Get out of jail free: the new Tory prisons policy
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 24 October 2023
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Prisons in England and Wales are at full capacity. Exclusive reporting for the Times revealed judges were being advised to suspend sentences, rather than put prisoners away. After HS2, concrete in schools, and NHS waiting lists, where will this latest scandal leave the Tories’ reputation for competence?
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Guests:
- Catherine Baksi, former barrister and Times contributor.
- Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Editor, The Times.
Host: Luke Jones.
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Transcript
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| 1:12.0 | we've had commuter routes chewed up by strikes. But what of the clog in prisons though? |
| 1:18.0 | With prisons nearly full, there are no nice options, and one is for judges to delay sentencing that |
| 1:25.3 | could mean convicted criminals like sex offenders remaining on bail for an |
| 1:30.1 | unspecified period of time less visible but still a big problem. |
| 1:35.0 | There's even the suggestion that some might have prison sentences delayed |
| 1:39.0 | because of a lack of space. |
| 1:41.0 | The government have pledged more places, tougher sentences for the worst criminals |
| 1:46.0 | and a crackdown on shoplifters. |
| 1:48.0 | There is no such thing as a minor crime. |
| 1:51.0 | If the police tolerate crime and antisocial behavior in any form, will have more crime of all sorts. |
| 1:57.0 | So that's why we now have record numbers of police officers, and every crime should be investigated. |
| 2:03.0 | But is the system fit to achieve this? |
| 2:08.0 | And what does all of this mean politically? You're listening to stories of our times from The Times and the Sunday Times. |
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