Tumim challenges policy on prisoners

The penal system and the Government's approach to jailing criminals were severely criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons last night.

In a wide-ranging speech, Judge Stephen Tumim called for a radical rethink in the way prisoners are treated. Many of his proposals directly challenge existing policy and bring him into conflict with Michael Howard, the Home Secretary.

Among suggestions are a scheme to provide inmates with properly paid full-time jobs and greater education and training facilities.

Giving the Royal Society's Goodman Lecture in London, on 'The State of the Prisons', Judge Tumim said: 'For a very long time, prison has been seen as a warehouse, where the time before release is to be spent, preferably in vacant gloom. Ultimately the belief that if you make prisons bad enough, men will not commit crimes, must be exposed as historically untrue.'

In a clear reference to recent statements by Mr Howard about getting tough with criminals and providing harsh regimes in jail, the judge said: 'Among the debaters themselves are some who see prison as a 'holiday camp' and would welcome bad conditions as a deterrent and a further punishment of it own.'

Judge Tumim said this view did 'not see the prisons as offering anything constructive'. He called for greater education and full-time work, saying prisoners would not 'work hard eight hours a day in order to repay their moral debt to society'. Having a full-time job in jail would improve relations between inmates and their family. 'The prisoner (also) leaves prison with substantial savings, working skills, and the habit of work,' he said.

Judge Tumim was also critical of the treatment of young offenders. In far too many establishments young people are 'discharged without the skills or the self-respect which are likely to protect society from further villainy from them'.