LONDON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- British penal reform groups say that three new jails would waste public money and make Britain the prison capitol of Europe.
The National Association of Probation Officers and the Prison Officers Association, as well as the reform groups Nacro, the Prison Reform Trust and the Fawcett Society, wrote a critical letter to Jack Straw, the Secretary of State for Justice, The Independent reported Thursday. It said plans for the so-called Titan jails was "misguided" and should be abandoned.
"The Government's proposals to build three 'Titans,' each housing around 2,500 prisoners, would cement this country's position as the prison capital of western Europe, while squandering billions of pounds of taxpayers' money which could be better spent elsewhere," the letter said. "The proposals ignore evidence that smaller, local prisons work better than large ones, raise serious concerns about the well being and safety of prisoners and prison staff, and would put at risk relationships between prisoners and their families."
But David Hanson, Minister for Prisons, said the "Titans" would be small units within a singular perimeter wall, each with a function in education, training and rehabilitating prisoners.
