to that end I also agree with “Old John” (Letters, Sep 6).
It would appear that the majority of them are living on another planet from me if they think that this behaviour is acceptable, as it demonstrates the inability of the SNP to govern well and honestly. John Swinney really needs to “step up” in this respect.
They have failed their supporters and our country when independence was almost in our grasp, and that makes me very angry.
Liz Barclay
via email
HAVING just watched both episodes of Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union (on iPlayer), I can’t help wonder what on earth the BBC were playing at by confusing the chronology of events and no doubt causing much needless confusion in minds of viewers. Maybe its just my Doubting Thomas tendency but can’t help thinking there’s a “confuse the audience” intention involved.
Tom Gray
Braco
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