Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East
Thurrock, has welcomed a new policy that will see tougher regimes in place for
prisoners whilst in prison.
In the future, prisoners from across England and Wales will
need to make real progress towards their own rehabilitation and work hard in
prison before they can receive privileges like access to television sets and
being able to wear their own clothes.
Under the new policy, the mere
absence of bad behaviour will not be enough to earn perks, as is the case at
the moment. Other changes include:
- All convicted adult male prisoners will have to wear
prison uniform whilst on the new Entry-level in prisons.
- In-cell television sets will not be provided for
prisoners on basic level and no prisoner should be allowed to watch
television when he should be working or engaging in purposeful activity.
- Prison
regimes will change so that convicted prisoners will work a longer day and
bad behaviour will lead to a downgrade in status.
Welcoming the new measures, local
Conservative MP Stephen Metcalfe said: “Like many
local people in South Basildon and East Thurrock, I think our prisons should be
places of hard work and serious rehabilitation. Any privileges that convicted
criminals receive should be hard-earned, and be rewards for taking real steps
towards rehabilitation and reform. They certainly should not come as a right.”
“I am
extremely pleased with these new measures. They will ensure that prisons are
serious places of reform and, as a result, make our streets and communities
safer.”
Conservative
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling MP said: “It is not right that some prisoners
appear to be spending hours languishing in their cells and watching daytime
television while the rest of the country goes out to work.”
“For
too long, there has been an expectation that privileges are an automatic right,
given simply as a reward for staying out of trouble. This cannot
continue. Prisoners need to earn privileges, not simply through the
avoidance of bad behaviour but also by working, taking part in education
or accepting the opportunities to rehabilitate themselves”
“We
have reviewed the scheme fully, and I believe it is now something the public
can have confidence in. Only by tackling bad behaviour and taking part in
education or work programmes as well as addressing any alcohol or drug issues can
we cut reoffending.”
