Superprisons just won't work, says Commissioner

Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd

Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner has called on the government to reject a proposal, drawn up by the right-wing think tank Policy Exchange, for 'Superprisons' that he says would be a "costly mistake" and "the government should instead invest in alternatives to prison which have been proven to work". 

Mr Lloyd said: "It's true that some of our prisons are antiquated and need to be retired as time goes on, but pouring huge sums of money into building 'superprisons' is just plain daft.

"While it will always be clear that prison is right for those criminals who have appalled society by their heinous crimes, or those who have offended again and again, if the government wants to beat reoffending then the investment should be made in alternatives to custody.

"The sensible use of these alternatives doesn't just keep people out of prison - they lead to a reduction in reoffending which is better for all of us as it means there will be fewer victims of crime.

"It's easy to seize on headline-grabbing measures to look tough on crime, but the reality is that the Ministry of Justice needs to invest in measures that actually work. I urge ministers to reject this kind of ill-thought through proposal that will not only cost money, but cost society more in the long run by perpetuating the cycle of offending."