Community could lose prisoners' labour (From Gazette Series)

Community could lose prisoners' labour

8:15am Thursday 19th July 2007

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FEARS have been expressed that problems at Leyhill prison could have knock-on consequences for local community organisations that rely on free convict labour.

There are concerns that the open prison's community placement programme - designed to ease long term prisoners back into society - could be at risk, partly because of the prison overcrowding crisis.

Prison chiefs struggling to manage overburdened closed jails are under fire for allegedly dispersing "unsuitable" inmates to the South Gloucestershire establishment.

In her latest report, Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers reveals that Leyhill is currently home to 50 inmates classed as high or very high risk - including sex offenders. And, she says, there are no clear rules on whether such offenders should be allowed out on resettlement programmes.

Ms Owers is calling for discussions with the Parole Board about the appropriateness of placing higher risk convicts in open prisons where they would not normally be able to work or visit outside.

The report says Leyhill has many strengths but calls for its resettlement work - and its efforts to render inmates eligible for parole or prepared for work - to be strengthened.

The prison needs to increase opportunities for outside employment for those eligible and improve its sentence planning system, says the report. Staff-prisoner relationships also need improvement.

In the past the prison has helped local community and voluntary groups by providing labour for a wide range of projects.

In Thornbury, one of the beneficiaries of the resettlement scheme has been the District Heritage Trust which runs the town's museum.

"There is no way we could have achieved what we have in recent years at the museum without help from Leyhill's work placement scheme," said chairman Sandi Shallcross.

"Inmates nearing the end of their sentences have come to the museum and helped out in all kinds of ways - from computer inputting to building work. They have all been properly risk assessed and there has never been any problem. They've been absolutely invaluable and we know we have helped them, too, because they've told us.

"It would be a real shame on both sides if the scheme was threatened in any way because of scare stories on TV and in the national press about high risk prisoners being sent to Leyhill because of overcrowding and then being let out into the community."

A Prison Service spokesman said open prisons were the most effective means of ensuring prisoners were tested in the community before release.

They were presently being "maximised" because of the current pressure on prison accommodation but all inmates at Leyhill were rigorously assessed and categorised as being of low risk to the public.

Organisations concerned about the future of the placement scheme may be able to take heart from assurances from Prison Service Director General Phil Wheatley.

Responding to Ms Ower's report he said: "I recognise that there are areas that need improvement. The governor will be giving greater emphasis to resettlement work and improving staff-prisoner relationships."

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