"We should send fewer people to prison": Bedfordshire crime commissioner says we need reform

That’s the message from John Tizard – the police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire – who believes wider reform of the criminal justice system is needed.

In a statement sent in the wake of the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s decision to pause the planned early release of some prisoners, he said short-term sentences are not usually of benefit to society or the prisoner.

“We should send fewer people to prison,” he said. “There will always be a role for prisons – ideally well-resourced with a focus on rehabilitation – for those who have committed serious crimes and those who are a risk to society or victims. Imprisonment has a role to play in punishment for such criminals, but punishment alone is ineffective and inefficient.”

He went on to say: “The overcrowding of prisons has led successive governments to release prisoners ahead of their original terms. This is inevitable until there is wider reform of the criminal justice system. It requires significant additional resources for the probation service and the police as well as for housing, training and jobs plus more mental health and public health services. There needs to be investment in tagging and other monitoring processes, offender management services and community support. These will also be required if there is a switch to more community services.

“There needs to be careful management of who is released involving the prison and probation services, and in some cases the police. There would be benefit in reviewing and possibly extending the categories of crimes for which early release should be apply. I will monitor the situation in Bedfordshire and liaise with the police and probation service to ensure that there is transparency about what is happening, its impact and what is required to keep the county safe.”

And he added: “We need a change of policy in criminal justice and to move away from the current propensity to send so many people to prison.

“Overcrowding is a result of too many people going to prison which is unsustainable and unjustifiable based on evidence. Future reform is urgently required but is must be evidence led, not led by tabloid or social media headlines nor populist political rhetoric.”

Interestingly, Mr Tizard said in England over the last 10 years, there has been a fall in crime against individuals and households – but at the same time, the number of people in prison has increased significantly to record levels.

He said: “Prison has a vital role to play for the right criminals. Prisons offer punishment and protection for victims and communities. They should offer prisoners rehabilitation and where appropriate prepare them for lives after release. This includes addressing mental health issues, drug and alcohol dependency, education and training, and behaviour change. Too often the overcrowding and under-resourcing of the prison service means there is too little if any rehabilitation for too many prisoners."

Before adding: “Reducing the use of short-term imprisonment is to be welcome. 30 years ago, a quarter of sentences were community sentences but by 2024 this had fallen to 6%. It is time to reverse this trend.”