Friends respond to prison report
'More than 600 offenders have been kept in prison for at least ten years more than their minimum sentence, of whom 188 received a tariff of less than two years.'
Quakers have welcomed a long-awaited report on indeterminate prison sentences and are considering their response.
The new report on imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences was published by the House of Commons justice committee on 28 September.
Members of the Quakers in Criminal Justice network said they endorsed the conclusion that the IPP scheme is ‘irredeemably flawed, recording the ‘profound psychological harm’ and ‘mental torture’ associated with the sentences. This continues on release, says the report, where ex-prisoners suffer a ‘never-ending cycle of anxiety’ due to the indefinite nature of licence conditions, leaving them ‘traumatised and disconnected from society’.
Melanie Jameson, co-clerk of Quakers in Criminal Justice, said that despite the sentence being abolished in 2012, it still affects around 3,000 people and their families. She said ‘The main recommendation is the re-sentencing of all IPP prisoners, which requires new legislation. Otherwise a legacy will remain, not least due to recalls to prison for anyone breaching the terms of their licence.’
According to the report, the failure to support the prisoners both inside and outside prison has led to a ‘recall merry-go-round’, with almost half (1,434) of current IPP prisoners being at some point recalled to custody.
More than 600 offenders have been kept in prison for at least ten years more than their minimum sentence, of whom 188 received a tariff of less than two years.
The IPP scheme, introduced in 2005 for offenders deemed to be a risk to the public, has long been heavily criticised by human rights and justice groups. The indeterminate sentences, as opposed to fixed-term or determinate sentences, were designed to detain people in prison who posed a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public.
The Quaker statement on IPP made in May 2022 called for a properly-funded and bespoke welfare approach for this disadvantaged group, designed to support them to reintegrate into society. Melanie Jameson said that the issue has been highlighted by the Independent Monitoring Board who point out current shortfalls in community probation services.
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