Can Labour solve our prisons crisis?

There is no doubt that the new government (and in particular the prisons minister, James Timpson) is faced with a serious prison population crisis. Original thinking and a willingness to challenge the system will be the only way out.

As HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, I know this all too well. Last month I inspected Durham, a Georgian reception jail which regularly vies for the dubious honour of being the most overcrowded prison along with Leeds, Bedford and Wandsworth.

With remand populations (those who have yet to be convicted) at historic highs, reception prisons across the country are busier than ever. There is constant pressure to accept new arrivals and ship those who are sentenced off to their next jail. The most immediate problem is the backlog of remanded prisoners. The longer-term issue is with the high volume of prisoners serving increasingly lengthy sentences – despite public perceptions that judges are too willing to let criminals off lightly.