University News Last updated 14 July 2015
Denying that UK prisons are in crisis is holding back desperately needed reforms, a Birmingham City University criminologist warned today as the chief prisons inspector published a final ‘damning report’ before leaving the post.
Commenting as chief prisons inspector Nick Hardwick highlighted more than 15,000 assaults in men’s prisons in England and Wales last year – the highest annual figure in a decade – David Wilson, Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University, said: "This is a worrying report as there is no evidence that things are getting better in our prisons.
"Nick Hardwick has without doubt been the bravest chief inspector of prisons we've ever encountered and it's sad that his honesty and integrity will be lost when he leaves the job."
Mr Hardwick also commented on prisons failing to get the "rehabilitation revolution" for inmates underway that government promised five years ago.
"We need urgent action not only to reduce the numbers of people going to prison but also to reduce the need for them to be in jails," added Professor Wilson.
"The inability to see that we're in crisis is holding back change and it's about time we acknowledged that things are bad so that we can put them right. We keep hearing how our prisons are in their worst ever state. How many more damning reports can there be?!"