nglish is a rich language. Political scandals come and als into practice. An array of meas- But it is the Yiddish term go, so readers may be forgiven for ures has now been announced: re- E chutzpah which best de- needing reminding that Mr Straw's placement of the caution with the scribes the characteristic most on musings appeared during what was single final warning; new repara- show in the article by Home Sec- the Government's most uncom- tion orders, parenting orders, ac- retary, Jack Straw, which appeared fortable week to date: the week of tion plan orders, child safety or- in on November 1 Oth the 'fags for cash' Formula 1 con- ders, local child curfews and so on. 1997 under the title 'The honey- troversy. His 'honeymoon' article Alongside Labour's plans for lo- moon has only just begun'. 'We was part of the Government's cal youth offender teams and a have worked assiduously to get our counter-attack (an article on an national Youth Justice Board, it is many priorities into action,' he identical theme by Peter not an exaggeration to talk about a wrote. No Government was 'more Mandelson appeared in the Inde- revolution in juvenile justice. determined'. As for U-turns, 'none pendent the same day). Together A similar energy has been ap- exist'. they asserted not only that the Gov- parent in Labour's critique of the ernment had kept all its promises structure of the criminal justice but that Labour's election victory system and the relationships be- had meant real change in the way tween its constituent parts. Like- the country is run: 'It is a matter wise with the announcements on Jack Straw's of trust, of the contract we entered the extension of tagging, or incor- into with the British people.' poration of the European Conven- Whatever view may be taken tion on Human Rights, or on drug generally of Labour's record since treatment. No-one could accuse prison record gaining power, how far is it true of Jack Straw of being other than an Mr Straw's approach to criminal active and a mas- justice that promises have been ter of his brief. Stephen Shaw says Labour has kept and a new direction taken? The tone of Mr Straw's pro- Unfortunately, as far as promises nouncements, and the style of kept some of its promises but is are concerned, Labour's election policy making, also bear little re- manifesto is little help. There was semblance to life under Michael presiding over a marked deterio- no contract with the British peo- Howard. Mr Straw has publicly ple. The manifesto is a document insisted (in a speech at the launch ration in prison regimes. carefully drafted to avoid clear of the International Centre for commitments on virtually any- Prison Studies on 7th October thing. The one Firm promise on 1997) that he has 'no interest in criminal justice - halving the time chanting a simplistic mantra that it takes to punish persistent young prison works'. There is too a genu- offenders - tells us nothing about inely open, inclusive and pluralis- who is to be defined as a persist- tic approach to policy-making in ent offender, nor about the com- the Home Office, a world away parative dates between which the from that which obtained under Mr pace of punishment will be dou- Straw's immediate predecessor. bled. Civil servants, journalists, academ- ics and the voluntary sector all Toughness know that a sea-change has oc- curred, and have responded ac- Similarly, 's famous cordingly. soundbite: 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime' - insofar as it means anything - offers no guid- Black hole ance as to the details of penal But the black hole in Labour's ap- policy. 'Tough on crime' may im- proach has been the prisons. When ply a generalised 'toughness' in took office on May terms of sentencing ('tough on 1st 1997, there were just over criminals' might be a fairer inter- 60,000 people in prison. Six pretation). But New Labour said months later, there were over nothing specifically to suggest it 63,000 prisoners in the system. It favoured longer prison sentences is difficult to identify a single or a greater use of imprisonment prison which is not in a worse state vis-a-vis community penalties. (In- today than it was on the day of the deed, Labour's adoption of the General Election. Conservatives' public spending Furthermore, many of the poli- totals might have suggested no fur- cies associated with Michael ther boom in law and order.) Howard have been continued. Pri- On the other hand, Labour can vate sector involvement has been "It is difficult to identify a single prison properly claim that it outlined its boosted (despite Jack Straw's be- approach to juvenile crime in a lief that private prisons are 'mor- which is not in a worse state today than it number of policy documents while ally objectionable'.) Secure train- was on the day of the General Election." in opposition, and that it has ing centres have been given the go moved speedily to put its propos- ahead. Mandatory sentencing pro-

