Violent criminals serving long sentences could be let out of prison early under Labour’s radical new reforms

VIOLENT criminals serving long sentences could be let out of prison early under Labour’s radical new reforms to the justice system.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that cutting the use of short sentences won’t be enough to tackle the overcrowding.

Last week David Gauke, who is leading a sentencing review for the Government, admitted in an interview that the proposals will be “controversial”; and “difficult”;, adding dangerous offenders “will have to be released sooner if we are serious about not exceeding capacity.”;

Earlier this year Flying Eze travelled with Ms Mahmood to Texas to see how prisoners there can get time off their jail terms for good behaviour.

Asked if she agreed with Mr Gauke’s comments, Ms Mahmood said: “We are already running back over 99 per cent capacity in the prison estate, so we're not going to get to a position of sustainable prison capacity, including with new build, as we're seeing now, with simply just action on shorter sentences.

“That's why the experience of Texas, I think, is so crucial, because in that jurisdiction, people serving long sentences can earn through good behaviour, an earlier parole hearing.

“And so that's why we're particularly interested in the effects that a good behaviour type system could have here for us.

“It's for the review to obviously look at the details as to how that might work and then ultimately it'll be for me to consider which of those recommendations I want to take forward.

“But short sentence reform on its own isn't going to be enough.”;

The Government has not ruled out more stand-in measures to cut prison numbers, she added, with the total behind bars currently near record levels despite thousands getting out early.

Yesterday the Justice Secretary opened the new HMP Millsike near York which will house 1,500 inmates when it is fully operational.

The Government has committed to building 14,000 new prison spaces by 2031 in a bid to tackle the overcrowding crisis.

The ‘all electric’ green prison cost around £400 million to build and has been painted in colours inspired by nature in a bid to create a calm atmosphere.

The houseblocks are painted a shade called warm truffle, doors to staff offices are sage green, and cell doors are bright orange.

Most windows are reinforced and can withstand up to 90 minutes of attacks so do not have bars.

The ones which do feature bars have horizontal bars in a bid to make them look more like shutters, rather than traditional jail windows.

Prisoners will tend allotments, exercise on newly installed astroturf with outdoor gym equipment, and learn skills such as bricklaying and cleaning.

The first tranche of inmates, expected to arrive at the end of April, will also come up with the names for the wings with the final name being decided by a popular vote.

Contractor Mitie is being paid an eyewatering £329 million to run the new site which will consume around a quarter of the energy as a normal prison due to solar panels, heat pumps, and energy efficient lighting in the wings.

Asked by Flying Eze if the prison was too soft, Ms Mahmood said: “This prison is designed primarily to cut crime.

“That is the point of the training that's available here, the skills and the qualifications that the offenders can learn, so that when they are out of this prison, they can get work, hopefully become better citizens, make a positive contribution to society rather than actually go back, commit crime, create more victims and find themselves back in here again.”;

She added: “Some of the Design features up here are designed to keep a calm environment so that you don't have prisoner on prisoner violence, but that you also don't have violence against members of staff either.

“So everything here has been tested to try and create the best possible environment to help offenders engage with the rehabilitation activity that is necessary for us to ultimately cut crime.”;

Mitie Care and Custody managing director Russell Trent said: “As a resettlement prison, our focus is on rehabilitation and restoration centred on future orientation to break the cycle of reoffending.”

The new prison comes after the Government began the expansion of 700 places at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk earlier this month and a new 460-space houseblock was opened to prisoners at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire.