Restorative justice may increase as charities run prisons
-18/4/05
New opportunities for Christian agencies to pioneer restorative justice programmes may be opening up, with the news that charities may soon be entrusted with running jails.
Ministers have conceded that new plans mean charities could eventually be put in charge of some of Britainís most dangerous criminals.
The voluntary sector will first be invited to bid jointly with private companies to run open prisons, detention centres and young offendersí institutions, reports the Sunday Times.
Church groups have repeatedly called for different approaches to criminal justice. The restorative justice approach tends to be voluntary, and based upon the Christian idea that justice is primarily about making things right, restoring damage that has been done, restitution and reconciliation, before it is about retribution and punishment.
Victim Offender Reconciliation Programmes (VORPs) are one of the primary mechanisms of restorative justice. The are over 1,000 such programmes operating around the world. They typically face up criminals with the reality what they have done, cut re-offending rates but also break down the anonymity and fear which many victims of crime experience, allowing punishments to “fit the crime”.
However, it is believed that the Government has shied away from such ideas in the past for fear of being labelled “soft” on crime.
The new developments for charity involvement in prisons may however give the opportunity for the voluntary sector to develop such programmes.
The next phase will be for high-security prisons to be run by charities in conjunction with private-sector firms. Paul Goggins, the prisons minister, said: ìWe arenít ruling anything out.î
Alan Milburn, the election co-ordinator and architect of the plan, is ready for criticism about the risks of placing ìdo-goodersî in charge of criminals.
But he believes charities will bring a more humane approach that will reduce costs, cut re- offending rates and should weed out abusive behaviour by rogue staff.
It is one of the most controversial elements of his public-sector reform programme, which will harness charities if Labour get a third term, to tackle waste and inefficiency.
Milburn said he wanted to allow charities to compete on equal terms with the public sector to run offender, health and employment services.
Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo, argues in the report that prisons need to turn to charities because they are failing to rehabilitate offenders. He also says prisons and asylum detention centres are failing to curb the culture of racism.
The proposed solutions are, however, likely to prompt fears that charities may be a ìsoft touchî.
The report also highlights a scheme by the Howard League for Penal Reform that will for the first time pay prisoners the minimum wage. They will be able to open a bank account, contribute to a pension and save for their release.
ìWe are particularly interested in partnerships between the private and voluntary sector,î Goggins said. ìInitially I think it would be unlikely that a charity would attempt to run a high-security prison, but over time they may become confident enough to bid.î
He disclosed that the Home Office is in talks with a private company and a charity to run tagging operations in England. The former will provide the technical expertise and the charity will mentor criminals to prevent them reoffending.