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Failing prisons should be 'community controlled'

08/07/2008

Consistently failing to cut reoffending should mean prisons are taken over by the community and turned into 'foundation prisons', according to a new report by centre-left thinktank Progress.

The new prisons would operate by having their board of governors placed under the control of an external organisation with a strong track record in cutting reoffending.

The proposal comes as part of a policy group on crime and justice, chaired by Steve Reed, leader of Lambeth Council, which calls for the criminal justice system to become more accountable to the public.

"The time has come to give the public a stronger sense of ownership of policing, with more power to direct policing in their community so the system is responsive to local concerns," the report says.

As part of the accountability programme, the report calls for directly elected local mayors to take responsibility for local policing. It also wants 'crime maps', which show the number of particular crimes per area and supported by London mayor Boris Johnson – to be made public.

"Community courts" should be rolled out nationwide with powers to make offenders pay back through work in the community. Local people would become more involved in the 'community payback' scheme – recently supported by home secretary Jacqui Smith – and would inform about the work carried out.

New powers should be granted to the police and local councils to close down "things which encourage criminal behaviour" such as phone boxes with prostitute calling cards or bus shelters used by drug dealers, the report says.

But there are more liberal aspects to the thinktank's report, including a 'Fresh Start' programme for those leaving prisons to prevent reoffending.

The Howard League for Penal Reform welcomed the plans. Director Frances Crooke said: "The criminal justice sector can seem distant and unapproachable, and an overweening focus on individual offenders has been detrimental to taking widespread action that addresses the underlying causes of crime in the community.

"Despite record prison numbers, public concern on crime is rising. Policy makers need to radically rethink what approach is taken and we welcome the debate these ideas from Progress should generate."