Changes in prisons

Changes in prisons since c.1900 Prisons 1900-1948: Following the adoption of the 1895 Gladstone Report, prisons moved away from the Silent System. The report said that prisons should turn their inmates out better people than they went in. These views were implemented by two successive reformers; Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise and Sir Alexander Paterson. 

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1921: Paterson ordered that ‘the close cropping of hair of convicts should be abolished… all male prisoners should be cut like that of a respectable man in ordinary life’. The broad arrow uniform was abolished and replaced by more normal clothes 1923: Prisoners were allowed to meet and talk to each other at certain times 1936: the first ‘open prison’ was established at Wakefield. Open prisons had fewer restrictions, and prisoners went out to work during the day, as a preparation for leading a normal working life on release 1948: the Criminal Justice Act – abolished flogging of prisoners, prisoners received education and work training to help them ‘go straight’ when they were released.

More visits from families were allowed, to keep them in contact with their communities.

Between 1910-30s the prison population halved because more people were put on probation instead and from 1914 people were given more time to pay fines.

Prisons 1948-1990:

The prison population rose steeply from the 1940s. This was because: 1. The rise in crime from the 1960s 2. The average length of sentences was rising 3. The proportion of offenders sent to prison for certain crimes increased significantly e.g. drunk drivers imprisoned trebled in 1980s 4. The numbers in prison awaiting trial increased.

Overcrowding in prisons and a shortage of staff meant that prisoners had to spend 23 hours a day in their cells, reform and education programmes were cut and there were less family visits.

Tensions mounted and led to serious prison riots/protests against conditions e.g. at Strangeways prison, Manchester (1990) which caused millions of pounds worth of damage.

Attempts to deal with this:   

1967: the introduction of suspended sentences – if the person didn’t reoffend they would stay out of prison 1972: Community service was started – instead of going to prison, offenders undertook many hours of unpaid work on useful projects for the community.

However, rather than reduce sentences and send fewer people to prison, in the ‘fear of crime’ climate of the 1980s the government decided to build more prisons (first time since the early 1800s), including prison ships and private prisons run by security companies.

Changes in prisons since c.1900 Prisons 1990-present: There was a steep increase in the number of people in prison from the 1990s. This was partly because there were more ‘lifers’ serving long stretches in prison: 1. The abolition of the death penalty meant more murderers serving 10 years in prison 2. Terrorists serving very long sentences (35 years in some cases) The increase in the prison population has brought serious problems of over-crowding. In spite of building new prisons, Britain’s prisons do not have the capacity for housing the number of prisoners. This means sharing cells and fewer opportunities to work or learn a trade. Throughout the 1990s there were serious prison riots over conditions.

Current prisons Minister Andrew Selous said he wants to create a prison system "that effectively rehabilitates prisoners". As a result, since 2005, prisons have been assessed on levels of safety, respect, purposeful activity among inmates and resettlement.

The most recent report (July 2015) gave prisons in England and Wales their lowest overall grade since 2005. The report states that the use of legal highs was fuelling violence, while inmate deaths and self-harming were rising, and staff attacks were also up. Some prisons were "places of violence, squalor and idleness". There has been increasing public concern over the prison system, demonstrated in the popularity and frequency of media coverage (TV programmes/newspapers).