Cjm no. 30 Winter 1997/98 visions in the Crime (Sentences) Act have been implemented. The powers of the Prisons Ombudsman remain emasculated. It is true that the ban on in-cell television has been lifted. And I expect a liberalisation of the rules governing temporary release. The relative responsibilities of the Home Secretary and Director Gen- eral have also been clarified. But that is about all there is. As far as prisons are concerned, the policy seems little more than cross your fingers and hope for the best. Yet as all the recent reports from HM Chief Inspector of Pris- ons, Sir David Ramsbotham, have shown, conditions and regimes are deteriorating in gaols up and down the country. Sir David's reports betray a deepening frustration that nothing seems to be happening to reverse the tide. For example, in his report on Lincoln prison, Sir David writes: be that the prison population can 1997 Annual Report) is another 'The purpose of the criminal jus- "Anyone reading either paragraph only be reduced when public and success story - and one which has tice system in my view is first of 3.01, which describes A (the Re- judicial confidence in community been 'exported' around the world. all to try and prevent crime aris- mand) Wing, where prisoners in- penalties has been 'restored'. And at a unit cost of £1,770 per ing altogether. Secondly, to divert flict a high level of assaults on one When that confidence is in place, community service order, it is a as many people as possible from another and bullying is endemic, then a reduced use of custody may good deal cheaper than all but the the necessity of custody. Thirdly to or paragraph 3.03 which details follow. But unlike a generation of shortest prison sentence. imprison those whom it is neces- that, on the Wing around 200 pris- Conservative Home Secretaries: Of course, Mr Straw is not sary to imprison, only. Fourthly to oners were being unlocked every Whitelaw, Brittan, Hurd, blind to the pressure of prisoner understand that the purpose of day, with little constructive activ- Waddington and Baker, Jack Straw numbers. The plan to extend the imprisonment is to ensure that the ity to keep them occupied, must be seems unwilling to lead public sen- use of electronic monitoring as a best chance of rehabilitation is alarmed. When you go on to read timent, much less take executive condition of early release is clearly given to those that are in prison.' paragraph 3.35 which describes action to reduce the crush of prison intended to reduce the numbers conditions in the first night centre numbers. He seems embarrassed when the gap between accommo- (The Future of the Prison Service, - no natural light on the ground to 'talk up' community penalties dation and population widens Perrie Lecture, March 1993, repro- floor; cells in a dreadful state; and, by doing so, improve judicial again in 1999. And the subliminal duced in Prison Service Journal. mattresses ripped and stained; toi- and public confidence in the work message to the courts - that prison no. 90, 1993). let seats broken; graffiti on cell of the probation service. is not the cheapest or most effec- Those are the words of Tony walls dating back over two years; Yet community penalties have tive way of punishing offenders or Blair. I wonder what became of remains of encrusted and old food a good story to tell. Probation controlling their depredations - him? stuck to the walls of a cell - you practice has been transformed in may well have some impact on begin to wonder in which country, recent years. And, as the Chief sentencing practice. It certainly and in what century, what is being Inspector of Probation said re- needs to. On present trends, the Stephen Shaw is Director of the described is allowed to take place. cently: prison population will have grown Prison Reform Trust. When you realise it is in by several thousand before the 1997 you feel angry that this is "Certain community programmes early release/tagging scheme being tolerated..." involving the same population sig- comes into effect. The nificantly outperform custodial In prison after prison, day-to- day life for prisoners is sinking Prison Reform The pace of deterioration is alarm- sentences in reducing reqffending back into the bad old ways of the ing. By adopting Michael and we now know, or at least have 1980s. It is not my idea of a hon- Trust Howard's other simplistic mantra an understanding of, what makes eymoon. And it is a world away that the prison population is noth- those programmes so successful." from the vision outlined just four ing to do with politicians, New may be contacted tit: years ago, by Mr Straw's predeces- Labour is presiding over the de- Community service by offenders sor as Labour spokesman on Home struction of everything that the (still 'under-used' according to the Chief Inspector of Probation's Affairs: Woolf Report stood for in terms of 15 Northburgh Street offering prisoners a constructive use of their time in gaol. "In prison after prison, day-to-day life for London Confidence prisoners is sinking back into the bad old EC1V0AH Mr Straw's strategy is one for the ways of the 1980s. It is not my idea of a Tel: 0171 251 5070 medium term. The view seems to honeymoon."

Cjm no. 30 Winter 1997/98